2016-03-10 Thu

An Alpine mountain tunnel is all set for its opening later this year and Switzerland has already started celebrating with its latest commemorative 20-franc coin release. Construction of The Gotthard Base Tunnel will take 17 years to be completed and will presumably be the world’s longest and deepest traffic tunnel when it is inaugurated on June 1st. It would also be the debut flat low-level route through the Alps.

The obverse designed by Fredy Trümpi depicts a charging out from one side of the tunnel's north portal. The coin design is available in two versions, both weighing 20 grams and measuring 33 millimeters in diameter.

This new route will improve connectivity between the north-south axis. Passenger trains will run on this line every half hour reaching speeds of up to 200 kilometers an hour. A total of 260 freight trains will be able to pass through the tunnel every day instead of 180. These trains would operate at 100 kilometers per hour.