The great Semmering railway tunnel is starting to take shape: in Styria the tunnel deep into the mountain has been completed; in Lower Austria, stubborn rocks still have to be overcome. But no one is thinking about derailing the project anymore.
Anything else would have been a surprise: while the final breakthrough in the mountain was recently achieved on the Styrian side of the Semmering Base Tunnel, on August 22, 750 meters are still missing on the Lower Austrian side, which proves to be extremely are. stubbornly.
Styria has always been a staunch supporter of this multi-billion dollar project; There has been great resistance to the project from neighboring countries in Lower Austria for a long time. But this train has long since left and state politics on both sides of the mountain are in favor of the tunnel.
“A big breakthrough for Styria”
And so Lower Austrian Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) came to Mürzzuschlag on Friday to celebrate something historic: the last tunnel breakthrough in the Green Mark. ÖBB boss Andreas Matthä, EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler and the Styrian leadership around Christopher Drexler and Anton Lang also traveled to the main train station.
Historical moments were discussed. “A small blow for the tunnel builders, but a big blow for Styria,” said Drexler.
Only a few centimeters off plan
Nine years after construction began, 97 percent of the mega tunnel has been dug. “Everyone involved is doing a great job,” praises ÖBB project manager Gerhard Gobiet in the “Krone” interview. The work deep inside the mountain, which rests only on Christmas, Easter and St. Barbara’s Day (December 4), entails “great hardships.”
The surveying work is also a pleasure: in all sections completed so far, the deviations from the plan are only a few centimeters – well below error tolerance.
Opening in 2029 or 2030
But when will the tunnel open, reducing the travel time between Graz and Vienna by 50 minutes? Well, that depends on the Grasberg (Lower Austria). Due to the difficult geological conditions, the miners can extract a maximum of 80 centimeters per day. If the excavation is completed in the first quarter of 2025, the tunnel will be put into use with a timetable change in December 2029, otherwise a year later.
The total costs continue to rise over the years. Currently that is 4.2 billion euros. By the time the first train passes through the tunnel, this number may be long out of date.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
