A2 motorway (Switzerland) in the context of "A14 (Switzerland)"

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⭐ Core Definition: A2 motorway (Switzerland)

The A2 (the Gotthard Motorway) is a motorway in Switzerland. It forms Switzerland's main north–south axis from Basel to Chiasso, meandering with a slight drift toward the east. It lies on the Gotthard axis and crosses the Alps. Opened in 1955 under the name "Road Lucerne-south", A2 is one of the busiest motorways in Switzerland.

The A2 motorway leaves Basel heading south toward Olten, Sursee, Luzern, Stans, Altdorf, Erstfeld, Göschenen, Airolo, Biasca, Bellinzona, Lugano and reaches Chiasso. It intersects with the A1, A8, A13 and A14 motorways.

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A2 motorway (Switzerland) in the context of Monte Ceneri

Monte Ceneri is a mountain pass in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It connects the Magadino Plain and the Vedeggio Valley across the Lugano Prealps at an elevation of 554 metres (1,818 ft) above sea level. It provides the most direct route between the cities of Bellinzona and Lugano. Despite its name (monte is the Italian word for "mountain"), Monte Ceneri is the lowest point on the crest between Monte Tamaro and the Camoghè.

Two tunnels have been dug under Monte Ceneri, the Monte Ceneri Road Tunnel for the A2 motorway and the Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel for the Gotthard railway. A new rail tunnel, the Ceneri Base Tunnel, was opened in 2020, and connects Camorino near Bellinzona and Vezia near Lugano.

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A2 motorway (Switzerland) in the context of Monte Ceneri Road Tunnel

The Monte Ceneri Road Tunnel is a motorway tunnel in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The tunnel is situated under the Monte Ceneri Pass that separates the north of the canton around Bellinzona from the south of the canton around Lugano. It forms part of the A2 motorway that links the north of Switzerland with Italy. It was completed in 1984, and is 1,412 metres (4,633 ft) in length.

The road tunnel is paralleled by the 1,692 metres (5,551 ft) long Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel, carrying the Swiss Federal Railways Gotthard line under the same pass.

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A2 motorway (Switzerland) in the context of Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel

The Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The tunnel is situated under the Monte Ceneri Pass that separates the north of the canton around Bellinzona from the south of the canton around Lugano. It forms part of the Swiss Federal Railways Gotthard line, between Giubiasco and Rivera-Bironico stations. The tunnel comprises two bores, built at different times. The first bore, sometimes known as Monte Ceneri I, was opened on 10 April 1882 and is 1,675 metres (5,495 ft) in length. The second bore, Monte Ceneri II, was opened on 18 October 1933 and is 1,692 metres (5,551 ft) in length. Both bores carry a single standard gauge (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8+12 in) track electrified at 15 kV AC 16 2/3 Hz using overhead catenary.

The rail tunnel is paralleled by the Monte Ceneri Road Tunnel, carrying the A2 motorway under the same pass. The Ceneri Base Tunnel has recently been completed beneath the pass at a much lower level.

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A2 motorway (Switzerland) in the context of Gotthard Road Tunnel

The Gotthard Road Tunnel in Switzerland runs from Göschenen in the canton of Uri at its northern portal, to Airolo in Ticino to the south, and is 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) in length below the St Gotthard Pass, a major pass of the Alps. At time of construction, in 1980, it was the longest road tunnel in the world; it is currently the fifth-longest. Although it is a motorway tunnel, part of the A2 from Basel to Chiasso, it consists of only one bidirectional tube with two lanes. With a maximum elevation of 1,175 metres (3,855 ft) at the tunnel's highest point, the A2 motorway has the lowest maximum elevation of any direct north-south road through the Alps.

The tunnel rises from the northern portal at Göschenen (1,080 m (3,540 ft)) and the culminating point is reached after approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi). After 10.3 kilometres (6.4 mi) from the northern portal there is the border between the cantons of Uri and Ticino; after another 6.7 kilometres (4.2 mi), the tunnel ends at the southern portal near Airolo (1,146 m (3,760 ft)). The journey takes about 13 minutes by car, the maximum speed being 80 km/h (50 mph).

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