List of spiral tunnels and tunnels on a curved alignment

Lists of spiral (helicoidal) tunnels and tunnels on a curved alignment on roads and railway lines worldwide.

Road tunnels

Railway tunnels

A part of a line is bracketed (), if it is located in a country other than that mentioned in the specific table:

Example: :(Lausanne – Montreux – Sierre – Visp – Brig – ) → Switzerland

South Africa
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Ladysmith–Harrismith Van Reenen's Pass Tunnel 4 Spiral approx 1175 adhesion 1,067 South African Railways Construction started 1957. Put into service 12 June 1961. 28.367°S 29.43049°E / -28.367; 29.43049

Canada
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Canadian Pacific Kicking Horse Pass Big Hill Spiral two of 900 22 Adhesion 1,435 Canadian Pacific

United States
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway Swede Hollow Seventh Street Improvement Arches Spiral 37.8 meters (124 feet)[5] TBD Currently a bicycle and walking path NA St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway Opened Dec 18, 1884.[6]

Russia
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Baikal-Amur Mainline,
Novy Uoyan – Taksimo		 Severomuysky Diversion,
Osypnoy – Pereval		 Tunnel no. 1 Horseshoe 2,142 1,520 East Siberian Railway Built in 1989; after the completion of Severomuysky Tunnel in 2006 serve as a reserve route.[7] 56.23°N 113.43°E / 56.23; 113.43
Severomuysky Diversion,
Goryachiy Klyuch – Okusikan		 Tunnel no. 2 Curved alignment 752

Croatia
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Zagreb - Rijeka Rijeka Brajdica Spiral 1,873 21 Adhesion 1,435 HŽ Nearly a 360° loop entirely in tunnel.

France
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Cuneo to Nice 42.619 km south of Cuneo Tunnel de Branego Turn 1,272 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 47.890 km south of Cuneo Tunnel de Cagnolina Spiral 1,476 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 54.091 km south of Cuneo Tunnel be Bosseglia Turn 1,583 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 57.439 km south of Cuneo Tunnel de Rioro 1 & 2 Spiral 1,828 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 59.575 km south of Cuneo Tunnel de Biogna Turn 1,155 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 59.853 km south of Cuneo Tunnel Porcarezzo Turn 1,251 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Cuneo to Nice 65.817 km south of Cuneo Berghe Spiral 1,881 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF
Toulouse to Barcelona 2 km north-east of l'Hospitalet Tunnel Helicoïdal de Saillens Spiral 1,752 Adhesion 1,435 SNCF

Germany
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Offenburg - Singen Niederwasser Tunnel [8] Curved alignment 558 17-19 Adhesion 1,435 DB
Offenburg - Singen Triberg Grosser Triberg Tunnel [8] Curved alignment 835 17-19 Adhesion 1,435 DB
Wutach Valley Railway Grosser Stockhalde Tunnel [9] Spiral 1,700 Adhesion 1,435 DB
Wutach Valley Railway Kehrtunnel im Weiler [9] Curved alignment 1,205 Adhesion 1,435 DB

Italy
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
(Lausanne – Montreux – Sierre – Visp – Brig – ) Iselle – Domodossola Iselle, Varzo Varzo Spiral Tunnel Spiral 2,968 22 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Simplon Line (probably the longest curved alignment tunnel in the world)
(Locarno – Intragna – ) Camedo – Domodossola Trontano Pelcetino Loop/Curved alignment 196 60 Adhesion 1,000 (FART), SSIF
(Metropolitana di Napoli) Line 1 Napoli Spiral 55 Adhesion 1,435 Metronapoli metro/subway line
Ferrovia Nulvi-Tempio-Palau (Italian) Nulvi – Tempio – Palau (Sardinia) Galleria elicoidale di Bortigiadas Curved alignment Adhesion 950 Trenino Verde Tourist service only
Torino - San Giuseppe di Cairo - Savona Savona Santuario Curved alignment 2063 30~ Adhesion 1,435 FS makes a complete loop with some open air sections and other two shorter tunnels
Cuneo to Nice 24.119 km south of Cuneo Galleria hélicoidoïl di Vernante Spiral 1502 Adhesion 1,435 FS & SNCF details of this route continue under 'France' above.
Roccasecca - Avezzano Capistrello Capistrello-La Giorgia S-shaped 2750 ? Adhesion 1,435 FS
Ferrovia Siracusa-Gela-Canicattì (Italian) Ragusa Spiral 760 30 Adhesion 1,435 FS complete loop with some open air sections and one shorter tunnel.

