![]() Important: The hike leads along good hiking trails, but sturdy shoes and adequate equipment (weatherproof mountain jacket, warm clothing) are necessary. Route: After a bus ride to the top of the Simplon Pass, we will hike back towards Brig, with stops along the way to learn about the exciting background of this impressive Alpine transit route in short input speeches and discussions. The excursion also serves to publicise a petition by various NGOs in the Alpine region demanding that dangerous goods transports on all Alpine routes be shifted from road to rail – not only, but in particular also on the winding Simplon road. Our excursion takes us to this hotspot of Alpine traffic problems, combining the up-close experience of an imposing mountain and traffic landscape with expert input, from the history of the pass route full of smuggling adventures to today’s pressing traffic issues. ![]() ![]() Today, more than 11’000 heavy lorries with dangerous goods a year roll over the Simplon Pass, despite the railway tunnel below, which was built in two stages about 100 years ago. It was used to transport just about anything that could fit on a pack animal and promised profit and income. With the influence of the arch-capitalist and politician Kaspar Stockalper (1609 – 1691), the old mule track became an important European trade route. It has for centuries been an important transit route linking the Valais with northern Italy. Brig lies at 700 metres, at the starting point of the Simplon Pass (2005 m.a.s.l.), which leads across the Alpine ridge to Domodossola (300 m.a.s.l.).
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