On 2 May 2025, at the BBT construction site 'H61 Mules 2-3', the last TBM on the Italian side of the project successfully completed the excavation of the west main tunnel, marking a historic milestone in the largest construction lot of the BBT project. The presence of Italian, Austrian and European authorities at the celebrations today underlined the importance of this achievement for the future of cross-border mobility.
Everyone present was celebrating a much sought-after milestone, starting with the TBM operators, who accompanied Flavia on her journey through the heart of the Alps. This has been important work that will bring tangible benefits in terms of efficiency and environmental sustainability. One example above all is the production and installation of tubbing rings, with TBM Flavia alone laying as many as 65,000.
These precast concrete elements, which serve as the final lining of the tunnel, have been produced by re-using excavated spoil from the tunnel, thus recycling 30% of the excavated material as part of a circular economy. Two TBMs had already reached the state border before Flavia. Serena, the TBM that excavated most of the exploratory tunnel on the Italian side of the project, reached the Brenner Pass in November 2021. Virginia, Flavia's ‘twin’, arrived at the Brenner Pass in March 2023. And finally, Flavia: together, the three machines moving towards the Brenner Pass have excavated nearly 43 km of tunnel.
Gilberto Cardola and Martin Gradnitzer, CEOs of BBT SE, said: "This achievement is the result of the teamwork and commitment of the TBM operators. Many thanks also go to the planners, engineers and geologists who made this success possible. The renewed support from Europe confirms that the project is going in the right direction. And in this very year, in which we celebrate eighty years of peace on our continent, our project proves once again that it is a bridge between cultures and peoples.”
Herald Ruijters, former Deputy Director-General DG MOVE noted: "The BBT is a fundamental step towards sustainable mobility and a model for cross-border cooperation in Europe.”
The Presidents of Alto Adige and Tyrol, Arno Kompatscher and Anton Mattle, confirmed the local and international importance of the project: "Another milestone was reached with the completion of the tunnel in Alto Adige. The Brenner Base Tunnel is a unique project in this century, a work that will benefit the whole of Europe. Its completion will enable modern mobility and a more efficient switch to rail - an important step towards a digital green corridor through the Alps, said Kompatscher, while Mattle emphasised: "Today's milestone is extremely significant and marks a further step towards an increasingly united and connected Europe. This is a great example of cross-border cooperation'.
Daniela Lezzi, CEO of Tunnel Ferroviario del Brennero (TFB), RFI: "RFI believes deeply in the value of this project. Investing in the railway network means investing in European integration, security, ecological transition and a more modern and resilient economy'.
Gerhard Harer, Director of Global Coordination for the Brenner Base Tunnel, ÖBB: "We are delighted to be able to celebrate an important achievement today with our Italian colleagues, during the ongoing World Tunnel Congress in Stockholm. Today, together, we send an important message to all experts in the field. Our next challenge is the outfitting of the tunnel in order to ensure that the BBT is a modern, efficient and safe railway system.
Only a few more metres of drilling and blasting are needed to finish the excavations on the Italian side and, more generally, over 85% of the total excavation of the BBT has already been completed.
