The first tube of the Semmering Base Tunnel in Austria has been completely excavated. The final breakthrough in the Gloggnitz construction section was successfully completed, meaning that Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag are now connected underground. The second tube is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025. Despite the complex geology in the Gloggnitz section, the miners have been able to make significant progress in recent months. The Semmering Base Tunnel will significantly shorten the journey time between Vienna and the south of Austria and create more attractive rail connections for passengers and freight in the heart of Europe. The tunnel was built simultaneously from five locations, with 12 of the 14 drives already completed. The interior construction of the tunnel tubes began in 2020, during which the tunnel will be lined with a concrete inner shell. More than 40 km of the total 55 km in two tubes have already been completed. Work on the tunnel began in 2014.
