Visiting the BedrettoLab

Visits for interest groups

We facilitate visits for the following groups upon request and according to our capacities:

  • Media
  • Research groups
  • Industry related to geothermal / engineering / geosciences
  • Interest groups in the field of geothermal energy, renewable energies, geosciences

Please contact Stefanie Zeller (stefanie.zeller@sed.ethz.ch) for further information.

Guided tours for the public

There will be no more guided tours for the public this year. The dates for next year will be announced in spring 2026.

What you can see in a tour

FAQ guided tours

Tours are open to anyone aged 10 or over. However, you should be able to complete the brisk
4.5-kilometre hike across uneven terrain in what is only a partially lit rock tunnel. You must also be able to carry a 4.5 kg self-rescuer (more information in the video) with you during the visit.

Before the tour, you will be issued with safety equipment (a helmet, a torch, a fluorescent jacket and a tracking device) and also be given a safety briefing. You will do the tour in a group of up to 20 people and will be accompanied by two trained guides. Visitors are asked to watch a safety video in advance and to fill out a short questionnaire in this regard.

Before the tour, you will be issued with safety equipment (a helmet, a torch, a fluorescent jacket and a tracking device) and also be given a safety briefing. You will do the tour in a group of up to 20 people and will be accompanied by two trained guides. Visitors are asked to watch a safety video in advance and to fill out a short questionnaire in this regard.

No. Tickets for the guided tours must be purchased in advance. Group numbers are limited to 20 people for safety reasons.

Based on experience of previous events, our visitors are mainly German and Italian speakers. However, if it turns out that there is a lot of demand for tours in English or French, we will make changes to our tour offering in the future/on request in order to accommodate this.

Prepare for your visit

Please prepare for your visit to the laboratory as follows:

1. Read visitor information

Please read this document to know what to expect in the tunnel and to prepare yourself in the best possible way (clothes, conditions in the tunnel, logistics etc.). It is available in German, English and Italian.

2. Complete safety briefing

Before entering the tunnel, you must attend this online safety briefing and confirm by filling out a questionnaire. Please do both until two working days before the appointment at the latest:

1. Watch the film here (in English).

2. Once finished, fill out the questionnnaire here (in English).

You will find additional instructions about the Dräger oxygen self-rescuer.

Approach

The BedrettoLab is located on the gravel pit close to Ronco (Bedretto) in Ticino, Switzerland. View the Lab's location on the map.

Approach Bedretto Map