Title: Swiss Alps | European Mountain Range | Alps Travel
Headings: Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The European Alps
The Swiss Alps
Highest Peaks in the Alps
Glaciers in the Swiss Alps
Tourism in the Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps and European Travel and Trade

Content: it tunnels through the Eiger and leads to the highest railway station in Europe, the Jungfraujoch. The Swiss Alps and European Travel and Trade
The crossing of the Alps has been an historic challenge for European merchants, armies, and travelers. The high passes, while an obstacle to travel, have also provided security and protection to Switzerland. Over the past 150 years, Switzerland has continued to improve its transalpine transportation routes. Today, rail travel in the Alps is an important link for trans-Alpine trade, and also for tourism and scenic rail tours . It began in 1882, by building the Gotthard Rail Tunnel to open a north-south rail route between Italy and northern Switzerland, and into Germany and Austria. In 1906 the Simplon Tunnel connected the Italy with the Rhone Valley. In 2007, Lötschberg Base Tunnel was completed to provide a direct route through the Bernese Alps. The 57-km long Gotthard Base Tunnel which opened in 2016, now provides a direct flat rail link through the Alps. This tunnel is the world’s longest and will eventually shave 45 minutes off the travel time between Zurich and Milan while increasing capacity, allowing high-speed rail, and providing greater efficiency in transalpine travel and trade.