Norway
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Dovre Line Dombås Grønbogen tunnel Curved alignment 738 Adhesion 1435 Infrastructure: Bane NOR
Traffic SJ Norge
Flåm Line Myrdal Vatnahalsen tunnel Spiral 888 Adhesion 1435 Infrastructure: Bane NOR
Traffic: Flåmsbana AS
Rauma Line Verma Stavem tunnel Curved alignment 1395 Adhesion 1435 Bane NOR / SJ Norge

Russia
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Armavir – Tuapse Gorny – Indyuk Bolshoy Petlevoy Curved alignment 1,015 1,520 North Caucasus Railway Three tunnels on a single loop, built in 1914, reconstructed in 2006.[10] 44.2615°N 39.248306°E / 44.2615; 39.248306
Maly Petlevoy Curved alignment 169
Sredniy Petlevoy Curved alignment 356

Switzerland

The turn tunnels in the following table are sorted from West to East according to the location of the start point of the line.

Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Bex – Bretaye Fontannaz-Seulaz Fontannaz-Seulaz Loop/Curved alignment 182 195 Rack 1,000 TPC (BVB)
Martigny – Châtelard( – Vallorcine – Chamonix) Salvan Charbons Loop/Curved alignment 419 200 Rack 1,000 MC
Zermatt – Gornergrat Riffelalp Landtunnel Loop/Curved alignment 174 200 Rack 1,000 GGB
Montreux – Zweisimmen Montreux Montreux Loop/Curved alignment 184 65 Adhesion 1,000 MOB
Montreux – Zweisimmen Chamby Chamby Loop/Curved alignment 314 67 Adhesion 1,000 MOB
Aigle – Leysin-Grand Hotel Leysin-Feydey Leysin Loop/Curved alignment 233 223 Rack 1,000 TPC (AL)
Aigle – Les Diablerets Aigle Grand-Hôtel Loop/Curved alignment 119 60 Adhesion 1,000 TPC (ASD)
Montreux – Rochers de Naye Glion Valmont Loop/Curved alignment 385 130 Rack 800 MVR (MTGN)
Montreux – Rochers de Naye Caux Tremblex Loop/Curved alignment 144 220 Rack 800 MVR (MTGN)
Montreux – Rochers de Naye Dent de Jaman Jaman Loop/Curved alignment 77 220 Rack 800 MVR (MTGN)
Vevey – Les Pléiades Vevey Gilamont Loop/Curved alignment 84 50 Adhesion 1,000 MVR (CEV)
Brig – Spiez Kandergrund – Loop/Curved alignment 1,655 27 Adhesion 1,435 BLS Lötschbergbahn
Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis Grengiols Grengiols I Spiral 502 96 Rack 1,000 MGB Glacier-Express
Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis Andermatt Butzen Loop/Curved alignment 169 110 Rack 1,000 MGB Glacier-Express
Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis Andermatt Biel Loop/Curved alignment 279 110 Rack 1,000 Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn Glacier-Express
Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis Andermatt Rufenen Loop/Curved alignment 255 110 Rack 1,000 Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn Glacier-Express
Kleine Scheidegg – Jungfraujoch Eiger,
Mönch		 Jungfrau Loop/Curved alignment 7,122 250 Rack 1,000 JB The curved alignment is only part of the tunnel.
Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Lauterbrunnen Wengen – Loop/Curved alignment 248 180 Rack 800 WAB
Wilderswil – Schynige Platte Rotenegg Loop/Curved alignment 168 250 Rack 800 SPB
Lauterbrunnen – Isenfluh Isenfluh Chuchischleif Loop/Curved alignment 1200 360 Tires 800 Road tunnel
Brienz – Rothorn Kulm Planalp Schonegg II Loop/Curved alignment 119 250 Rack 800 BRB
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Gurtnellen Pfaffensprung Spiral 1,476 26 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Wassen Wattingen Loop/Curved alignment 1,084 26 Adhesion 1’435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Wassen Leggistein Loop/Curved alignment 1,090 26 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Prato Freggio Spiral 1,568 27 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Prato Prato Spiral 1'560 28 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Giornico Pianotondo Spiral 1,508 26 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Luzern – Göschenen – Airolo – Bellinzona – Chiasso Giornico Travi Spiral 1,547 27 Adhesion 1,435 SBB CFF FFS Gotthardbahn
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Filisur Greifenstein Spiral 698 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Bergün God Loop/Curved alignment 486 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Bergün Platz Loop/Curved alignment 262 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Preda Rugnux Spiral 662 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Preda Toua Spiral 677 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
Chur – Thusis – Tiefencastel – Filisur – Samedan – St. Moritz Preda Zoundra Spiral 535 35 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Albula Railway
Glacier-Express
St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano) Alp Grüm Palü Loop/Curved alignment 254 70 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Bernina Railway
Bernina-Express
St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano) Alp Grüm Val Pila Loop/Curved alignment 227 70 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Bernina Railway
Bernina-Express
St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano) Poschiavo Val Varuna I (Oberer Varuna) Loop/Curved alignment 149 70 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Bernina Railway
Bernina-Express
St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano) Poschiavo Val Varuna I (Unterer Varuna) Loop/Curved alignment 147 70 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Bernina Railway
Bernina-Express
St. Moritz – Pontresina – Poschiavo( – Tirano) Poschiavo Balbalera Loop/Curved alignment 122 70 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Bernina Railway
Bernina-Express
Landquart – Klosters – Davos Klosters Klosters Loop/Curved alignment 399 45 Adhesion 1,000 RhB Replaced the zig zag in Klosters in 1930.
Landquart – Klosters – Davos Klosters Cavadürli Loop/Curved alignment 334 45 Adhesion 1,000 RhB
Klosters - Sagliains Klosters Zugwald Loop/Curved alignment 2172 ~40 Adhesion 1,000 RhB On the ramp to the Vereina Tunnel.

