Styrian know-how

Construction finale: Koralm tunnel gets overhead line

Construction work on Austria's longest railroad tunnel is entering its final phase. Overhead lines are being installed and construction technology implemented. This requires plenty of local expertise. By 2025, train commuters should be able to travel from Graz to Klagenfurt in 45 minutes.

It will connect Styria with Carinthia and run from Deutschlandsberg to Lavanttal. The Koralm Tunnel is a mega project and will be the sixth longest railroad tunnel in the world when it is completed in 2025. The tunnel is now being equipped with construction technology and an overhead line is being installed for the trains. The latter in particular require a great deal of expertise. They have to be able to withstand speeds of up to 350 km/h.

90 minutes to the workplace
The necessary expertise comes largely from the domestic economy. "Around 95 percent of the companies are Austrian firms that have prevailed despite EU-wide tenders," says ÖBB project manager Klaus Schneider. The companies involved include Voestalpine, Siemens, Rhomberg Sersa and Porr. 2000 kilometers of cable are being laid, 550 distributors installed and 90 air conditioning systems installed.

This also poses a logistical challenge. Construction workers have to drive up to 90 minutes to reach the work site in the 33-kilometer-long tube. "If the material or tools are not in the right place at the right time, this has a major impact," says Schneider.

The schedule is tight: all the main work is to be completed by the end of the year. An extensive test phase is needed before the official opening. Ultimately, it should take 45 minutes to get from Graz to Klagenfurt by train.