Germany is planning to construct a railway tunnel through Rudna Gora in order to improve connections with the Czech Republic and alleviate traffic congestion in the Elbe valley. The tunnel will run for about thirty kilometers from Heidenau, Germany, to Ústí on the Elbe in the Czech Republic. According to Deutsche Bahn, the state railway company, this solution is economically, environmentally, and technically sound after considering other options.

The project holds priority status for European infrastructure due to the high burden on railway lines in the Elbe valley and the threat of floods. Once completed, the railway tunnel will significantly reduce travel time from Prague to Dresden from 2.5 hours to just one hour. It will also improve Germany’s traffic connections with Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest. Moreover, it will be part of a wider European railway corridor stretching from German ports on the North Sea and Baltic Sea to Istanbul and Athens.

Furthermore, construction of this tunnel will increase freight capacity on a key link between Germany and other Central European countries. Martin Walden, director of Deutsche Bahn in Saxony where the tunnel will be built, said that construction is scheduled to begin around 2032 and last for approximately 12 years. This project promises significant benefits for both passengers and freight transport in Europe’s busy rail network.