August 1st 2026 falls on a Saturday, creating a double peak: National Day traffic plus normal summer weekend. Queues can reach 12 km. The Gotthard Pass is open.
N → S (Göschenen)
S → N (Airolo)
Tunnel
openPass
closedReal-time queue at Gotthard
Worst hours
13:00–18:00
Depart before
11:00
or after
19:00
Peak departure time. Coincides with normal summer Friday traffic.
Worst hours
09:00–13:00
Depart before
07:00
or after
15:00
Double peak: National Day + summer Saturday. Comparable to the worst August Saturdays.
Worst hours
14:00–19:00
Depart before
11:00
or after
20:00
| Day | Direction | Risk | Best windows | Peak hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 31 Jul | ↓ Southbound | Extreme | prima delle 11:00 · dopo le 19:00 | 13:00–18:00 |
| Saturday 1 Aug | ↓ Southbound | Extreme | prima delle 07:00 · dopo le 15:00 | 09:00–13:00 |
| Saturday 1 Aug Early northbound returns | ↑ Northbound | Medium | nessuna restrizione significativa | 17:00–20:00 |
| Sunday 2 Aug | ↑ Northbound | High | prima delle 11:00 · dopo le 20:00 | 14:00–19:00 |
Worst hours
09:00–14:00
Expected queue
~12 km
Friday 31 July afternoon is the peak departure time. Saturday 1 August is doubly intense (National Day + weekend). Sunday 2 August sees returns from Ticino northbound. The Gotthard Pass is an available alternative in August.
Contraflow threshold: 8 km
ASTRA activates the official diversion via San Bernardino (A13) when the queue exceeds 8 km. On 1 August, preventive signage may be activated the evening before.
Queue ≥ 8 km southbound
A13 San Bernardino diversion activated. Gotthard Pass is a scenic alternative (open in August).
Main alternative. Open year-round, generally free even on August 1st.
Open in August. A scenic alternative with tourist and motorcycle traffic.