1092 metres below the earth's surface, Robert Golob, the Slovenian prime minister, and Peter Kaiser, the governor of Carinthia, took part in the milestone festivities at the border. The ongoing expansion aims to alleviate future traffic congestions and waiting time at the border, particularly during the summertime. Responsible for the implementation planning and geological aspects as part of a collaborative effort, Elea iC oversees the 2nd tube of the Karawanken tunnel. Our tunnelling and geological experts contributed to the planning team on the Austrian side, which has been finalized two years ago.
Projected to be operational by Q4 2025, the new tunnel will not entirely alleviate the bottleneck between Slovenia and Carinthia. Traffic will continue to flow bidirectionally through the new tube while the existing one undergoes reconstruction. By the end of 2028, the Slovenian motorway company DARS aims to conclude the renovation of its section. Approximately 320 million euros are being invested by Asfinag and DARS into the new tunnel, with an additional 115 million euros earmarked for general refurbishments by Asfinag. Both tunnels are anticipated to facilitate traffic movement by Q1 2029.
