Mega tunnel borer

“Debohra” digs its way through Vienna’s underground

Public Transport City Councillor Peter Hanke (SPÖ) with Wiener Linien Managing Director Gudrun Senk in front of the mega-machine.(Bild: Tobias Holzer)

A new gigantic tunnel boring machine is to speed up the expansion of the subway. The "Krone" was 30 meters underground and got a glimpse of it.

Full speed ahead!" is the motto for the U2xU5 construction work at Matzleinsdorfer Platz. Thanks to "Debohra", the name of the impressive tunnel boring machine that is digging under the capital, things are moving forward. A whole 120 meters long, weighing 1300 tons and consisting of 27,000 individual parts - a true monster of technology! The "Krone" was allowed to take a close look at it during a site inspection together with Peter Hanke (SPÖ), the city councillor for public transportation. It will tackle the section from Matzleinsdorfer Platz to Augustinplatz. This will connect the new stations U2xS Matzleinsdorfer Platz, U2 Reinprechtsdorfer Straße, U2xU4 Pilgramgasse and U2xU3 Neubaugasse.

The impressive tunnel boring machine will use state-of-the-art technology to advance the construction progress of Vienna's largest climate protection project meter by meter.

Öffi-Stadtrat Peter Hanke

Over a distance of around four kilometers, "Debohra" will make up to ten meters of construction progress per day. All of the earth excavated by the tunnel boring machine will be transported away via the central shaft at Matzleinsdorfer Platz. This saves 20,000 truck journeys through the city and 75 tons of CO2.

Thousands of Viennese voted for the name in an online poll. "The launch of 'Debohra' is a key milestone for the U2xU5 mega project. The impressive tunnel boring machine will use state-of-the-art technology to advance the construction progress of Vienna's largest climate protection project meter by meter," said Hanke.