The incredible £7.5bn underground tunnel linking two countries over 34 miles

A new tunnel connecting the north and south of Europe is under way. Construction workers broke through the final layer of rock on September 18 to construct an underground tunnel between Austria and Italy, which, once completed, will become the world's longest tunnel of its kind.

The Brenner Base Tunnel will connect the two European countries by a high-speed rail line, and is a crucial part of The European Union's aims to move freight off the roads and onto rail, to cut pollution and to increase cross-border trade.

At the rock-breaking ceremony, Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime minister, said: "Today, we are taking together a decisive step for the construction of one of the largest infrastructure works in the entire continent. It's a historic day...for Italy, for Austria, and for the whole of Europe."

The link will be the first dedicated rail tunnel directly connecting Austria and Italy. It is scheduled to open in 2032, around 16 years behind the initial plan. According to Reuters, it is expected to cost a whopping 8.5 billion euros (approx. £7.5 billion), which is 2.5 billion euros above budget.

The 34-mile tunnel is set to dramatically cut journey times between the two countries. Trains will be able to travel between Fortezza, northern Italy, and the Austrian city of Innsbruck in less than 25 minutes, compared to the 80 minutes it currently takes.

The Brenner Pass forms the border between the two regions and is one of Europe's busiest mountain crossings for freight transport. More than 2.5 million trucks, 14 million vehicles, and 50 million tons of goods cross the Alpine pass annually.

The new tunnel aims to reverse the balance between road and rail freight traffic and increase movement via rail. Currently, around 70% of trans-Alpine freight traffic through the Brenner travels by road, which, alongside leisure traffic, has resulted in congestion becoming a persistent problem in the area.

However, the anticipated impact of the new connection could be obstructed by Germany. This is because Germany accounts for a significant amount of road traffic that passes through the Alps, but has not finalised essential northern routes that will link to the Brenner tunnel.