Brenner Base Tunnel Breakthrough Links Austria and Italy Underground

Construction crews on the Brenner Base Tunnel have achieved simultaneous breakthroughs in the two parallel tubes, completing the physical link between Austria and Italy beneath the Alps. The 64‑kilometre underground rail corridor, running from Innsbruck to Fortezza, now features a connection 1,408 m below the Geigenspitze, joining the north‑bound and south‑bound sections.

The milestone was reached by the H53 consortium, including Austria’s Porr and Switzerland’s Marti, using tunnel boring machines named Olga and Wilma. The tunnel, designed to become the world’s longest underground rail line, will dramatically shorten travel times – from about 80 minutes today to roughly 25 minutes once fully operational – and shift freight and passenger traffic from road to rail, supporting Europe’s climate goals.

Future work will involve stabilising the newly connected section, installing electrification and tracks, and completing cross‑passages and a service tunnel for maintenance and drainage. When finished, the Brenner Base Tunnel will provide a high‑speed, sustainable north‑south rail link through the Alpine region.