After several years of research, Switzerland is finally ready to build a network of underground Cargo Sous Terrain (CST) tunnels, through which autonomous vehicles will deliver goods between cities and logistics centers throughout the country. On the first of August, the project will finally begin.
Image Source: CST
Previously, the concept provided for the creation of a network of underground cargo tunnels worth $3.4 billion for the automated movement of goods at speeds up to 30 km/h. It was assumed that this would help unload land roads filled with freight and passenger transport. Six years ago, the project, like many concepts before it, was not expected to go beyond the concept stage, but last December the Swiss Parliament adopted and approved the legal basis for its implementation. The first steps towards the creation of CST will be taken from August 1, 2022.
The system will work on the same principle as automated conveyor mechanisms. Unmanned vehicles will be able to pick up cargo from special ramps and deliver them to other ramps within the tunnel network around the clock. Wheeled vehicles will run at a constant speed of regarding 30 km/h, and goods will be transported on pallets or in special containers.
Due to the compatibility with refrigerated containers, it is possible to deliver both chilled and frozen cargoes. It is noteworthy that monorails will be mounted on the roofs of the tunnels for the express delivery of smaller cargoes. Thanks to the new system, for the first time, it will be economical to transport small orders, including individual pallets, and the need to build large warehouse terminals will be eliminated, as goods will be quickly delivered on demand. At the same time, cargo tunnels can be made much smaller than a transport system designed for passenger transportation, and for autonomous cargo systems, comfort and, to some extent, safety of travel do not matter.
Image Source: CST
The project will be fully implemented through private investment, but the planned price has increased significantly. If earlier it was expected that $3.5 billion would be enough, now CST is estimated at $30-35 billion, the length of the network will be 500 km. The first 70-km section with 10 hubs, designed to link Zurich and the Härkingen-Niederbipp logistics center, will cost $3 billion. Switzerland sees the project as a promising long-term investment to complement the land transport network. After the full implementation of the project, the number of heavy trucks on the roads of Switzerland should be reduced by 40%. Very remotely, the system resembles development Boring Company Elon Musk.
The actual planning of the first branch will soon begin, with the other Swiss cantons closely following the project. Of course, before the start of construction and, moreover, the operation of the transport network is still very far away, but now the likelihood that the CST will be completed has become much higher than in 2016.
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