The Naples-Bari high-speed/high-capacity railway line project in Southern Italy has reached a milestone with the completion of the Grottaminarda tunnel excavation.  

The tunnel spans 2km and is part of the Apice-Hirpinia lot, which is being developed by Webuild for Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, a company within the FS Italiane Group. 

The Grottaminarda tunnel is the first of three planned tunnels on the Apice-Hirpinia lot, situated between the provinces of Avellino and Benevento.  

This section involves constructing more than 18km of railway line, with approximately 13km underground.  

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) Aurora, responsible for completing the Grottaminarda tunnel, will next be transferred across the Ufita river to commence work on the 4.4km-long Melito tunnel in the coming year. 

Additionally, excavation has begun on the third tunnel of the section, the 6.4km-long Rocchetta tunnel, with TBM Futura commencing operations last July.  

The Naples-Bari railway line, measuring a total of 145km, is part of the TEN-T Trans-European Transport Network's Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor.  

The completion of the entire Naples-Bari line, expected by 2028, aims to reduce travel time between Naples and Bari to two hours.  

Webuild Group is constructing four lots along the route, including the Naples-Cancello, Apice-Hirpinia, Hirpinia-Orsara, and Orsara-Bovino sections.  

In May this year, Webuild introduced a sustainable excavation method at the Naples-Bari new railway line construction site. 

The hyperbaric excavation method uses compressed air to keep water out, safeguarding the aquifer from contamination by cement and chemicals. 

The Naples-Bari railway line is one of 19 projects Webuild is currently undertaking in Southern Italy.