During the ongoing renovation of the 115-year-old ÖBB-Tauern tunnel between Bad Gastein (Pongau) and Mallnitz (District Spittal an der Drau), a part of the vault collapsed on Sunday at the north portal on the Salzburg side. At the time of the collapse, 13 workers were in the tunnel. "The workers immediately left the danger area, no one was injured," said ÖBB spokesman Robert Mosser to APA. The workers left the tunnel on the Carinthian side.

Part of the Vault of the ÖBB-Tauern Tunnel Collapsed During Renovation

"After precise measurement, about seven meters of the tunnel vault in the area of the portal in Böckstein are affected, which gave way yesterday," said Mosser. The restoration work would begin as soon as possible. According to him, the immediate neighbouring areas are stable and show no impairments. "Initial estimates suggest that the occurred collapse could be fixed within a week and the scheduled renovation work in the northern area of the Tauern tunnel could be continued."

Reopening Date in July Should Hold Despite Collapse

Every effort will be made to maintain the planned reopening date in July. The work in the southern area of the tunnel on the Carinthian side is currently continuing without restrictions. The cause of the collapse is not yet known.

The urgently needed renovation of the 8,371-meter-long tunnel has been underway since mid-November. The work is the largest renovation since the structure was commissioned in 1909. The tunnel inner shell needs to be renewed due to regular water intrusions, in addition, control and safety technology are being updated and new rails are being laid.

Closure Planned Until July 13

According to the plan, the closure should last until July 13, 2025, freight traffic and night trains will be diverted on a large scale during this time, a replacement for passenger traffic has been set up with buses. However, a second construction phase will likely be necessary in the first half of 2027. The tunnel will then be closed again for five months.

(APA/Red)

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