Slovakia
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Margecany – Červená Skala Telgárt Tunnel Telgárt [11] Curved alignment 1,240 12.5 Adhesion 1,435 ZSSK

United Kingdom
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
Woodhead Line South Yorkshire Thurgoland Tunnel Curved alignment 282 8 Adhesion 1,435 British Rail (was LNER) 1845-1983

New Zealand
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
North Island Main Trunk Raurimu Raurimu Spiral Spiral 383 19 Adhesion 1,067 New Zealand Railways Corporation

Australia
Line Location Tunnel Name Kind of Tunnel Length in m Gradient in ‰ Kind of Operation Gauge in mm Railway Company Remarks
North Coast Railway Cougal Cougal Spiral Spiral 200 15 Adhesion 1,435 RailCorp Also known as 'Border Loop'

References
  1. "World's Longest Spiral Highway Tunnel".
  2. A new Guinness record! World's longest spiral highway tunnel in N. China. 18 August 2019.
  3. https://sahara-overland.com/2018/05/30/the-spiral-tunnel-of-tagountsa
  4. https://www.google.com/maps/place/32°10.125'N+4°56.57'W
  5. "Seventh Street Improvement Arches - Wikipedia". en.m.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  6. Trimble, Steve. "Seventh Street Improvement Arches". Saint Paul Historical. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  7. Обход Северомуйского тоннеля (in Russian). Веб-энциклопедия Транссиба. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  8. Tunnels of the Black Forest Railway(www.nvog.de/bswb.de (in German language) )
  9. Map of the Wutach Valley Railway
  10. Большой петлевой тоннель (in Russian). "Bamtonnelstroy" JSC. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  11. Telgártska sľučka - (in Slovak language)
  • Hans G. Wägli: Schienennetz Schweiz/Réseau ferré suisse; Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, Generalsekretariat; 1980; ISBN 3-905111-21-7 (Edition 1998)

Locations partly from:

  • Bundesamt für Landestopografie, Landeskarte der Schweiz, Zusammensetzung 101, Thuner See Zentralschweiz, 1:100'000, 1987
  • Office fédéral de topographie, Carte nationale de la Suisse, Assemblage 104, Lausanne-Bern, 1:100'000, 1986
  • Office fédéral de topographie, Carte nationale de la Suisse, Assemblage 105, Valais∙Wallis, 1:100'000, 1987
  • Bundesamt für Landestopografie, Landeskarte der Schweiz, Zusammensetzung 106, Glarnerland Bündnerland, 1:100'000, 1985
  • Ufficio federale di topografia, Carta nazionale della Svizzera, Carte riunite 107, Ticino∙Tessin, 1:100'000, 1987
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