At exactly 11:00 a.m. today the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO/ASTRA) lifted its five-month winter closure on the iconic Gotthard Pass, restoring the historic route that connects central Switzerland with Ticino and Italy. Thanks to lighter snowfall and faster snow-clearing operations, the pass has opened a week earlier than in 2025. The reopening provides a crucial pressure valve for the A2 motorway and the Gotthard Road Tunnel, which regularly suffer double-digit-kilometre tailbacks during Ascension (14–17 May) and Pentecost (22–25 May) weekends. FEDRO has simultaneously reinstated the seasonal exit extension at Göschenen to streamline traffic heading toward the pass road. Logistics operators and leisure travellers heading south are advised to monitor live traffic dashboards; while the high-altitude route offers stunning scenery, its hairpin bends and 7–8 % gradients limit truck access and can slow journey times by 30–40 minutes compared with the tunnel. Nevertheless, tour-bus companies view the pass as an attractive contingency route should the tunnel close for maintenance nights scheduled in mid-June. Hotels in Andermatt and Airolo report a spike in last-minute bookings from motorcycle and classic-car clubs keen to drive the cobblestoned Tremola section on opening weekend. Car-rental agencies at Zurich Airport have also expanded premium-car fleets in anticipation of scenic-drive demand. Employers operating shuttle services for Ticino-based staff should communicate route options, weather variability at 2 100 m altitude and the need for early morning departures to avoid afternoon tourist peaks.
Source: Federal Roads Office / ASTRA
