Collapse in the Tauern Tunnel: Workers escape safely!

A dramatic collapse occurred on Sunday during renovation work on the 115-year-old Tauern Tunnel in Austria. Part of the vault in the north portal on the Salzburg side collapsed while 13 workers were in the tunnel. Fortunately, all workers were able to leave the danger area in time and there were no injuries. This was confirmed by ÖBB spokesman Robert Mosser. The affected seven meters of the tunnel vault will be repaired as quickly as possible so that the renovation work can be continued soon. The tunnel is expected to remain closed until July 2025, while a replacement bus service has been set up for passenger traffic and freight traffic is being rerouted. The cause of the incident is currently unclear, but work in the southern part of the tunnel is continuing without any disruption.

This tunnel is of great importance for Austria as the renovation is the largest since it was put into operation in 1909. The inner shell of the tunnel needs to be replaced due to regular water intrusions, and modern safety standards and new tracks are being installed. The renovation work began in mid-November and amounts to around 8,371 meters. The renovation not only affects the structure of the tunnel, but also the safety of the trains running there. According to Mosser, work could resume in as little as a week, with a planned reopening date of July 2025 being targeted volksblatt.at reported.

St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel as a historical comparison

Speaking of tunnels, the St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel in Germany, opened in 1911 as the first large underwater tunnel on the European continent, demonstrates how challenging tunnel construction can be. The construction required 4,400 workers over four years and used innovative techniques such as shield jacking. Workers had to work in difficult conditions deep beneath the Elbe, which led to health risks including the dreaded diving sickness. Despite these challenges, the St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel remains an impressive example of engineering and shows how tunnel construction still poses major challenges today bauportal.bgbau.de illuminated.