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Gottardo (train)
The Gottardo was an express train that, for most of its existence, linked Zurich, Switzerland, with Milan, Italy. Introduced in 1961, it was a first-class-only Trans Europ Express (TEE) until 1988, then becoming a EuroCity service and finally a EuroNight service – on a longer route, to Rome – before being discontinued in 2002. The train followed the Gotthard railway and was named for the line, using the Italian spelling for it, Ferrovia del Gottardo.
The Gottardo provided a high-speed, first-class train service between Zürich Hauptbahnhof and Milano Centrale station, starting in 1961. It was operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) and Italian State Railways (FS), and during its years as a TEE service it used the former's RAe TEE II-type electric multiple unit trainsets. These were air-conditioned and the normally six-car train included a restaurant car, operated by the Swiss Restaurant Car Company.
The TEE Gottardo ran southbound in the morning and northbound in the evening, while the TEE Ticino served the same route northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon, until the Ticino was discontinued (in 1974). The route via the Gotthard railway was very scenic and included passing through the Gotthard Tunnel. A writer for Fodor's travel guides included the Gottardo and the Ticino, and their shared route, in a list of Europe's most scenic train routes.
In 1965, the route was extended from Zurich to Basel (SBB station). However, in 1969, the northbound route was cut back again to Zurich, and only southbound journeys served Basel, departing from there and travelling to Zurich en route to Milan.
Starting with the 1974 summer timetable period, on 26 May 1974, the Gottardo was extended from Milan to Genoa (Brignole station), but this portion operated only during the summer timetable periods. The train reached Genoa with "just enough turnaround time for the same trainset to make the return journey" back to Zurich the same day. This continued each summer through 1979, but was not repeated in 1980 or after.
The Basel–Zurich portion was made weekdays-only in 1979 and dropped entirely in 1982, making the Gottardo's route once again Zurich–Milano in both directions.
After May 1987, the Gottardo was the only remaining international train in the TEE network, as all other international TEEs were converted to EuroCity (or another type of two-class train) or discontinued effective 31 May 1987. At that time, the southbound Gottardo route was extended a short distance within Zurich to begin at Zürich Flughafen (Zürich Airport) station, but the northbound trips continued to terminate at Zürich HB.
On 24 September 1988, the Gottardo was reclassified as a EuroCity train. It was the last international TEE at that time, but lost that distinction some years later, due to a short-lived revival of TEE service between Paris and Brussels from 1993 to 1995.
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Gottardo (train)
The Gottardo was an express train that, for most of its existence, linked Zurich, Switzerland, with Milan, Italy. Introduced in 1961, it was a first-class-only Trans Europ Express (TEE) until 1988, then becoming a EuroCity service and finally a EuroNight service – on a longer route, to Rome – before being discontinued in 2002. The train followed the Gotthard railway and was named for the line, using the Italian spelling for it, Ferrovia del Gottardo.
The Gottardo provided a high-speed, first-class train service between Zürich Hauptbahnhof and Milano Centrale station, starting in 1961. It was operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) and Italian State Railways (FS), and during its years as a TEE service it used the former's RAe TEE II-type electric multiple unit trainsets. These were air-conditioned and the normally six-car train included a restaurant car, operated by the Swiss Restaurant Car Company.
The TEE Gottardo ran southbound in the morning and northbound in the evening, while the TEE Ticino served the same route northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon, until the Ticino was discontinued (in 1974). The route via the Gotthard railway was very scenic and included passing through the Gotthard Tunnel. A writer for Fodor's travel guides included the Gottardo and the Ticino, and their shared route, in a list of Europe's most scenic train routes.
In 1965, the route was extended from Zurich to Basel (SBB station). However, in 1969, the northbound route was cut back again to Zurich, and only southbound journeys served Basel, departing from there and travelling to Zurich en route to Milan.
Starting with the 1974 summer timetable period, on 26 May 1974, the Gottardo was extended from Milan to Genoa (Brignole station), but this portion operated only during the summer timetable periods. The train reached Genoa with "just enough turnaround time for the same trainset to make the return journey" back to Zurich the same day. This continued each summer through 1979, but was not repeated in 1980 or after.
The Basel–Zurich portion was made weekdays-only in 1979 and dropped entirely in 1982, making the Gottardo's route once again Zurich–Milano in both directions.
After May 1987, the Gottardo was the only remaining international train in the TEE network, as all other international TEEs were converted to EuroCity (or another type of two-class train) or discontinued effective 31 May 1987. At that time, the southbound Gottardo route was extended a short distance within Zurich to begin at Zürich Flughafen (Zürich Airport) station, but the northbound trips continued to terminate at Zürich HB.
On 24 September 1988, the Gottardo was reclassified as a EuroCity train. It was the last international TEE at that time, but lost that distinction some years later, due to a short-lived revival of TEE service between Paris and Brussels from 1993 to 1995.