A13 (Switzerland)

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The A13 is a motorway, at times a motorroad (German: Autostrasse, or motorroad, alternatively an express route), which runs from St. Margrethen in northeastern Switzerland through to Bellinzona in south Switzerland.

The A13 started life as a road which was mainly motorroad, from the foggy beginnings at St. Margrethen through to Haag, near Liechtenstein. The motorway would begin from Haag through Reichenau. Then it would be a motorroad again until after Mesocco, until Roverdo. The final kilometres linking it to the A2 motorway would be a motorroad. Today, the section from St. Margrethen through Haag has been thoroughly converted to a motorway. Due to the tough terrain, the transformation of the Graubünden section into a full motorway would be difficult.

The route is challenging south of Chur. The A13 sometimes appears to be more of a widened mountain road rather than a motorway or motorroad. At times, there is no central structure to separate the two carriageway directions and overtaking (using the carriageway reserved for the other direction) is actually allowed!

The motorroad finds it way through the Alps by means of the San Bernardino road tunnel, which is 7.7 km in length.

The A13 links with the A3 motorway at the important Sargans junction, and also links with the A2 motorway at Bellinzona. It connects also with main roads heading for Disentis, Klosters, Davos and Italy (via the Splügen Pass).

Main route: St. Margrethen - Buchs SG - Sargans - Landquart - Chur - Thusis - Splügen - Hinterrhein - San Bernardino road tunnel - Pian San Giacomo - Roverdo - Bellinzona

Speed limit: 120 km/h (75 mph) on all motorway parts; 100 km/h (65 mph) (at times 80 km/h (50 mph)) on motorroad parts. Speed checks do appear and penalties are severe!

Tolls: Covered by CHF 40 annual motorway toll sticker.