ABSTRACT
The 64 km long Brenner Base Tunnel is the heart of the SCAN-MED Trans-European Corridor. The actual planning has been underway since 2005, whereas construction began in 2007. The paper is a general overview of the cross-border project optimizations carried out so far and also developed in cooperation with the Austrian (ÖBB) and Italian state railway companies (RFI). The main focus of the project optimizations is the simplification of the tunnel system and the railway equipment and outfitting and a reduction of future maintenance costs, considering the general and project-specific framework conditions which have changed due to the lengthy project development. The Brenner Base Tunnel system, its construction and its railway equipment and outfitting have a significant impact on future maintenance requirements, which in their turn impact operations and availability.
