• The Brenner Base Tunnel, connecting Austria and Italy, reached a major milestone with the connection of its two main tunnel bores, aiming to reduce travel times between Munich and Verona by about two hours.
• Once completed in 2032, the tunnel is expected to improve rail travel between Tyrol and Alto Adige, as well as Northern and Southern Europe, while also reducing traffic along the Alpine route by shifting freight transport onto railways.
• The breakthrough in construction, celebrated by workers from both sides meeting inside the main tunnels beneath the Brenner Pass, is seen as a significant step towards a more connected Europe and improved mobility for people in the region.

The two main tunnel bores of the Brenner Base Tunnel were connected at the Austrian-Italian border on Tuesday, marking a major milestone in one of Europe's largest rail infrastructure projects.

The Brenner Base Tunnel, together with new connecting rail lines in Germany, Austria and Italy, is intended to replace the more than 150-year-old winding rail route across the Alps.

Once completed, it will be good news for travellers and tourists, say the project planners.

It should cut travel times between the Germany's Munich and Italy's Verona by about two hours, reducing the journey to around three and a half hours.

That will better link Tyrol and Alto Adige, and more broadly, Northern and Southern Europe, says operator BBT.

It will also ease the roads in the region by shifting freight transport onto the railways, significantly reducing traffic along the Alpine route.

"Cities such as Innsbruck, Bolzano and Verona will be brought closer together, making rail travel more attractive than car journeys or short-haul flights," says BBT.

On Wednesday, workers from both sides met for the first time inside the main tunnels about 1,400 metres beneath the Brenner Pass.

The breakthrough means excavation of the railway tunnel's entire 230-kilometre underground network has now been completed, according to the South Tyrol authorities.

"It is a milestone for a united Europe on rails and for people's mobility," says Daniel Alfreider, South Tyrol's provincial councillor for infrastructure and mobility.

The breakthrough joins what had previously been two separate construction sites.

Construction of the tunnel began in 2015. Under current plans, it is due to enter service in 2032.

The area is popular among tourists, with many flocking to Tyrol in winter and summer alike.

They are drawn by the region's Alpine villages, towering mountains and age-old traditions.

Skiers and snowboarders head there in the colder months, while when it is warmer, travellers can explore the local hiking trails, festivals and gastronomic treats such as bacon dumplings, apple strudel or local noodles.