Germany has recently announced plans 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, which will run for about thirty kilometers from Heidenau in Germany to Ústí on the Elbe in the Czech Republic, is considered the best solution for economic, ecological, and technical reasons after considering other options.
The German state railway company Deutsche Bahn explained that the project holds priority status for European infrastructure due to the high burden on the railway lines in the Elbe valley and the threat of floods. This 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. Furthermore, it will be part of a wider European railway corridor stretching from German ports on the North Sea and Baltic to Istanbul and Athens.
According to Martin Walden, director of Deutsche Bahn in Saxony where the tunnel will be built, construction is scheduled to begin around 2032 and last for approximately 12 years. This project will not only improve transportation but also increase freight capacity on a key link between Germany and other Central European countries.