The 55km twin bore rail tunnel will link Innsbruck in Austria and Fortezza in Italy, removing a major bottleneck for freight and passengers.
Italy and Austria’s decision to launch the work yesterday follows agreement between the two countries on the total cost and financing of the project. The total cost of the Brenner Base Tunnel has been agreed at €8bn (£7bn), including risk provisions.
Excavation works on the exploratory and access tunnels started in 2008 and are making good progress. With yesterday’s decision, work on the main tunnel can now begin, starting from Innsbruck in the north and from Fortezza in the south. The tunnel is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
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