From ÖBB.

The entire tunnel is thus connected from Gloggnitz to Mürzzuschlag. Just a few hours after the official construction of the Koralbahn, another historical moment for ÖBB and a milestone for rail traffic on the south axis follows.

(Gloggnitz, November 29, 2024) - Around ten years after the construction started in the Fröschnitzgraben, the last meter of the tunnel was dug. Both 27,3 km long tubes have been dug from the Lower Austrian Gloggnitz to the Styrian Mürzzuschlag. Difficult conditions could be mastered with great use and technical know-how. Now the concrete inner shell will be completed in the next few months, and then the technical tunnel equipment can start.

Andreas Matthä, CEO of ÖBB Holding AG: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the building on this historical day, especially the miners. After ten years of tunneling, the last meter has been done and an important milestone has been reached. But there is also a lot of work ahead of us until our passengers can easily drive from Vienna to Graz in less than two hours. The Semmering base tunnel is a sustainable investment for the future of rail traffic. As part of the new south route, it strengthens the Baltic-Adriatic corridor and the domestic economy. ”

Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler: “With the Semmering base tunnel, we will experience a massive driving time gain on the rail on the way in and through Styria. The train also becomes an even faster, affordable and sustainable alternative to the car on this route. With the completion of the excavation work, we are getting closer to the completion of one of the most important infrastructure projects in Austria. I would like to thank the people involved for the excellent performance under difficult conditions and wishes on behalf of all future train drivers: The inside of Semmering will be very lucky. ”

The 27.3 kilometers of the two -tier tunnel are dug and all 14 tunks have been successfully completed. In 2020, the "interior" of the tunnel tubes started. The tunnel is lined with a concrete inner shell, almost 45 km (out of a total of 55 km in two tubes) have been built so far. After completion of the inner shell, the last step is the railway -technical tunnel equipment (tracks, lines, technical systems) before the trains can ultimately drive through the tunnel. Construction of the tunnel equipment begins in the summer of 2025. The first trains run through the tunnel in 2030-this is then the historical expansion of the southern route and the new rail quality in southern Austria continuously reality for our passengers.