Gotthard base tunnel excavation nearly completeOf the 151.8 km of the tunnel system under the Gotthard, a total of around 137 km, or almost 91%, has now been excavated. Less than 5 km of the 57 km base tunnel itself remains to be broken through. On 16.09.2009, shortly before 4 pm, Herrenknecht TBM Gabi II broke through between Erstfeld and Amsteg in the west tunnel, completing the excavation works for the base tunnel on the north side of the Gotthard. By covering a distance of 7.2 km in only 18 months, the TBM arrived in Amsteg half a year earlier than planned. Read the Herrenknecht press release. Breakthrough in the east tunnel was achieved on 16.06.2009, click here. On 17.09.2009, another TBM working in the 30 km Bodio-Sedrun section of the west tube crossed the border between the cantons of Ticino and Graubünden, about 2,000 m below Scaione Alp (TI) and Piz Scai (GR). The final breakthrough between Sedrun and Faido is expected to take place in November, 2010. Commercial inauguration is scheduled for the end of 2017. Click ch/21 and visit www.alptransit.ch. 41/09.