Hi All

My first post here,but based on what I've seen I think someone here will be able to help.

We're leaving in a couple of days to head to Como from our "adopted home here in the Loir Valley (the smaller pretier one! ) Going to Mulhouse first then south to Luzerne. From there in the morning to Como via St Gotthard. Does anyone know if the pass is open? Is it a good drive? Was hoping to not do the tunnel. Any way of discovering conditions (in English!) of the roads? Plenty of questions, so little time! Hope someone has some info.

Regards

I drove the route last week and the pass was not open. Judging by the amount of snow the Alps got this past weekend, the pass will not be opened for a good long time. You will need to take the tunnel. Grin and bear it is the only way to get through the Gottard.

Please note one seriously important safety regulation concerning the Gottard ( and also the other 10 km long tunnel you will hit south of Luzern) -- try to hold a 150 meter distance -- 500 feet -- between you and the car in front of you. It is critical. The reason is (I found out the hard way by being involved in and surviving a tunnel fire in Switzerland) that this way the tunnel is ideally only 20 percent full of cars at any given time and can be evacuated very quickly. The Gottard has alot of safety features which have been implemented since the tragic fire which killed 11 people several years ago. But holding this distance is really, really important, if those safety features are to work at all.

The Gottard Pass is a stunning climb, adds about an hour to your overall trip --- when the pass is open. I have done it only in the summer months.

Hi Diana

Thanks. Alas, I suspected the pass may still be closed based on the weather info I've seen.

Points re safety duely noted... have to say that I wasn't at all keen on doing the tunnels, for that very reason! Had considered going further to St Bernadino (is that right), but it's a long way to go! Ho hum!