Spiral Tunnels and Tunnels on a Curved Alignment

Lists of spiral (helicoidal) tunnels and tunnels on a curved alignment on railway lines worldwide.

A part of a line is bracketed (), if it is located in another country than the country mentioned in the specific table:

Example: :(Lausanne – Montreux – Sierre – Visp – Brig – ) -> Switzerland

Europe

Germany

Line

Location

Tunnel Name

Kind of Tunnel

Length in m

Gradient in ‰

Kind of Operation

Gauge in mm

Railway Company

Remarks

Offenburg - Singen

Niederwasser Tunnel

Curved alignment

558

17-19

Adhesion

1’435

DB

Offenburg - Singen

Triberg

Grosser Triberg Tunnel

Curved alignment

835

17-19

Adhesion

1’435

DB

Wutach Valley Railway

Grosser Stockhalde Tunnel

Spiral

1'700

Adhesion

1’435

DB

Wutach Valley Railway

Kehrtunnel im Weiler

Curved alignment

1'205

Adhesion

1’435

DB

Italy

Line

Location

Tunnel Name

Kind of Tunnel

Length in m

Gradient in ‰

Kind of Operation

Gauge in mm

Railway Company

Remarks

(Lausanne – Montreux – Sierre – Visp – Brig – ) Iselle – Domodossola

Iselle, Varzo

Trasquera

Spiral

1,712

22

Adhesion

1.435

SBB

Simplon Line

(Lausanne – Montreux – Sierre – Visp – Brig – ) Iselle – Domodossola

Iselle, Varzo

Varzo

Spiral

2,968

22

Adhesion

1,435

SBB

Simplon Line (Probably the longest curved alignment tunnel in the world)

(Locarno – Intragna – )Camedo – Domodossola

Trontano

Pelcetino

Loop/Curved alignment

196

60

Adhesion

1,000

(FART), SSIF

(Metropolitana di Napoli) Line 1

Napoli

Spiral

55

Adhesion

1,435

Metronapoli

Underground railway

Ferrovia Nulvi-Tempio-Palau (Italian)

Nulvi – Tempio – Palau (Sardinia)

Galleria elicoidale di Bortigiadas

Curved alignment

Adhesion

950

Trenino Verde

Tourist service only:

Switzerland

The turn tunnels in the following table are sorted from West to East according the location of the start point of the line.

Line

Location

Tunnel Name

Kind of Tunnel

Length in m

Gradient in ‰

Kind of Operation

Gauge in mm

Railway Company

Remarks

Bex – Bretaye

Fontannaz-Seulaz

Fontannaz-Seulaz

Loop/Curved alignment

182

195

Rack

1’000

TPC (BVB)

Martigny – Châtelard( – Vallorcine – Chamonix)

Salvan

Charbons

Loop/Curved alignment

419

200

Rack

1’000

MC

Zermatt – Gornergrat

Riffelalp

Landtunnel

Loop/Curved alignment

174

200

Rack

1’000

GGB

Montreux – Zweisimmen

Montreux

Montreux

Loop/Curved alignment

184

65

Adhesion

1’000

MOB

Montreux – Zweisimmen

Chamby

Chamby

Loop/Curved alignment

314

67

Adhesion

1’000

MOB

Aigle – Leysin-Grand Hotel

Leysin-Feydey

Leysin

Loop/Curved alignment

233

223

Rack

1’000

TPC (AL)

Aigle – Les Diablerets

Aigle

Grand-Hôtel

Loop/Curved alignment

119

60

Adhesion

1’000

TPC (ASD)

Montreux – Rochers de Naye

Glion

Valmont

Loop/Curved alignment

385

130

Rack

800

MVR (MTGN)

Montreux – Rochers de Naye

Caux

Tremblex

Loop/Curved alignment

144

220

Rack

800

MVR (MTGN)

Montreux – Rochers de Naye

Dent de Jaman

Jaman

Loop/Curved alignment

77

220

Rack

800

MVR (MTGN)

Vevey – Les Pléiades

Vevey

Gilamont

Loop/Curved alignment

84

50

Adhesion

1’000

MVR (CEV)

Brig – Spiez

Kandergrund

–

Loop/Curved alignment

1'655

27

Adhesion

1’435

BLS

Lötschbergbahn

Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis

Grengiols

Grengiols I

Spiral

502

96

Rack

1’000

MGB

Glacier-Express

Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis

Andermatt

Butzen

Loop/Curved alignment

169

110

Rack

1'000

MGB

Glacier-Express

Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis

Andermatt

Biel

Loop/Curved alignment

279

110

Rack

1'000

Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn

Glacier-Express

Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis

Andermatt

Rufenen

Loop/Curved alignment

255

110

Rack

1'000

Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn

Glacier-Express

Kleine Scheidegg – Jungfraujoch

Eiger,
Mönch

Jungfrau

Loop/Curved alignment

7122

250

Rack

1’000

JB

The curved alignment is only part of the tunnel.

Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Lauterbrunnen

Wengen

–

Loop/Curved alignment

248

180

Rack

800

WAB

Wilderswil – Schynige Platte

Rotenegg

Loop/Curved alignment

168

250

Rack

800

SPB

Brienz – Rothorn Kulm

Planalp

Schonegg II

Loop/Curved alignment

119

250

Rack

800

BRB

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Gurtnellen

Pfaffensprung

Spiral

1'476

26

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Wassen

Wattingen

Loop/Curved alignment

1'084

26

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Wassen

Leggistein

Loop/Curved alignment

1'090

26

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Prato

Freggio

Spiral

1'568

27

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Prato

Prato

Spiral

1'560

28

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Giornico

Pianotondo

Spiral

1'508

26

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso

Giornico

Travi

Spiral

1'547

27

Adhesion

1’435

SBB

Gotthardbahn

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Filisur

Greifenstein

Spiral

698

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albula Railway
Glacier-Express

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Bergün

God

Loop/Curved alignment

486

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albulabahn
Glacier-Express

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Bergün

Platz

Loop/Curved alignment

262

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albulabahn
Glacier-Express

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Preda

Rugnux

Spiral

662

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albulabahn
Glacier-Express

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Preda

Toua

Spiral

677

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albulabahn
Glacier-Express

Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz

Preda

Zuondra

Spiral

535

35

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Albulabahn
Glacier-Express

St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano)

Alp Grüm

Palü

Loop/Curved alignment

254

70

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Bernina-Express

St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano)

Alp Grüm

Val Pila

Loop/Curved alignment

227

70

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Bernina-Express

St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano)

Poschiavo

Oberer Verona

Loop/Curved alignment

148

70

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Bernina-Express

St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano)

Poschiavo

Unterer Verona

Loop/Curved alignment

147

70

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Bernina-Express

Landquart – Klosters – Davos

Klosters

Klosters

Loop/Curved alignment

399

45

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Replaced 1930 the zig zag in Klosters.

Landquart – Klosters – Davos

Klosters

Cavadürli

Loop/Curved alignment

334

45

Adhesion

1’000

RhB

Slovakia

Line

Location

Tunnel Name

Kind of Tunnel

Length in m

Gradient in ‰

Kind of Operation

Gauge in mm

Railway Company

Remarks

Margecany – Červená Skala

Telg%C3%A1rt

Tunnel Telgárt

Curved alignment

1'240

12.5

Adhesion

1’435

ZSSK

Oceania

New Zealand

Line

Location

Tunnel Name

Kind of Tunnel

Length in m

Gradient in ‰

Kind of Operation

Gauge in mm

Railway Company

Remarks

North Island Main Trunk

Raurimu

Raurimu Spiral

Spiral

383

19

Adhesion

1’067

New Zealand Railways Corporation

References

  • Hans G. Wägli: Schienennetz Schweiz/Réseau ferré suisse; Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, Generalsekretariat; 1980; ISBN 3-905111-21-7 (Edition 1998)

Locations partly from:

  • Bundesamt für Landestopografie, Landeskarte der Schweiz, Zusammensetzung 101, Thuner See Zentralschweiz, 1:100'000, 1987
  • Office fédéral de topographie, Carte nationale de la Suisse, Assemblage 104, Lausanne-Bern, 1:100'000, 1986
  • Office fédéral de topographie, Carte nationale de la Suisse, Assemblage 105, Valais∙Wallis, 1:100'000, 1987
  • Bundesamt für Landestopografie, Landeskarte der Schweiz, Zusammensetzung 106, Glarnerland Bündnerland, 1:100'000, 1985
  • Ufficio federale di topografia, Carta nazionale della Svizzera, Carte riunite 107, Ticino∙Tessin, 1:100'000, 1987

de:Liste der Kehrtunnel (Eisenbahn)