PROJECT | ROCK TUNNELS
the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor of TEN-T, specifically in the Munich-Verona portion. As such, the bi-national rail transport project also has a wider European dimension, which brought long-term EU funding support from the outset. The estimated cost of the project, in January 2023
prices, is almost Euro10.54 billion, says BBT-SE - with construction costs, including fit-out, accounting for 81% of that budget. The total budget also includes about Euro1.1 billion for risk provision, which raises the accounted-for share to almost 92%. The balance is allowance for monetary and inflation adjustment, according to BBT-SE. The total budget was revised and approved in 2023
following inflationary increases caused by higher energy and materials costs, in part caused by covid pandemic difficulties. The new total was calculated by a joint Austrian-Italian inflationary method, established specifically for the project. Previously, budget estimates were calculated nationally and therefore differed - Euro9.6 billion (Austrian method, 2021) versus Euro 8.8 billion (Italian, 2021); in 2017 the corresponding figures were Euro9.3 billion and Euro 8.4 billion.
DREAM AND PROGRESS A vision for some kind of major tunnel at the Brenner Pass was aired in the mid-19th Century. By the early 1970s the initial dream was being etched into modern reality. The International Union of Railways commissioned a study for a rail link that would having a long base tunnel through the Alps. A few feasibility studies had been performed by the late 1980s. The early 1990s saw the EU looking at supporting the development of a network of rail corridors across Europe, and some priority projects were listed. Soon, feasibility studies and preliminary plans got underway on what would be Phase 1 of the Brenner project. The completion of Phase 1 brought Austria and Italy to sign a treaty to build the project.
With the greenlight, Phase 2 activities for the Brenner
project were undertaken over 2003-2010, focused on finalising the plans and performed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Before that stage had ended though, Phase 2a activities had begun, leading to early works for the exploratory tunnel, performed over 2007/8-2013. Before those were completed, Phase 3 started in 2011, involving early construction activities such as large and long access tunnels in different locations to enable tunnelling for the main tubes and further works on additional sections of the exploratory tunnel. Over 2014-2018, at different times and locations, the
scheduled tunnelling works for the main construction lots on Brenner Base Tunnel got underway. Employing both hard rock TBM and Drill & Blast tunnelling methods, by 2020 more than half of all excavation work for the project had been completed, including excavations for access and logistics tunnels, and initial sections of main and exploratory tunnels. By mid-2025 more than 200km of tunnels had been
excavated for access and supporting tunnels as well as for the two main and the exploratory tubes along the alignment. While some of the rock excavations finished a
few years ago others were completed more recently, including a flurry of finishes in 2025. In September, final breakthrough on the exploratory tunnel created the project’s first continuous, full-length tube on the Brenner Base Tunnel. Most of the Brenner Base Tunnel project is now built.
Relatively, there is not so much tunnelling left to do, at least in terms of the overall project - but the remaining large excavations are both substantial and extensive in their own right, and focused on one Lot, H53, Pfons- Brenner, on the Austrian side, closest to the border with Italy.
Elsewhere, final tunnel lining works and some cross passages excavations are underway.
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