Collapse at the portal

Tauern Tunnel: Key section causes problems

The vault of the Bahn-Tauern Tunnel collapsed over a length of seven meters during renovation work.(Bild: ÖBB/Swietelsky)

During the renovation of the Tauern Tunnel, 13 hackers escaped a catastrophe! Masses of rubble buried the north portal. An expert knows that this spot has often caused problems.

Suddenly, dust began to trickle from the tunnel ceiling as 13 workers were working at the north portal of the Tauern railroad tunnel in the Böckstein district of Bad Gastein on Sunday. The construction workers quickly got to safety before the first stones fell from the ceiling. Then it happened quickly, the vault gave way. The tunnel, which is currently being renovated, was buried with rubble and earth over its entire height.

The workers who were in the tunnel at the time of the incident were very lucky and remained unharmed. They left the tunnel on the Carinthian side. The exact cause of the incident has not yet been determined. The 8.4-kilometre-long tunnel has been under renovation since mid-November, and work has also recently been carried out in the area of the north portal. "According to precise measurements, around seven meters of the tunnel vault are affected," says ÖBB spokesman Robert Mosser. There should be no further danger for the time being. "The immediate neighboring areas are stable and show no signs of impairment," reassures Mosser. Provincial geologist Gerald Valentin has been informed, but the renovation is basically the responsibility of ÖBB, the owner of the tunnel.

Work has been underway in the 115-year-old tunnel since mid-November.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

The renovation should be completed by the summer.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

The vault of the Bahn-Tauern Tunnel collapsed over a length of seven meters during renovation work(Bild: ÖBB/Swietelsky)

ÖBB hopes the damage will be repaired quickly
"The Tauern Tunnel runs through granite and gneiss and is very stable overall," explains Valentin in an interview with Krone. "However, there is a key section in the first 100 to 150 meters after the north portal that leads through loose material," says Valentin. "This area has been causing problems for decades." It is precisely the area where the vault has now collapsed. Almost two years ago, in April 2023, the tunnel had to be closed for a month at short notice. The reason at the time: extensive support measures had to be carried out in the area of the north portal.

Despite the massive collapse of rubble and earth into the tunnel, ÖBB is hoping that the damage will be repaired soon and that there will be a short delay. "According to initial estimates, the collapse that has occurred could be repaired in as little as a week and the scheduled renovation work could continue," adds Mosser. Ideally, there should only be minor delays to the schedule, if any at all. "Every effort is being made to meet the planned reopening date in July," says ÖBB.

"Half the mountain has come down"
This would be particularly important for the many commuters in the Gastein Valley and also on the Carinthian side, as many are dependent on this connection for their jobs. The shock of the collapse was still audible the day after. "The most important thing is that nobody was hurt. Half the mountain came down," said Günther Novak, mayor of Mallnitz on the Carinthian side.