Tunnelling completed
Final breakthrough of the Semmering Base Tunnel
Historic milestone in the construction of the Semmering Base Tunnel: both of the more than 27-kilometer-long tubes have now been excavated. The final breakthrough took place on Friday morning.
Ten years after the start of construction, the excavation of the Semmering Base Tunnel has been completed. Both 27.3-kilometer-long tubes have now been excavated from Gloggnitz in Lower Austria to Mürzzuschlag in Styria. The concrete inner shell of the project of the century is now being completed, after which the technical tunnel equipment can begin.
"On this historic day, I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the construction, especially the miners. After ten years of tunnel driving, the last meter has been completed and an important milestone has been reached," said a delighted ÖBB CEO Anreas Matthä. However, it will still be a while before the first trains can travel through the tunnel. Commissioning is not planned until 2030. It will then take less than two hours by train from Vienna to Graz.
"Faster alternative to the car"
Installation of the tunnel equipment is scheduled to begin in summer 2025. Infrastructure Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) is also pleased with the construction progress: "With the Semmering Base Tunnel, we will experience a massive gain in rail travel time on the way to and through Styria. The train will become an even faster, affordable and sustainable alternative to the car on this route too."
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