Editing Gotthard Base Tunnel (section)

===Inauguration and commissioning===
[[File:Gotthard 2016.jpg|thumb|Inauguration days, where the public was allowed to experience high-speed travel below the Alps for the first time, and to move quickly between the exhibitions held in Erstfeld and Bodio.]]
In 2016, several events, including festivities and special exhibitions, were held around the Gotthard, culminating in the inaugurations in early June, dubbed ''Gottardo 2016''. Public institutions joined the celebrations: [[Swiss Post]] issued a special [[Postage stamp|stamp]] commemorating the Gotthard Base Tunnel,<ref>{{cite web |lang = fr |url = https://www.post.ch/fr/notre-profil/entreprise/medias/communiques-de-presse/2016/timbre-poste-special-avec-de-la-pierre-du-gothard |title = Timbre-poste spécial avec de la pierre du Gothard |type = press release |publisher = [[Swiss Post]] |date = 11 May 2016 |access-date = 7 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |lang = fr |first = Sylvain |last = Besson |url = https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/2016/05/30/gothard-ame-pierre-suisse |title = Gothard, l'âme de pierre de la Suisse |publisher = [[Le temps]] |date = 30 May 2016 |access-date = 7 September 2016 |archive-date = 12 December 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161212122351/https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/2016/05/30/gothard-ame-pierre-suisse |url-status = dead }}</ref> and [[Swissmint]] issued gold and silver coins dedicated to the opening.

On 31 May 2016, a day before the inauguration, the nine people who died during construction were commemorated in a ceremony at the north portal in [[Erstfeld]] that was led by a Catholic [[vicar general]], a vicar of the [[Evangelical-Reformed Church of Uri]], a Jewish rabbi, and a Muslim imam. A bronze memorial plaque with their names — four coming from Germany, three from Italy, and one from each of South Africa and Austria – was unveiled by AlpTransit Gotthard AG CEO Renzo Simoni.<ref name=Memorial/> A Catholic shrine to [[Saint Barbara]], the patron of miners, stands inside the tunnel as a memorial.<ref name=Ceremony/>

[[File:SBB - Gotthard Base Tunnel (30346410681).jpg|thumb|left|Sedrun multifunction station viewed from the control cab of a Gottardino train.]]
The tunnel was officially inaugurated on 1 June 2016.<ref name=Ceremony>{{cite news |title=World's Longest Rail Tunnel Opens in Switzerland |url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/as-it-happens_switzerland-celebrates-the-gotthard-tunnel/42194112 |date=1 June 2016 |work=[[Swissinfo]] |location=Bern, Switzerland |access-date=3 June 2016}}</ref> At the northern entrance in Erstfeld, President of the Confederation [[Johann Schneider-Ammann]] spoke of a "giant step for Switzerland but equally for our neighbours and the rest of the continent", while a live relay carried a speech given by Transport Minister [[Doris Leuthard]] at the southern entrance in [[Bodio]]. The first journey carried hundreds of Swiss citizens who had won tickets in a draw, while the assembled guests in Erstfeld, including the Federal Council in corpore, heads of state and government from neighbouring countries and transport ministers from European countries, attended the opening show ''Sacre del Gottardo'' by [[Volker Hesse]] featuring 600 dancers, acrobats, singers and musicians celebrating Alpine culture and [[Teufelsbrücke|myths around the Gotthard]].<ref name=Ceremony/> On the following weekend, popular festivities and special exhibitions, attended by more than 100,000 visitors, were held.

From 2 August to 27 November 2016, the [[Swiss Federal Railways]] ran a special train service through the tunnel called "Gottardino" which was open to the public. It was a once-daily service from [[Flüelen railway station]] to [[Biasca railway station]] and in reverse. The trains made a stop inside the tunnel, to allow passengers to visit an exhibition inside the underground multifunction station in [[Sedrun]] which would normally be used in emergency only.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gottardino special train |url=http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/holidays--short-breaks-in-switzerland/regionen/gotthard/gottardino-special-train.html |publisher=Swiss Federal Railways |access-date=6 November 2016 |archive-date=6 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106130606/http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/holidays--short-breaks-in-switzerland/regionen/gotthard/gottardino-special-train.html}}</ref>