Austria and Italy have achieved a key milestone in the Brenner Base Tunnel project with the completion of the first underground connection across the national border.
The exploratory tunnel breakthrough was marked by a ceremony attended by political leaders from both countries and the European Union.
Historical breakthrough for the Brenner Base Tunnel
© Galleria di Base del Brennero – Brenner Basistunnel BBT SE
The breakthrough was celebrated on 18 September in Brenner, where around 1,000 guests gathered. Those present included European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker and Transport Minister Peter Hanke, along with the Governors of Tyrol and South Tyrol. Executives from Austrian Federal Railways, Italian State Railways, and the Brenner Base Tunnel company BBT SE also attended, together with representatives of the construction firms.
At 14:30, the political leaders jointly initiated the final excavation. Miners using a chisel excavator broke through at a depth of around 1,400 metres, linking construction sections on the Austrian and Italian sides.
Two members of the BBT SE Executive Board, Gilberto Cardola and Martin Gradnitzer said:
Today, Europe is growing closer together through Italy and Austria. The Brenner Base Tunnel is more than just a structure – it is a symbol of the European idea, driven by determination and years of intensive cooperation.
The exploratory tunnel runs for 57.5 kilometres beneath the Brenner Pass, with 30.3 kilometres in Austria and 27.2 kilometres in Italy. Located 10–12 metres below the two planned main tunnels, it is not designed for passenger or freight traffic. Instead, it is used for geological assessment, drainage, material transport, maintenance and safety purposes.
Excavation methods combined conventional drilling and blasting with the use of three tunnel boring machines: Clio, Günther and Serena. Together, they excavated around 42 kilometres of the alignment. Surveying accuracy has ensured minimal deviation between sections driven from opposite sides, allowing the subsequent main tunnels to be constructed without significant adjustments.
Construction of the exploratory tunnel began in Italy in 2008 and in Austria in 2009. Key milestones include the 2010 breakthrough in the Aica–Mules section, the completion of the Sill gorge stretch in 2013, and the start of TBM excavation between Ahrental and Pfons in 2015.
In 2020, a breakthrough was achieved near Steinach am Brenner, while in November 2021 the TBM Serena reached the border underground. The September 2025 breakthrough establishes the first continuous cross-border link in the Brenner Base Tunnel system.
The full Brenner Base Tunnel will extend for 64 kilometres, connecting with the existing Inn Valley tunnel south of Innsbruck. Once operational, it will provide the longest underground railway connection in the world. In total, around 230 kilometres of tunnels are being constructed, including main running tunnels, exploratory works and access passages.
The new link is intended to shift significant volumes of freight from road to rail while also improving cross-border passenger services.
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