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Dresden (dpa) - Deutsche Bahn wants to complete the preliminary planning for the Erzgebirge tunnel on the new Dresden-Prague line by 2025.
Then it should be clear which of the two possible tunnel variants should be given preference, said Kay Müller, project manager at DB Netz AG on Tuesday.
The tunnel is being planned together with the Czech railway infrastructure company SZ.
A German-Czech state treaty is to seal the project in 2025.
There are two variants to choose from for the tunnel: a so-called full tunnel from Heidenau to the Czech Republic, 30 kilometers in length, and a 26-kilometer partial tunnel that only leads from Pirna through the Eastern Ore Mountains. Both variants would be examined equally, emphasized Müller. Drilling is currently underway in the Ore Mountains to explore the geology. In addition, environmental impacts are examined. At the moment he could not give any information about the costs of the two variants, said Müller.
In the Czech Republic, the new line is to be integrated into the emerging high-speed network.
There are two further sections from Usti nad Labem (Aussig) to Litomerice (Leitmeritz) and from there on to Prague in the planning stage.
The travel time in passenger traffic between Prague and Dresden is to be reduced from the current two and a half hours to just under an hour.
Depending on the section of the route, the trains should travel at maximum speeds of between 200 and 320 kilometers per hour.
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It is not yet possible to say when construction of the Erzgebirge Tunnel will begin.
Accordingly, it is still completely open when the completely new line will go into operation.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210504-99-462006 / 2