Project of the century at the Brenner Pass

Expected to open in 2032, the new link through the Brenner tunnel will significantly improve travel and transportation in the heart of Europe. Once opened, the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT) will connect the urban centers of Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Italy with the ports in Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

The new line runs almost straight and nearly horizontal between Innsbruck (AT) and Franzenfeste (IT). The sharp curves, inclines and declines of the existing Brenner Railway, which is over 150 years old, will be completely eliminated. The two parallel main tunnel tubes will each be equipped with one track, so that all trains will run in one-way-traffic. The BBT will thus allow high speeds in passenger traffic and significantly longer and heavier freight trains in the future.

Every 333 meters there are connecting tunnels – so-called cross passages – linking the two tunnels. These cross passages serve as escape routes and ensure maximum safety during rail operation. An exploratory adit runs beneath the main tunnel tubes. The driving work on this adit provides information about the nature of the rock, which helps to reduce construction costs and time. Once the tunnel is in operation, the exploratory adit is used as a service and drainage tunnel.

Lombardi is participating in this important infrastructure project. Our company, together with the partners of the JV BBT North, has been entrusted with the updating of the planning approval procedure, the tendering, the final design and the geotechnical supervision. Within the framework of the JV, Lombardi is in charge of the excavation design of the Austrian section of BBT.