Heavy congestion built up on the Gotthard Road Tunnel on Saturday, 10 October 2026, as holidaymakers and cross-border truckers headed south. By 14:00 local time, live monitoring systems recorded a 5.3-kilometre tailback at the Airolo (TI) portal, adding more than 50 minutes to the usual 15-minute transit time. The north-bound queue near Göschenen (UR) briefly reached 4.7 km before easing to around 2.6 km. The cantonal police in Uri responded by closing the Göschenen motorway entrance and activating dynamic metering to regulate traffic flow through the 17-km tunnel. On the Ticino side, the CUPRA hard-shoulder bypass between Quinto and Airolo was opened, giving local traffic a legal way to skirt the jam when overhead lane signals permitted. Authorities reminded drivers that shoulder use is only lawful when signposted and that fines for improper use can exceed CHF 200. Queues at the Gotthard have become a regular feature of long weekends since the 2020 collapse of traffic volumes during the pandemic. With leisure travel fully recovered and freight demand continuing to rise, peak-day volumes now exceed pre-COVID records by roughly 6 %. The current situation is further complicated by the staggered autumn school holidays in German-speaking cantons and neighbouring Baden-Württemberg, pushing additional cars onto the north–south axis. For multinational companies routing goods through Switzerland, the delays translate into higher fuel bills, overtime for drivers and a greater risk of late deliveries. Logistics planners are advised to consider night-time slots or the A13 San Bernardino route where possible—though that corridor will itself face closures later in the month (see second story). Private travellers should check live feeds, plan buffer time and carry snacks and water; the nearest full-service rest areas are at Erstfeld (UR) and Bellinzona Nord (TI).
Source: Gotthard Traffic
