Blasting starts at south portal of Ceneri base tunnelExcavation of the first 300 m cut-and-cover at the south portal of the Ceneri base tunnel started at Vezia on 12.04.2010 using drill/blast, and is expected to last until mid-2012. West tube development at the Sigirino intermediate access has already commenced in both directions, putting the project on schedule for commercial operation by end-2019. The bi-tube Ceneri Base Tunnel, with a length of 15.4 km between the north portal at Vigana, near Camorino, and the south portal at Vezia, is Switzerland's third-largest tunnel project after the Gotthard and Loetschberg base tunnels. Click here and visit www.alptransit.ch. 17/10.