The Seelisberg Tunnel is a tunnel in Switzerland with a length of over 9,200 meters. It is part of the A2 motorway (also known as the Gotthard Motorway), which runs from the German border at Basel through Switzerland to the Italian border at Chiasso, making it a key route for north-south traffic in Europe.
Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Seelisberg Tunnel is not named after the mountain it passes through, but after the nearby town of Seelisberg. The mountain it traverses is called Niederbauen Kulm, located in the Uri Alps, with an elevation of 1,923 meters. Additionally, Niederbauen Kulm borders Lake Lucerne. The Seelisberg Tunnel runs through this mountain near Lake Lucerne, connecting Lucerne to Attorf, and was opened to the public in December 1980. Prior to 1980, ferries were commonly used to cross this north-south route. Today, over 20,000 vehicles pass through the Seelisberg Tunnel daily.
Lake Lucerne is a 114 km² lake located within the territory of four Swiss cantons (formerly known as the "Waldstätten"): Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, and Lucerne — hence its name. It is the fifth-largest lake in Switzerland and lies centrally in the country, south of Zurich. The largest towns along the lake include Lucerne, Küssnacht, Horw, and Brunnen. The lake is divided into several basins and bays: the Urnersee in the east, the Gersauer Basin in the center, and the Chrüztrichter in the west. The Seelisberg Tunnel runs along the lakeside from the Gersauer Basin to the Urnersee.
Niederbauen Kulm is a 1,923-meter high mountain in the Uri Alps of Switzerland, located on the southern side of Lake Lucerne. Since 1980, the Seelisberg Tunnel has passed through the Niederbauen Kulm.
The A2 motorway, also known as the Gotthard Motorway, is the most important road connection through the Swiss Alps, running from Germany to Italy. It has a total length of 295 km and stretches from the German border at Basel to the Italian border at Chiasso. Construction of the A2 began in the 1950s, with the Luzern-South bypass opening in 1955. The following tunnels are part of the A2 besides the Seelisberg Tunnel:
The Seelisberg Tunnel is subject to the vignette requirement (vehicles up to 3.5 t GVW) or payment of the heavy vehicle charge (vehicles over 3.5 t GVW), making it subject to tolls. This means you must have a valid vignette or pay the heavy vehicle charge to use the route.
Unlike special toll tunnels such as the Great St. Bernard Tunnel and the Munt La Schera Tunnel, no additional fees are required beyond your vignette or the heavy vehicle charge. The Seelisberg Tunnel is not a special toll route.
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