The A2 (the Gotthard Motorway) is a
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
in
Switzerland. It forms Switzerland's main north–south axis from
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
to
Chiasso
Chiasso (; lmo, Ciass ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while o ...
, meandering with a slight drift toward the east. It lies on the
Gotthard axis and crosses the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, ...
. Opened in 1955 under the name "Road Lucerne-south", A2 is one of the busiest motorways in Switzerland.
The A2 motorway leaves
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
heading south toward
Olten
Olten (High Alemannic: ''Oute'') is a town in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland and capital of the district of the same name.
Olten's railway station is within 30 minutes of Zürich, Basel, Bern, and Lucerne by train, and is a rail hub ...
,
Sursee
Sursee is a municipality in the district of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Sursee is located at the northern end of Lake Sempach, not far from where the ''Sure'' (or '' Suhre'') river exits the lake ("See"), hence the name "Surs ...
,
Luzern
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital ...
,
Stans
Stans () is the capital of the canton of Nidwalden (Nidwald) in Switzerland.
The official language of Stans is German (spoken there in the variety of Swiss Standard German), but the main language is the local variant of Alemannic Swiss German. ...
,
Altdorf,
Erstfeld
Erstfeld is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
In 1962 a collection of four gold torques and three gold arm rings were discovered near Erstfeld. While the exact origin date is unknown, they are likely from the 4th centu ...
,
Göschenen
Göschenen (German, it, Casinotta, rm, Caschanuttais) a village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. It sits at the northern end of the Gotthard tunnel. The Göschenen riots (1875) saw Urner troops opening fire on Italian miner ...
,
Airolo
Airolo (''Airöö'' in Lombard, in rm, italic=yes, ) is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
Geography
Airolo is located in Leventina valley and the Lepontine Alps, on the southern flank of ...
,
Biasca
Biasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
History
Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as ''Aviasca'' in the ''Liber viventium'' of Pfäfers Abbey. In 1119 it was mentioned as ''Abiasca''.
Early histor ...
,
Bellinzona
Bellinzona ( , , Ticinese ; french: Bellinzone ; german: Bellenz ; rm, Blizuna )is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The town is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebell ...
,
Lugano
Lugano (, , ; lmo, label=Ticinese dialect, Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Luga ...
and reaches
Chiasso
Chiasso (; lmo, Ciass ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while o ...
. It intersects with the
A1,
A8,
A13 and
A14 motorways.
The
St. Gotthard Tunnel lies at the heart of the motorway and makes up its culminating point. With a maximum elevation of at the tunnel's highest point, the A2 motorway has the lowest maximum elevation of any direct north–south road through the Alps. Traffic jams stretching for kilometres on end are frequently found on both entrances of the tunnel, but more frequently on the northern flank. The difficulty with driving through the St. Gotthard tunnel is that it is a motorway tunnel with one lane per direction, but without a central reservation. So far, The Swiss government has decided to upgrade the second tunnel into a full road tunnel in order to allow for the necessary reconstruction of the first road tunnel. Once the works on the first tunnel are finished, the Swiss government plans to operate one single lane in each tunnel (northbound traffic in the newly constructed tunnel, southbound traffic in the renovated one) in order to maintain the current tunnel overall capacity, in compliance with the Swiss constitutional norm that forbids a further growth of the traffic capacity across the Alps.
The reconstruction would have lasted for several years in any variant – one variant would push the traffic over the mountain pass, another proposed to load the vehicles onto trains with a new terminal, a third would close the tunnel for several months every year over time range of a decade. All of these have their drawbacks and the usage of the second tunnel was chosen as the best option to allow for the reconstruction. Further usage of both tunnels was subject to a popular referendum that
was held in February 2016, where it was approved. The actual upgrade mining of the second road tunnel would last from 2020 to 2027 at a cost of 2.7 billion francs for the whole project including the following reconstruction of the first tunnel.
Near
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital o ...
, this motorway passes through the
Sonnenberg Tunnel
The Sonnenberg Tunnel is a long motorway tunnel, constructed between 1971 and 1976 and located in Lucerne, Switzerland. At its completion it was also the world's largest civilian nuclear fallout shelter, designed to protect 20,000 civilians in ...
