Vereina Tunnel


Useful Information

Location:  
(46.761917, 10.093056)
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Dimension: L=19,048 m, A=1,179 m asl (Klosters), 1,426 m asl (Susch).
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

The Vereina Tunnel is one of the most important north-south connections through Switzerland. It connects the north through the Upper Rhine Valley and the Prättigau with the Unterengadin (Engadina Bassa, Lower Engadin). It thus passes under the Flüelapass (2,383 m asl) more than 1,000 m below.

This is not really a good connection if you plan to drive to the south to Italy. The lower Engadin is a secluded valley in the middle of the alps. It is hard to get anywhere from here, at least not fast, but there are roads into Vorarlberg in Austria and the Trentino in Italy, and also to St. Moritz in Switzerland. All those roads are winding mountain road, several of them leading to passes. So the use of the tunnel is to bring tourists from the north fast to the important holiday destinations in the central Alps.

The Vereina Tunnel is a railroad tunnel, still it is primarily a connection for cars. The cars are carried through the tunnel by train, similar to a ferry. To use the tunnel you drive to the train station at Klosters or Sagilains, pay your ticket and wait for the next train. They are scheduled really frequent and so soon you enter the train, stay in your car through the tunnel, and drive out of the train on the other side.