Around 1,400 metres below the Brenner Pass, the Austrian and Italian sections of the Brenner Base Tunnel met with an accuracy of just a few centimetres. The successful breakthrough marks a decisive step forward in the construction of the future north-south link through the Alps.
Precision under demanding conditions
The Austrian section H53 Pfons–Brenner was constructed using conventional blasting methods and connected to the Italian section H61 Mules 2–3. There, the tunnel boring machines ‘Virginia’ and ‘Flavia’ had already driven the two main tubes as far as the national border.
The breakthrough was achieved deep within the central gneiss of the Geigenspitze massif and highlights the high level of precision and close coordination among those involved in the project across national borders.
The iC supports the tunnelling work
Throughout the entire tunnelling process, iC supported the Austrian side by providing vibration and environmental impact monitoring, geological documentation and consultancy services, thereby contributing to the successful completion of this challenging tunnel section.
An important step for Europe’s railway infrastructure
Following this successful breakthrough, three tunnels now connect Austria and Italy beneath the Alps for the first time. Of the planned tunnel system’s total length of 230 kilometres, 220 kilometres have now been excavated. On the Austrian side, the tunnel-boring machines ‘Wilma’ and ‘Olga’ are continuing to drive the remaining section towards Innsbruck.
The Brenner Base Tunnel is one of Europe’s most significant infrastructure projects and will, in future, make a major contribution to an efficient and sustainable rail link between northern and southern Europe.