, which until recently was the world's largest nuclear
blast shelter
A blast shelter is a place where people can go to protect themselves from blasts and explosions, like those from bombs, or in hazardous worksites, such as on oil and gas refineries or petrochemical facilities. It differs from a fallout shelter, ...
.
List of Exits
Listed are exits heading south as of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
Symbols: ↗ = exit (↘ = exit only; → = only when heading for
Chiasso
Chiasso (; lmo, Ciass ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while o ...
; ← = only when heading for
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
); ⇆ = main interchange; S = service area
Canton of Basel-Stadt
Basel-Stadt or Basel-City (german: Kanton ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Citad; french: Canton de Bâle-Ville; it, Canton Basilea Città) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of three municipalities with Basel as ...
:''Border with
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
(German
A 5)''
* ⇆ 1: ''(
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS) ...
Wiese interchange with motorway heading for
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
)''
* ↗ 2: (←) Basel Bad Bahnhof
* ↗ 3: Basel Wettstein
* ↗ 4: Basel Breite,
Birsfelden
Birsfelden (Swiss German: ''Birsfälde'') is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Birsfelden is first mentioned in 1274 as ''minor Rinvelden''. Around 1500 it was first mentioned as ...
* ↗ 5: Basel City
* ⇆ 6: ''(Hagnau interchange with
J18 (Switzerland))''
Zürich
, neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon
, twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco
Zürich () i ...
,
Delémont
Delémont (; fc, D'lémont; german: Delsberg, ) is the capital of the Swiss canton of Jura. The city has approximately 12,000 inhabitants .
History
The area of the municipality was already settled in the middle Bronze Age. Fifteen urn buri ...
* ↗ 7:
Pratteln
Pratteln (Swiss German: ''Brattele'') is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland, located in the district of Liestal.
History
Pratteln is first mentioned around 1102-03 as ''Bratello''.
Geography
Pratteln has an area, ...
,
Schweizerhalle
The Sandoz chemical spill was a major environmental disaster caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at Sandoz agrochemical storehouse in the Schweizerhalle industrial complex, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, on 1 November 1986, which r ...
,
Auhafen,
Augst
Augst (Swiss German: ''Augscht'') is a municipality in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It was known as Augusta Raurica in Roman times.
History
Augst is first mentioned in 615 as ''Augustodunensem praes ...
* S
Pratteln
Pratteln (Swiss German: ''Brattele'') is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland, located in the district of Liestal.
History
Pratteln is first mentioned around 1102-03 as ''Bratello''.
Geography
Pratteln has an area, ...
Canton of Basel Landschaft
* ↗ 8:
Liestal
Liestal (, Standard ), formerly spelled Liesthal, is the capital of Liestal District and the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland, south of Basel.
Liestal is an industrial town with a cobbled-street Old Town.
The official language of Li ...
* ↗ 9: ''(
Augst
Augst (Swiss German: ''Augscht'') is a municipality in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It was known as Augusta Raurica in Roman times.
History
Augst is first mentioned in 615 as ''Augustodunensem praes ...
interchange with
A3)''
* ↗ 10:
Arisdorf
Arisdorf is a municipality in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Arisdorf is first mentioned in 1154 as ''Arnolstorf''.
Geography
Arisdorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 56.3% is used for a ...
* ↗ 11:
Sissach
Sissach () is a municipality and the capital of the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country, Switzerland.
History
Sissach is first mentioned around 1225-26 as ''Sissaho''.
Geography
Sissach has an area, of . Of this area, (28.2%) ...
* ↗ 12:
Diegten
* ↗ 13: (←)
Eptingen
Canton of Solothurn
The canton of Solothurn or canton of Soleure (german: Kanton Solothurn rm, Chantun Soloturn french: Canton de Soleure; it, Canton Soletta) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the northwest of Switzerland. The capital is Solothurn.
Hi ...
