The New Semmering Base Tunnel - project overview / Der Semmering-Basistunnel neu - das Projekt im Überblick

The New Semmering Base Tunnel (SBTn) has been designed with a flat gradient to meet the requirement for uniform high-speed rail infrastructure for the new Südbahn line, which is considered an internationally significant transport corridor for Austria as an industrial location. The 27.3 km tunnel is divided into a number of construction sections with separate contracts due to the geological and hydrogeological conditions. In addition to the tunnel drives from the Gloggnitz portal, the tunnel will also be driven from three intermediate starting points. The individual tunnelling contracts will be started at intervals of about one year. The first tunnelling contract starts in 2014 in the Fröschnitzgraben, the drives in Gloggnitz and the intermediate starting point at Göstritz in 2015 and the tunnel drive in Grautschenhof from 2016. From 2021, when all tunnelling works have been completed and the structure of the two running tunnels has been completed, the installation of the tunnel equipment will start. Opening for service is intended for the end of 2014.