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🇫🇷 FR 95 €2.182 +0.009 🇩🇪 DE 95 €2.053 −0.046 🇮🇹 IT Diesel €2.251 −0.010 🇩🇪 Germany: ~17 ct/l off fuel until 31 December 🇦🇹 AT 95 €1.777 −0.013 🇪🇸 ES 95 €1.785 −0.004 🇫🇷 EV road trip France: 195k+ chargers 🇵🇱 PL 95 €1.570 −0.121 🇳🇱 NL 95 €2.462 +0.030 🇬🇷 GR Diesel €2.120 −0.025 🇧🇪 Belgium 2027 toll vignette 🇨🇭 CH vignette CHF 40 🇦🇹 AT 10-day €12.80 🇫🇷 FR 95 €2.182 +0.009 🇩🇪 DE 95 €2.053 −0.046 🇮🇹 IT Diesel €2.251 −0.010 🇩🇪 Germany: ~17 ct/l off fuel until 31 December 🇦🇹 AT 95 €1.777 −0.013 🇪🇸 ES 95 €1.785 −0.004 🇫🇷 EV road trip France: 195k+ chargers 🇵🇱 PL 95 €1.570 −0.121 🇳🇱 NL 95 €2.462 +0.030 🇬🇷 GR Diesel €2.120 −0.025 🇧🇪 Belgium 2027 toll vignette 🇨🇭 CH vignette CHF 40 🇦🇹 AT 10-day €12.80
Switzerland · Journal

Crossing Switzerland by EV: the Gotthard route

Basel-Chiasso charger map and the 2026 tunnel slot reservation pilot.

By: Last updated: Reading time: 6 min

The Gotthard corridor on the A2 is the busiest Alpine transit between northern Europe and Italy: roughly 6.4 million vehicle transits per year through the road tunnel. For EV drivers the route used to be a planning headache, but by 2026 the Swiss network has enough 150-350 kW chargers along the A2 that a single 20-minute stop between Basel and Chiasso is sufficient for most cars. This guide maps the chargers, explains the tunnel queue dynamics, and covers the new tunnel slot reservation pilot being trialled summer 2026.

Fast chargers north to south along the A2

The A2 runs Basel-Lucerne-Altdorf-Goeschenen-Airolo-Bellinzona-Lugano-Chiasso for a total of 295 km. The following list covers DC fast chargers at motorway service areas and immediately adjacent industrial parks accessible without a major detour:

  • Pratteln (PK 5, north of Basel): Ionity 350 kW (6 stalls) and Tesla Supercharger V3 (16 stalls, open to non-Tesla).
  • Egerkingen (PK 60): Fastned 300 kW (4 stalls), Gridx 150 kW.
  • Lucerne Emmen (PK 105): Move 150 kW (8 stalls) at Mobility Carsharing hub, accessible from autobahn via Emmen exit.
  • Stans (PK 130): Allego 300 kW (4 stalls) at the Raststaette Stans Nord service area.
  • Erstfeld (PK 170, last Swiss-German speaking exit before the tunnel): Move 150 kW (4 stalls). Last northern charger before the queue.
  • Airolo (PK 188, immediately south of the tunnel): GoFast 240 kW (6 stalls) at the rest area. Critical first Italian-Swiss charger.
  • Bellinzona (PK 230): Tesla Supercharger V3 (12 stalls, open) plus Move 150 kW.
  • Lugano Sud (PK 270): Ionity 350 kW (6 stalls).
  • Chiasso Brogeda (PK 295, Swiss-Italian border): Last Swiss charger before the Italian network takes over.

With this density, a Basel-Chiasso traverse in a 70 kWh EV typically needs one charging stop if started above 90% SoC, or two if you start at 50%. The natural stopping points are Stans (mid-route, scenic) or Airolo (immediately after the tunnel discharge, useful if traffic was slow).

The tunnel queue dynamics

The Gotthard road tunnel is single-bore, two-way and 17 km long, with a strict ventilation distance limit between vehicles. On peak summer weekends the queue at Goeschenen northbound or Airolo southbound can stretch to 10-15 km, adding 60-90 minutes. EV implications:

  • Idling in the queue consumes 1-2% SoC per hour for cabin climate alone, much less than an ICE engine. EVs handle the queue better than diesels.
  • Air conditioning is fine in the tunnel itself (closed-loop, no exhaust risk).
  • If you start the queue with under 15% SoC, get out at Goeschenen exit before the tunnel and charge at Erstfeld first; it adds 30 minutes but you avoid a real risk of stopping inside the tube.

Tunnel slot reservation pilot summer 2026

The Swiss Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) has launched a free voluntary slot reservation system for summer 2026, modelled on the Channel Tunnel approach. Drivers can book a 30-minute window at astra.admin.ch or via the SwissTopo mobile app. Booked vehicles get a separate priority lane at the portal and skip the general queue. The pilot runs every weekend July through September 2026. Early data shows about 25% uptake reduces queue time for everyone by 40%.

Alternative routes for EVs

If the Gotthard queue is dispatching at 2-hour delay (real-time on the ASTRA app), three alternatives:

  • San Bernardino A13 (Chur-Bellinzona): 50 km longer but usually clear. Chargers at Chur, Thusis (new Ionity 300 kW June 2026), San Bernardino north (limited 150 kW), Mesocco south (Fastned 300 kW).
  • Gotthard rail Autoverlad Goeschenen-Airolo: discontinued in 2023; no longer an option.
  • Furka rail Realp-Oberwald: cars on train, scenic alternative via central Valais. Limited capacity, summer only.

Practical EV tips for the Gotthard transit

  • Reserve the slot if available; saves 60+ minutes on peak weekends.
  • Use ABRP (A Better Routeplanner) with live charger occupancy data; charger queues at Pratteln and Lugano Sud can be 30 minutes on Saturday afternoons.
  • Keep cabin pre-conditioned when entering the tunnel; warming/cooling at the wheel is more efficient than asking battery to recover after.
  • Carry at least one charging app or RFID card: TCS eCharge or Plugsurfing roams most Swiss networks.
  • Beware Swiss CHAdeMO availability: most new chargers are CCS only. Older Leaf and e-NV200 drivers should plan stops at Move chargers which still have CHAdeMO connectors.

Sources

ASTRA Federal Roads Office tunnel status feed, individual charger network operator data (Ionity, Fastned, Move, GoFast), TCS Touring Club Suisse EV guide, Federal Office of Energy 2026 EV uptake report. Article reviewed 23 June 2026.