A major milestone has been reached in the construction of the Lyon–Turin Euralpine Tunnel (TELT), with the launch of the first of seven tunnel boring machines (TBMs) on the French side of the Mont-Cenis base tunnel.
On 1 April 2025, the TBM ‘Viviana’ was officially launched at Saint-Martin-la-Porte. The ceremony was attended by France’s Minister for Transport, Philippe Tabarot, and Daniel Bursaux, Chairman of TELT, the bi-national public entity overseeing the project. Systra, acting as project manager, is playing a key role in the construction effort.
The 57.5km TELT will be the world’s longest rail tunnel upon completion and forms a central component of the future trans-European transport network. Its objective is to shift freight from road to rail, easing congestion in the Alpine region and reducing carbon emissions.
Annelise Baudouin, Rail Department Manager at Systra France, said: “The aim of the TELT project is to make a significant contribution to reducing road traffic in the Alps and increasing the attractiveness of low-carbon rail freight. It is a real project for the future, serving to interconnect networks, ensure the safety of trade, and decarbonise mobility.”
The Viviana TBM will excavate the 25km section of the tunnel between the Saint-Martin-la-Porte and La Praz access points, which represents the longest stretch of the French section. Six additional TBMs will be required to complete other sections of the tunnel, with construction expected to continue through to at least 2030.
Simultaneous excavation will take place at 15 different fronts across both France and Italy, under challenging geological conditions as deep as 2,200 metres below the Alpine rock.
Systra is involved in a significant portion of the works:
- In France, it is part of the S2IP project management consortium alongside Setec (lead), Italferr, and the Pini Group/ARX, managing packages CO 6-7.
- In Italy, Systra is working under the consortium led by Italferr, contributing to packages CO 3-4, CO 1 and CO 2, as well as managing the interconnection to the Susa Plain.
Together, these works account for over 60% of the final tunnel length. Additional responsibilities include preparation for new international stations along the route.
Once operational, the TELT will serve as a backbone of the EU’s TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor, enhancing rail connectivity between France and Italy and improving freight links from Spain to Eastern Europe.
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