The excavation of the main tunnel sections in the Austrian construction lot H41 Sillschlucht–Pfons has been completed, marking one of the final major breakthroughs for the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT). The milestone was celebrated near the Europabrücke in the presence of Tyrol’s Regional Councillor for Mobility René Zumtobel, the BBT SE management team and representatives of the construction contractors.
With this latest breakthrough, around 90% of excavation works across the entire Brenner Base Tunnel project are now complete.
Completion celebrated with local schools
The celebration took place just weeks after the TBM “Lilia” reached the municipality of Navis on 6 October. Pupils from the St. Peter/Ellbögen primary school and the Matrei secondary school were invited to the event, having chosen the names “Lilia” and “Ida” for the two TBMs working in this construction lot back in 2023.
BBT SE board members Umberto Lebruto and Martin Gradnitzer highlighted the progress achieved this year:
“For the Brenner Base Tunnel, 2025 has been an exceptional year in terms of construction progress. Not only the two TBMs of this lot, Ida and Lilia, but also TBM Flavia in the Mauls lot have successfully completed their drives. With the breakthrough of the exploratory tunnel, the project experienced one of its most significant moments so far.”
A major milestone for H41
Tyrol’s Regional Councillor for Mobility, René Zumtobel, emphasised the importance of the achievement:
“With the arrival of Lilia, another milestone in the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel has been reached. For lot H41, the completion of excavation marks the end of a major chapter. The next years will focus on further expansion and final completion of this tunnel section between the Sillschlucht and Pfons. My thanks go to everyone working on this project as we continue towards commissioning in 2032.”
Project manager Romed Insam welcomed the participation of the schoolchildren, recalling their involvement in naming the TBMs and decorating tunnel segments for the Ahrental site.
From the contractor side, Erwin Scherer, Head Division Civil Engineering at Implenia, praised the achievement:
“Our team has reached this important milestone through great commitment, expertise and excellent cooperation. Our miners deserve the highest respect. We are proud to contribute to this sustainable infrastructure project for Europe’s future mobility.”
Excavation work approaches its final stage
The breakthrough marks the completion of all main tunnel drives within the Sillschlucht–Pfons lot. Following the project’s first cross-border connection on 18 September and the breakthrough of TBMs Ida and Lilia, only two TBMs remain in operation: Wilma and Olga, working on the west and east main tunnels in the Pfons–Brenner lot.
Less than nine kilometres of excavation remain, all located within this final Austrian lot. As excavation winds down, the Brenner Base Tunnel project is preparing for its next major phase: track, systems and railway equipment installation.
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