Gotthard base tunnel closed

Some details on the incident can be found here:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/gotthard-base-tunnel-to-remain-partially-closed-for-months/48740196

Wow - thanks to you both for the update.

I saw this. Very unfortunate. I am riding the Gotthard Panoramic Express train during my trip next month. It already was scheduled to use the older, historic slower route. But I'm wondering how increased traffic will affect things on this route now. Time will tell. I feel bad for the people needing the faster route for normal living and business.

The latest news now is that from the 23d of August freight trains will be able to use to Eastern tube. The Western tube will remain closed as they have about 8km of track (and trackbed) to replace.
Passenger trains will for the time being run over the old route, but also from the 23d onwards most direct trains to Milan will operate again, bit with an hour longer travel time. They have managed to get enough rolling stock together to be able to provide enough seats. (That was a problem, as they can send doubledeckers through the tunnel, but not over the old route).

The On line timetable is currently correct up to the 23d, and the one for afterwards should become visible soon as well.

I'm already have my tickets for Venice to Luzern early September. I was routed Venice/Milan/Lugano/Arth-Goldau/Luzern. Do you think some of the trains would change from my printed schedule? I purchased it from SBB with a super-saver for the Italian portion.

You should still leave on the train you booked ex. Venice, then in Milano you will either take a train to Chiasso and change there, or by that time there will be direct trains again. We will know more in a few days. Count on a trip time that is a bout one hour longer.

Which train did you book for the Milan - Lugano leg?

It says RE 25520 Milano Centrale to Lugano at 13:43. I looked on the SBB site after posting and if I put in an august date it shows a different route. I'd can't leave Venice earlier than my ticketed 10:48 flight with the super saver.

Then you can take your trains as planned till Lugano. Then from Lugano to Luzern you will just take whatever is being offered then. You do not have to worry about ticket validity.

(In Milano look for the train to Locarno, as that is its end station...)

I am confused. They look for a train going to Locarno to get to Lugano? Should they not just look for RE 25520 from Milan to Lugano?

Trains usually serve multiple stops. The departure displays cannot display all of them. But they always display the last stop, which in this case is Locarno.
The departure time plus the final destination of the train is how you find trains, as train numbers are not always displayed, and in this case in Milano the "RE" designation is usually absent as well.

The article I saw said that it would take the rest of the year to replace the damaged track so passenger trains will continue to take the long way up and over.

Yes, passenger trains will take the old route till at least January 2024.

Will the Trenitalia Gottardo schedule be altered to make room for the extra trains on that route? Are there some sections with single tracks?

The old route is also double track. SBB is working out a temporary schedule that should see through trains to Milano again. We will know more in a few days.

The SBB site shows the 3 persons in red now for both 1st and second class for Milan to Lugano portion of my trip Venice to Luzern on Saturday Sept 9th - 10:48 from Venice. So just how crowded is that? We have seat reservations for the Italian train as far as Milan. Once I get to Lugano can I take any train to Luzern?

That RE 80 is actually a regional train, so expect it to be full of locals. I you open up the train details you see that SBB even gives an estimate for each part of the route it runs. And you see that it is expected to be full till Monza.
I say expected, because since these trains are without reservation the railways only have an estimate on how many people will be on it.
Basically the South of Switzerland is just part of the greater Milano area, and thus Milans suburban/regional mass transit system extends all the way to Locarno...

Now you will be boarding in Milan, where the train starts, and will be there half an hour before departure already. I doubt the train will be full then already. Don't worry to much.

Thanks! I even managed to get my half fare card loaded to my apple wallet. I just wish I had ordered the train tickets from my phone instead of from my laptop and I don't see any way to put the tickets themselves into my wallet. But I'll be able to make future purchases from the app.

You can't buy international train tickets using the SBB app yet.. If possible see that you have them printed.

The repair work is now expected to not be complete until Sept. 2024.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/gotthard-base-tunnel-to-fully-resume-service-in-september-2024/48945910