Over a decade after it was first proposed, the cycling tunnel underneath the main station in Zurich will finally be completed by next spring. The new Stadttunnel passage will allow cyclists to pass between the north and south of the station without having to interact with drivers.

Stadttunnel in Zurich HB to open in May 2025

On May 22, 2025, the first bicycles are expected to pass through the brand-new cycling tunnel underneath Zurich HB. The Zurich Department of Civil Engineering confirmed that the 192-metre tunnel underneath the busiest station in Switzerland will open at the same time as the start of Cycle Week, which the city is hosting on Europaalle.

The announcement itself is 13 years in the making, with the tunnel having first been proposed by Pro Velo Zurich back in 2011. As any Züri cycling enthusiast will tell you, the series of unprotected painted cycle lanes which weave around the cars and trams of Zurich HB, Bahnhof and Silhquai are at best confusing and at worst a serious safety hazard.

The plan itself was to use an unused section of motorway, which was already constructed underneath the station in 1955. However, frequent delays and holdups put the plans on the back burner until June 2021, when 74 percent of Zurich voters approved the expansion of the tunnel. Construction of the so-called Stadttunnel began in September 2022 at a cost of 38,6 million francs.

Video: Stadt Zürich / YouTube

Where is the cycling tunnel at Zurich HB?

Under the plans, the tunnel will begin at Kasernenstrasse opposite the headquarters of SwissPost, travelling underneath the platforms before emerging on the northern side of the station at Silhquai. A bicycle parking area is also set to be built in the tunnel itself.

Speaking to the Tages-Anzeiger, city councillor Simone Brander said that the opening of the route was a “milestone for the promotion of cycling” in Zurich, adding that she was happy that there is now a “safe connection between districts four and five.” 

Thumb image credit: pick2510 / Shutterstock.com