Brenner Base Tunnel changes push opening date back to 2034

EUROPE: The opening of the 55 km Brenner Base Tunnel between Austria and Italy has been put back to 2034 and the expected cost has risen to €11.7bn, project promoter BBT SE has announced. The cost had been put at €6bn at 2006 prices when the project was approved in 2009, when completion was envisaged for the end of 2025.

Presenting its latest forecasts on October 20, BBT SE said ‘much has changed’ since initial plans were drawn up in 2008, ‘particularly from a technical and regulatory perspective’, with new technologies and updated safety regulations.

Experience from Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel has also highlighted the potential to make use of the Brenner Base Tunnel’s exploratory tunnel, a third bore 57.5 km long and 6 m in diameter which was built ahead of and 12 m lower than the two 8·1 m diameter running tunnels to help assess geological conditions.

Under the updated plans, the exploratory tunnel is now to be used as a service tunnel, housing technical systems which as a result will be less exposed to disruptive elements such as dust. It will also be possible for maintenance crews to access the equipment without needing to close the main bores to rail traffic. This is expected to significantly increase the tunnel’s availability and overall safety.

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