Remote-controlled robot could take on Gotthard tunnel maintenance
Wednesday 4th November 2026 on 06:01 in
Switzerland
A remote-controlled robot could help with maintenance in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, where high temperatures, dust and heavy rail traffic make work difficult, SRF reported. Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is developing the system with researchers at ETH Zurich.
Many jobs in the 57-kilometre tunnel can currently be done only on Saturday nights, when fewer trains are running. As the tunnel ages, its maintenance needs are increasing. SBB hopes robots will make the work safer and more efficient.
The robot resembles a large dog, with a long, giraffe-like neck that serves as a robotic arm. It is designed to operate switches, open doors and carry out simple tasks. At an SBB maintenance and response centre in Biasca, it has practised on electrical cabinets and metal doors like those found in the tunnel. It managed to operate a switch and close a door after two attempts.
An operator controls the robot remotely using a joystick and a control arm. ETH doctoral student Max said the joystick is mainly used to direct movement, while the arm handles finer tasks. He added that operating it takes considerable practice.
Robots of this kind are already used on oil platforms, mainly for monitoring and diagnosis, said ETH researcher Vaishakh Patil, who leads the project with SBB. He described the tunnel robot as a prototype. Recreating the tunnel’s lighting conditions is a particular challenge, he said.
SBB project lead Alberto Bombelli said the robots are intended to support workers, not replace them. Experts would still need to assess how to resolve faults. The long-term idea is to keep robots in the tunnel so staff would not have to travel up to 30 kilometres inside it for inspections or minor maintenance. Remote operation could also help workers respond during the week while trains are running.
The robot costs about 250,000, including further development to make it suitable for tunnel work. Its fine motor skills remain a limitation. Asked what it still needs to learn, Bombelli replied: “Everything.”