In the first cantons, the summer holidays already begin this coming Saturday, 27th June. In July, the remaining cantons will follow, and the period of major holidays will also start in Germany and the Netherlands. This situation will lead to high traffic volumes on the Swiss national road network in the coming weeks, especially on the main routes heading south. Daily traffic jams at the northern entrance of the Gotthard Tunnel are anticipated throughout July. On the four weekends in July and the first weekend in August, it is quite possible that traffic at Gotthard may back up for more than 10 kilometers. Last year, the traffic jam on the southbound Gotthard measured 17 kilometers for two days. This was the second longest summer holiday traffic jam in the last five years. Apart from this anomaly, traffic jams were slightly shorter in summer 2025 than in previous years.
Passes and the San Bernardino Route as an Alternative
Those who wish to avoid or reduce waiting times at Gotthard are advised to travel through the tunnel at off-peak times. Traffic volume is usually lower early in the morning or late at night. It is also advisable to travel to Ticino between Monday and Thursday. Furthermore, good weather will see increased traffic not just at Gotthard, but throughout Switzerland.
As an alternative to the Gotthard, the A13 via San Bernardino is a viable option, especially for travellers coming from Eastern Switzerland and Zurich. However, it should be noted that heavy traffic can also cause jams on the San Bernardino route. Additionally, the various Alpine passes like Gotthard, Grimsel, and Nufenen are possible alternative routes. All information regarding the Alpine crossings is available on the TCS pass portal.
Sun-seeking travellers from Romandie usually take the route through the toll tunnel of the Great St. Bernard or travel from Geneva via the A40 motorway through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, connecting France with Italy. The operators of the Mont Blanc Tunnel expect waiting times of around one hour heading towards Italy practically throughout all of July to mid-August during peak times in the afternoon and early evening. At weekends, the waiting time can extend to two hours or more. Traffic jams from Italy to France are expected from mid-July onwards. Patience is particularly needed on weekends until the end of August.
Return Journey Traffic Jams in August
The major northbound return wave is set to begin on the weekend of 9th/10th August and is likely to last until the end of the month. On weekends, especially high traffic volumes and congestion are expected at the Gotthard south portal. Last year, the traffic jam extended to a length of 13 kilometers in one day.
The latest information on traffic conditions can be found on the TCS website and in the TCS app.
Press contact:
Marco Wölfli, spokesperson TCS Tel. 058 827 34 03
marco.woelfli@tcs.ch