* ↗ 14:
Egerkingen
Canton of Aargau
Aargau, more formally the Canton of Aargau (german: Kanton Aargau; rm, Chantun Argovia; french: Canton d'Argovie; it, Canton Argovia), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capit ...
* ⇆ 15: ''(
Härkingen interchange with
A1)''
* ↗ 16:
Rothrist
Rothrist is a municipality in the district of Zofingen in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.
History
Originally an Alamanni settlement, the modern village of Rothrist is first mentioned in 1263 as ''Routris''. The '' Herrschaft'' rights wer ...
Canton of Lucerne
The canton of Lucerne (german: Kanton Luzern rm, Chantun Lucerna french: Canton de Lucerne it, Canton Lucerna) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the populatio ...
* ⇆ 17: ''(
Wiggertal interchange with
A1)''
* ↗ 18:
Reiden
Reiden is a municipality in the district of Willisau in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. On January 1, 2006 the former municipalities of Langnau bei Reiden and Richenthal were united in the new municipality of Reiden.
Geography
Reiden has ...
* ↗ 19:
Dagmersellen
* ↗ 20:
Sursee
Sursee is a municipality in the district of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Sursee is located at the northern end of Lake Sempach, not far from where the ''Sure'' (or '' Suhre'') river exits the lake ("See"), hence the name "Surs ...
* ↗ 21:
Sempach
Sempach is a municipality in the district of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
History
It has retained some traces of its medieval appearance, especially the main gateway, beneath a watch tower, and reached by a bridge over the ...
* ↗ 22:
Rothenburg Rothenburg is a German language placename and refers to:
Places
*Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
*Rothenburg, Oberlausitz, Saxony, Germany
*Rothenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
*Rothenburg, Switzerland, Canton of Lucerne, S ...
(planned)
* ↗ 23:
Emmen, Switzerland
Emmen is a village and municipality in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. The municipality Emmen consists of the village Emmen, the town Emmenbrücke, and several hamlets.
History
Emmen is first mentioned in 840 ...
Nord
* ⇆ 24: ''(
Rotsee
__NOTOC__
The Rotsee (previously known as Rootsee) is a natural rowing lake on the northern edge of Lucerne, Switzerland. It is regarded as one of the best rowing venues in the world.
Description and location
The lake and its surrounding area is ...
interchange with
A14)''
* ↗ 25: Emmen Süd
* ↗ 26: (→)
Luzern
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital ...
Zentrum
* ↗ 27:
Luzern
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital ...
-
Kriens
Kriens is a city and a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
The municipality lies at the foot of the mountain Pilatus, and is a western suburb of Lucerne.
History
In the oldest documents of the Bened ...
* ↗ 28:
Luzern
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital ...
-
Horw
Horw (; Swiss German: ''Horb'') is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Lucerne (district), Lucerne in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Lucerne (canton), Lucerne in Switzerland.
History
Horw is first mentioned in ...
Canton of Nidwalden
Nidwalden, also Nidwald (german: Kanton Nidwalden, ; rm, Chantun Sutsilvania; french: Canton de Nidwald; it, Canton Nidvaldo) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven municipalities and the seat of the ...
* ↗ 29: (→)
Hergiswil
Hergiswil is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
Hergiswil is first mentioned around 1303-09 as ''ze Hergenswile''.
Geography
Hergiswil has an area, , of . Of this area, 29.3% is used for agricultural purposes, ...
* ↗ 30: (→) Lopper (planned)
* ↗ 29: (←) Hergiswil
* ↗ 31: (→)
Stansstad
Stansstad is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
Geography
Stansstad has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 32.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 49.6% is forested. Of the rest of the l ...
* ↗ 32:
Stans
Stans () is the capital of the canton of Nidwalden (Nidwald) in Switzerland.
The official language of Stans is German (spoken there in the variety of Swiss Standard German), but the main language is the local variant of Alemannic Swiss German. ...
Nord
* ↗ 33: Stans Süd
* ↗ 34:
Buochs
Buochs is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
Buochs is first mentioned in 1124 as ''Boches''. In 1184, it was mentioned as ''Buoches'', then in 1210 as ''Buches'', and in 1229 as ''Buchs''.
