On 06/07/20 the TBM Gunther, tunnelling from Ahrental (Innsbruck) in the north completed its 16.7 km long exploratory tunnel. The TBM averaged 11 m of tunnelling per day. The breakthrough, occurred in the municipality of Steinach am Brenner. This completed the connection of the two largest construction sites of the Brenner Base Tunnel in Austria: the Tulfes-Pfons lot, which is being run by the Strabag / Salini-Impregilo consortium, and the Pfons-Brenner lot, which the Porr / Hinteregger / Condotte / Itinera consortium runs.  The first 1.7km section of the exploratory tunnel  had been excavated from the Wipptal valley northward by the drill & blast method in order for them to meet the TBM that completed the excavation.

The Brenner Base Tunnel is now continuously connected  for 36 km from Tulfes to St. Jodok / Schmirn. The exploratory tunnel is to be used for preliminary exploration of the rock as well as construction logistics and later in the operational phase for drainage and maintenance. For further information please click  here, at/16 and it/103 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.bbt-se.com/en. 28/20.