The spectacle that awaits many travelers heading south over the next two weekends.Image: KEYSTONE
Thousands of motorists will head south during the Ascension and Pentecost long weekends. Alternatives to avoid the Gotthard exist, but these routes will also be in high demand. Here are the worst places.
Just a few weeks after the Easter holidays, Swiss roads will once again be in high demand over the next two weekends. The Ascension (May 9-12) and Pentecost (May 18-20) bridges will push many motorists to take the southern route. Result: major traffic jams are expectedindicates this Monday the TCS.
The hot spot is still the same: the Gotthard tunnel, which will be “very busy again during these holidays”, warns the TCS. The first traffic jams should appear at the north entrance on Wednesday, May 8, and continue the next day, Ascension Day. Things should calm down during the day on Friday, before the wave of returns, expected on Sunday May 12.
The same scenario will happen again the following weekend, during Pentecost. We should see a peak in traffic on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning (May 17 and 18). Slowdowns will likely continue throughout the night, while on the return journey the tunnel will be particularly busy on Monday and Tuesday (May 20 and 21).
More than 27,000 vehicles
A glance at the data from the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) confirms the TCS forecasts. Last year, 22,745 vehicles passed through the Gotthard Tunnel on Ascension Day, compared to the annual average of 18,553 – an increase of 22%. On Ascension Sunday, there were even more of them (24,805), while the peak was reached on Pentecost Saturday, with 27,863 cars (+50%).
This resulted in traffic jams reaching 10 kilometers (Ascension Thursday) and 20 kilometers (Pentecost Saturday), reports TCS. Which translates to waits of around two and three and a half hours, respectively.
Options to avoid traffic jams exist, although they are not numerous. “The advice given is valid for the two long weekends of Ascension and Pentecost,” indicates TCS spokesperson Laurent Pignot. Which summarizes:
“Leave the day before, or very early in the morning or evening, or even the next day, and try alternative routes, when possible”
Laurent Pignot, TCS
Alternative routes (very) in demand
The alternatives available to French-speaking motorists heading south are essentially two: the Mont-Blanc tunnel and the Great Saint-Bernard tunnel. Not sure, however, that this is enough to avoid traffic jams. Just like the Gotthard, these two tunnels will also be “very busy”, predicts Laurent Pignot.
“Mont-Blanc will be very busy from Tuesday, due to the May 8 public holiday in France,” explains the TCS spokesperson. “Thus, from 6 a.m. on May 7 and until 9 p.m. on May 8, traffic will be very heavy.” The peak of the wave of returns is expected on Sunday May 12 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., although the entire day will be characterized by “very heavy traffic”, until 11 p.m.
“The Great Saint-Bernard will experience traffic peaks from Wednesday at noon and until the evening, as well as Thursday from 6 a.m. and until the end of the afternoon,” continues Laurent Pignot.
“On return, Sunday May 12 will be synonymous with traffic in Grand-Saint-Bernard from 10 a.m. and until 2 a.m. on Monday”
Laurent Pignot, TCS
The TCS reminds that, unlike the Gotthard, the Great Saint-Bernard tunnel requires a fee.
German-speaking travelers can opt for a detour via the San Bernardino road (GR). Here again, disruptions cannot be ruled out.
The FEDRO data confirms the TCS forecasts. On Ascension Day 2023, the number of vehicles passing through the Great Saint Bernard tunnel jumped by 153% compared to the annual average. On Pentecost Saturday, the San Bernardino tunnel saw an increase of 134%.
Closed collars
In this context, the fact that the Gotthard tunnel only has one lane per direction does not play a major role, believes Laurent Pignot. “All tunnels are synonymous with traffic jams when going on vacation,” he explains. “And this for many reasons”:
“A large number of travelers, traffic concentrated over a short period of time, as well as a limited number of tunnels”
Laurent Pignot, TCS
However, it is difficult to avoid the tunnels. The Gotthard, Great St. Bernard, San Bernardino, Susten and Nufenen passes are still closed and are expected to remain closed until mid-May at the earliest.
A final alternative consists of going through the Lötschberg and Simplon railway tunnels, TCS again reminds us. Opting for the train also allows you to escape traffic jams.
