This 15km-long tunnel, opened in 1982, plays an important part in the history of the Furka Pass. It runs from Oberwald in Valais to Realp, 8km short of Andermatt and as well as being used by passenger trains such as the Glacier Express, takes car trains year-round. It revolutionised winter travel in the region and during most winters, consistently approaches maximum capacity.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.21 MILES
This is the big one. At 3454m above sea level, Jungfraujoch is Europe’s highest train station: a once-in-a-lifetime trip, with views of the deeply…
14.39 MILES
If ever a view in Switzerland is going to leave you dumbstruck (and there are a few great ones to choose from!), it will surely be the infinite swoop of…
14.74 MILES
Gazing over the mighty Reichenbach Falls, where the cataract plunges 250m to the ground with a deafening roar, you can see how Arthur Conan Doyle thought…
3.63 MILES
Marking the cantonal frontier with Uri is the vertiginous Furka Pass (2431m), the run up to which offers superlative views over the fissured Rhône glacier…
21.14 MILES
Especially in the early morning light, you can see how the vaporous, 297m-high Staubbach Falls captivated prominent writers with its threads of spray…
4.16 MILES
Coming from Valais, the mesmerising Rhône Glacier is first seen from the tiny hamlet of Gletsch. This glacier is the source of the Rhône River, which…
20.7 MILES
These glacier falls are a bang-crash spectacle. Inside the mountain, up to 20,000L of water per second corkscrews through ravines and potholes shaped by…
16.99 MILES
Central Switzerland's tallest mountain, Mt Titlis, is known for the world's first revolving cable car. This was completed in 1992 and is still one of the…
Nearby Valais attractions
2.12 MILES
From the tiny Valais village of Gletsch (1762m; 10km to the Furka Pass), a steep 6km hairpinned road climbs north to the mighty Grimsel Pass (2164m),…
3.63 MILES
Marking the cantonal frontier with Uri is the vertiginous Furka Pass (2431m), the run up to which offers superlative views over the fissured Rhône glacier…
4.16 MILES
Coming from Valais, the mesmerising Rhône Glacier is first seen from the tiny hamlet of Gletsch. This glacier is the source of the Rhône River, which…
4.26 MILES
At Ulrichen, 21km on the Valais side of the Furka Pass, a clearly marked road turns southeast and twists its way south out of the Valais and into the…
10.17 MILES
At the end of the Val Bavona, just after San Carlo, a cable car rides up to Robiei dam and its startlingly turquoise reservoir, tailor-made for a day’s…
6. Museo Nazionale San Gottardo
10.86 MILES
Once at the top of the St Gotthard Pass, visit the Museo Nazionale San Gottardo, which covers the commercial, political and cultural significance of the…
11.29 MILES
The Hasli Valley is laced with 300km of signposted walking trails. A huge hit is this 170m-long, 100m-high suspension bridge, Europe’s longest and highest…
8. Fiesch & Eggishorn Cable Car
13.16 MILES
The Aletsch Glacier is a mind-boggling sight and riverside Fiesch on the valley floor is a top place to access it. From the village, ride the cable car up…