The 5km milestone means TBM Wilma has completed around 70% of the 7.4km drive.
Work is also progressing in the main eastern tunnel, where TBM Olga has completed half of her journey and is currently working north through the mountains.
ARGE H53 BBT, the Porr/Marti consortium responsible for the H53 Pfons-Brenner lot, launched the TBMs on September 18, 2024.
The two 10.37m-diameter Herrenknecht machines are the last of the BBT’s nine TBMs still tunnelling.
When completed, the 64km BBT between Austria and Italy will be the world’s longest rail tunnel. It will connect the cities of Fortezza in Italy and Innsbruck in Austria. Passenger trains will travel at speeds of up to 250km/h, cutting travel time from the current 80 minutes to 25 minutes.
