Imagine you are travelling on a train through the K\u00e4ferbergtunnel. It’s a 2119 meter long, double-tracked tunnel that connects Oerlikon and Zurich’s Hauptbahnhof station. The tunnel is a key part of the SBB train system, a railway network that runs across Switzerland. It was built in 1969 and is still in operation today. The K\u00e4ferbergtunnel makes it possible to travel between the districts of Zurich around the K\u00e4ferberg hill without having to make the very sharp turn through the Hauptbahnhof station.
The tunnel was conceived and built in the mid 1950s. It was needed to manage the increasing traffic volume of the time. The K\u00e4ferbergtunnel is one of the three tunnels in Zurich that traverse the ridge between Oerlikon and Zurich Hauptbahnhof station. It’s an engineering marvel that’s not widely famous, but it’s a great example of how infrastructure can really improve quality of life in a city. The K\u00e4ferbergtunnel is essential for the efficient flow of passenger and freight trains and is a vital artery for Zurich’s bustling transportation network.