New railway tunnel against natural forces – salzburg.ORF.at
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The ÖBB is now starting the planning for an extensive new line at the Pass Lueg (Tennengau/Pongau). A new tunnel for the railway line is planned parallel to the Hiefler motorway tunnel. This should make the trains faster and more reliable. So far, there have always been route closures at Pass Lueg.
In the event of flooding or the risk of avalanches, train traffic should no longer have to stop at Pass Lueg – that is one of the main goals of the new route planning. There is currently a railway tunnel through the Ofenauerberg near Golling (Tennengau), but after that the railway line bends and runs directly along the Salzach, not far from the steep slopes of the Tennengebirge.
Railway tunnel parallel to the motorway
If there is a risk of flooding or avalanches, the railway line often has to be closed for days. Therefore, the ÖBB want to build a railway tunnel on the section between Pass Lueg and Stegenwald. The enclosure is to run parallel to the Hiefler Tunnel of the Tauernautobahn.
Three kilometers in a tunnel
“The new route is five kilometers long. Of these, two kilometers are free stretches with four bridges, followed by three kilometers in tunnels. The main purpose of the tunnel is that people become more independent of the influences of natural forces, so that the routes become available and there are fewer closure times,” said ÖBB spokesman Christoph Gasser-Mair.
Start of construction 2029 realistic
According to ÖBB, the new tunnel will save travel time by around three minutes. The planning is still in its infancy, and an environmental impact assessment will also be necessary. According to all procedures, from today’s perspective, a start of construction in 2029 is realistic.
As soon as the new line is finished, the old railway line along the Salzach near the Lueg pass will be demolished. The start of planning is an “important step” for the state of Salzburg. The new tunnel route at Pass Lueg will “bring many improvements to the entire rail traffic in the state of Salzburg,” emphasized Transport Councilor Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP).