A groundbreaking new rail project aims to transform travel between Italy and Austria, addressing traffic congestion and boosting cross-border connectivity.
The Brenner Tunnel, a €10.5 billion initiative, will stretch 55 kilometers through the Alps, becoming the world’s longest underground railway network. It will link Fortezza, Italy, with Innsbruck, Austria, passing through the Brenner Pass—a critical route in the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor.
This tunnel is a key part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a vast European system of roads, railways, airports, and waterways. The TEN-T connects major European regions and is essential for trade and transport across the continent.
The Brenner route plays a crucial role in trade between Germany and Italy, Europe’s two largest economies. It handles a significant amount of goods traded across borders each year.
Currently, the route relies on an old railway built in the 1860s and the Brenner Pass Motorway, one of Europe’s busiest mountain roads. The motorway sees about 15 million tons of freight annually, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, this heavy traffic has led to congestion and environmental concerns.
The Brenner Tunnel is designed to address these issues by offering a faster, more sustainable alternative to road transport. To manage the increasing traffic, Austria has already imposed restrictions, such as a nighttime truck ban and limits on freight transport by train. Additionally, truck crossings are capped at 200 per hour.
Once completed, the tunnel will cut travel time drastically. The current journey between Italy and Austria, which takes 1 hour and 45 minutes, will be reduced to just 35 minutes. Trains will also travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, offering a fast and efficient connection.
The new tunnel will also boost rail capacity, increasing the number of trains from 260 to 660 per day. This increase will make freight transport more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The Brenner Tunnel project is set to be completed by 2032, marking a significant milestone in European transportation.
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