Geography
Buochs has ...
* ↗ 35:
Beckenried
Beckenried is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
History
The first settlers in what would become Beckried were from Alamanni tribes that moved into the area over 2000 years ago.
Canton of Uri
The canton of Uri (german: Kanton Uri rm, Chantun Uri; french: Canton d'Uri; it, Canton Uri) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's terr ...
* ↗ 36:
Altdorf
* ↗ 37:
Erstfeld
Erstfeld is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
In 1962 a collection of four gold torques and three gold arm rings were discovered near Erstfeld. While the exact origin date is unknown, they are likely from the 4th centu ...
* ↗ 38:
Amsteg
* ↗ 39:
Wassen
Wassen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
Geography
, Wassen has an area of . Of this area, 12.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.1% is settled (buildings or roads) an ...
* ↗ 40:
Göschenen
Göschenen (German, it, Casinotta, rm, Caschanuttais) a village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. It sits at the northern end of the Gotthard tunnel. The Göschenen riots (1875) saw Urner troops opening fire on Italian miner ...
Canton of Ticino
Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

* ↗ 41:
Airolo
Airolo (''Airöö'' in Lombard, in rm, italic=yes, ) is a municipality in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
Geography
Airolo is located in Leventina valley and the Lepontine Alps, on the southern flank of ...
* S
Stalvedro
* ↗ 42:
Quinto
* ↗ 43:
Faido
Faido is the capital of the district of Leventina in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland.
On 29 January 2006, Faido grew by incorporating the villages of Chiggiogna, Rossura, and Calonico.
On 1 April 2012, Faido grew ...
* ↗ 44:
Biasca
Biasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
History
Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as ''Aviasca'' in the ''Liber viventium'' of Pfäfers Abbey. In 1119 it was mentioned as ''Abiasca''.
Early histor ...
* ⇆ 45: ''(Interchange with
A13 to
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Lux ...
)''
Bellinzona
Bellinzona ( , , Ticinese ; french: Bellinzone ; german: Bellenz ; rm, Blizuna )is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The town is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebell ...
Nord
* S Bellinzona
* ↗ 46: Bellinzona Centro (planned)
* ⇆ 47: ''(Interchange with
A13 to
Locarno
, neighboring_municipalities= Ascona, Avegno, Cadenazzo, Cugnasco, Gerra (Verzasca), Gambarogno, Gordola, Lavertezzo, Losone, Minusio, Muralto, Orselina, Tegna, Tenero-Contra
, twintowns =* Gagra, Georgia
* Karlovy Vary, Czech Re ...
)'' Bellinzona Sud
* ↗ 48:
Rivera
Rivera () is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay. The border with Brazil joins it with the Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento, which is only a street away from it, at the north end of Route 5. Together, they form an urban area of arou ...
* ↗ 49:
Lugano
Lugano (, , ; lmo, label=Ticinese dialect, Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Luga ...
Nord
* ↗ 50: Lugano Sud
* ↗ 51:
Melide,
Bissone,
Morcote
Morcote is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Ticino situated about 10 kilometres from Lugano in the district of Lugano on the shore of Lake Lugano.
History
Morcote is first mentioned historically in 926 as ''Murcau'', which comes from the ...
,
Campione d'Italia
Campione d'Italia ( Comasco: , ) is a ''comune'' of the Province of Como in the Lombardy region of Italy and an enclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino (it is also an exclave). At its closest, the enclave is less than from the rest ...
* ↗ 52:
Mendrisio
Mendrisio (; lmo, label= Ticinese, Mendris ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian-speaking Switzerland (USI ...
* S
Coldrerio
Coldrerio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
History
Coldrerio is first mentioned in 852 as ''Caledrano''. In 1170 it was mentioned as ''Calderario'', in 1185 as ''Caldirera'' and in 1187 a ...
* ↗ 53:
Chiasso
Chiasso (; lmo, Ciass ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while o ...
* ↗ 54: Chiasso Centro
:''Border with
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
''Italian A9
References
{{Reflist
A02