The full 230km tunnel system includes the exploration tunnel, the two main tunnels and various access and emergency tunnels. There are currently 11 sites where tunnels are being excavated, together making around 500m of progress a day.
Three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are being used at these sites, with around 1900 staff working on the project. The Brenner Base Tunnel will connect Innsbruck, Austria, and Fortezza, Italy, with two 8.1m-diamater single-bore tunnels running 40-70m apart.
The two tubes are linked every 333m by connecting side tunnels, which can be used in emergencies as escape routes. The tunnel’s apex is 790m above sea level, 580m below the Brenner Pass. The tunnel is expected to be completed in 2028.
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