Gotthard Base Tunnel
 

Hi,
I'm planning to travel to Switzerland in May 2017, and was planning to travel from Lucerne to Milan to especially enjoy the scenic beauty en-route. But due to commissioning of Gotthard Base Tunnel, I suspect most of the journey would be spent inside the tunnel.

I would like to know if the earlier route (over the tunnel) is still in operation ?

Thanks in advance.

Not sure what you mean by "over the tunnel" - trains have used a tunnel since forever. If you mean the old route that took you higher up on the mountain before the train would disappear in the old tunnel, then read these two items from the Swiss railways - all is not lost:

http://blog.sbb.ch/en/2016/07/26/got...redirect=en_US

http://legendary-gotthard.ch

You will have the choice between:
new tunnel (Lucerne - Milan in 3 1/4 hrs)
old Gotthard line (Lucerne - Milan in 4 1/2 hrs)
postbus over the Gotthard Pass (Lucerne - Milan in 6 1/2 hrs)
all that can be combined with Lake of Lucerne boats up to Brunnen or Fluelen

Yes take at least the old tunnel route as the new tunnel is much much longer so you see little of the Alps but IME the old tunnel route you see quite a bit and such oddities as passing the Wassen Church in Wassen three times! (Because the train does loops inside a mountain, emerging at times so you pass the church first say going south - then going north - and again going south.

Postbus is a whole different awesome experience but much longer.

For lots on Swiss trains check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Be aware that in May the pass over the mountains may not yet be open. Some years some of the passes don;t open until June.

Yes hard to plan on a pass bus trip- good chance in May of being blocked I think.

Hi, thanks to all for the prompt replies.

Browsed thru the links provided in your replies and understood that the RE trains from Erstfeld to Bellinzona/Lugano will continue to run on old scenic route.

nytraveler : " Be aware that in May the pass over the mountains may not yet be open. Some years some of the passes don;t open until June"

In case mountain passes don't open up in May then I guess travelling thru the Gotthard tunnel is the only option.

Also please advise whether my Swiss Travel Pass will cover my journey from Chiasso to Milan or a seperate ticket has to be purchased.

In case mountain passes don't open up in May then I guess travelling thru the Gotthard tunnel is the only option.>

Only affects buses -not the RE trains on the old route and old Gotthard Tunnel.

Also please advise whether my Swiss Travel Pass will cover my journey from Chiasso to Milan or a separate ticket has to be purchased.>

covered in full to Chiasso but not valid beyond. Buy a supplemental ticket at any station in Switzerland as seat reservations are required in Italy but not on the Swiss portion- have a ticket so you need not get off the train. Can book your own at www.trenitalia.com.

Also you may get a cheap Interlaken or whatever to Milan ticket at www.sbb.ch and not even use the pass that day but those discounted tickets are not always available.

I didn't realize that you will travel in May. Gotthard Pass Postbuses begin to run on June 24th only.
But there are other solutions if you want to see a bit more of Switzerland:

Lucerne dp 11.12 by historic paddle steamboat all along Lake Lucerne up to Fluelen ar 13.55, leave Fluelen at 14.16 by local train (train station a few steps from the boat pier) up to Erstfeld ar 14.24 and change there (very small station) to the Milan bound Regio Express via Wassen - Goeschenen - Airolo (old Gotthard line) - Bellinzona - Lugano to Milan. Erstfeld dp 14.30 - Milano Centrale ar 17.50. If you travel on Saturday or Sunday, you can take a panoramic train from Fluelen via old Gotthard line up to Bellinzona and change there to the beforementioned Milan bound train: Fluelen dp 14.10 - Bellinzona 15.54/16.14 - Milan ar 17.50.
As an alternative, you could take any train via the old line (every hr), stop over at Bellinzona in order to visit the 3 castles and the tiny medieval center.
You could also stop over at Lugano and go from there by rope railway to one of the 2 viewpoints Monte San Salvatore or Monte Bre with views over the lakes up to the Alps.
Or leave Lucerne by train 7.18, change at Erstfeld to a Old Gotthard line train, arrive at Lugano at 10.41, put your luggage into the lockers, leave Lugano at 11.04 by local train to Capolago ar 11.18 and go on by famous cog wheel railway up to Monte Generoso, a stunning 1600 m high mountain just between Lake Lugano and Lake Como. Panorama over more than 5 lakes and the Alps from Mont Blanc up to Ortles.
Trains ron Lugano to Milan about every hr.