By rosebell
Construction of the new twin-track Cornberg rail tunnel in Germany has reached a major milestone, with excavation advancing from the eastern portal to the western portal. The new railway tunnel is being built immediately south of the historic Cornberg Tunnel as part of the upgrade of the Frankfurt–Göttingen railway corridor.
The tunnel is being constructed by ARGE Neubau Cornberger Tunnel, comprising BeMo Tunnelling, Subterra, Josef Rädlinger and Stutz. BeMo Tunnelling and Subterra are responsible for the tunnel and specialist foundation works, while Rädlinger and Stutz are carrying out earthworks and associated civil and railway works.
DB InfraGO awarded the main VE01 construction package to BeMo Tunnelling in October 2024. The contract covers the mined railway tunnel, two portal structures, approach cuttings, access roads, a rescue area and firefighting water system, as well as cable infrastructure and foundations for signalling and overhead line equipment.
Cornberg Tunnel Excavation
Excavation of the new tunnel began from the eastern portal in April using a combination of mechanical excavation with a specialist tunnel excavator and drill-and-blast techniques. With the heading now reaching the western portal, work will continue with excavation of the bench and invert.
The tunnel is being supported with steel arches, rock bolts and reinforced shotcrete. A waterproofing membrane will subsequently be installed before construction of the watertight inner concrete lining.
Structural works are scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. Track installation, signalling, overhead electrification and railway safety systems are expected to follow during 2028.
Replacement for Historic Cornberg Tunnel
The new tunnel is being constructed to replace the existing Cornberg Tunnel, which opened in 1875 and has reached the end of its service life. Extensive structural deterioration has led DB InfraGO to determine that refurbishment of the historic tunnel would be uneconomic.
Around 4km of railway track and switches around the tunnel and Cornberg station will also be rebuilt to connect the new alignment with the existing Frankfurt–Göttingen railway. The works include modifications around the tunnel portals and station area.
Passenger and freight trains are scheduled to begin operating through the new Cornberg rail tunnel by the end of 2028.
Existing Cornberg Tunnel to be Preserved
The listed historic tunnel will remain in place after the new railway tunnel enters service. DB will remove the existing track, overhead line and railway equipment before filling the structure with excavated material from the new tunnel.
The historic portals will be retained, preserving the visible heritage elements of the 19th-century railway structure.
Wider Railway Infrastructure Works
The wider Cornberg railway project includes replacement of railway bridges at Cornberg and Bebra-Rautenhausen. At Cornberg, the new bridge over the district road will be widened to accommodate three railway tracks.
DB InfraGO is also using construction of the Cornberg Tunnel as a BIM pilot project. Model-based construction scheduling, progress monitoring and elements of model-based measurement are being tested during the project to support digital construction management.
