Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel

The Mont d'Ambin base tunnel is the largest engineering work of the Lyon-Turin rail link project. Reconnaissance work began on the French side in 2002 with the excavation of access points at Modane, then Saint Martin la Porte (2003) and La Praz (2005).[1]

Characteristics

Following the cancellation of the original project the tunnel alignment has been changed, and the new length will be 57 km (35 mi). This tunnel will be, when it opens, one of the longest rail tunnels in the world, ranking with the Gotthard Base Tunnel (57.1 km) the Seikan Tunnel (54 km) and the Channel Tunnel (50 km).

The portals will be in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne on the French side and Susa on the Italian side.

The cost of the joint Franco-Italian section (from Saint Jean de Maurienne to Val Susa) is estimated at 9,975 M€ (in January 2010 value). The cost will be borne by the French and Italian governments, and from EU funds.[2]

The tunnel will be used by freight trains, freight shuttles and high speed passenger trains, the latter operating at up to 220 km/h.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Boring contract". Railway Gazette International. 2005-03-01.
  2. ↑ "Brenner base tunnel wins TEN-T funding". Railway Gazette International. 2008-01-11.

External links

Coordinates: 45°11′27″N 6°46′53″E / 45.190748°N 6.781311°E