Felbertauerntunnel

The Felbertauern Tunnel is a 5.3-kilometre passage through the Austrian Alps. It links East Tyrol in Tyrol with Pinzgau in Salzburg. The tunnel has a single tube, unlike most Austrian tunnels. About four thousand vehicles use it each day, with seven per cent being trucks. Bicycles cannot enter the tunnel but a transport service is available. The pass has served travellers for thousands of years. Celts, Romans and Carolingians crossed here in ancient times. Goods moved over the Felbertauern in the Middle Ages, carried by horses and mules. The Lords of Felben once controlled the route from their tower at Mittersill. In the 19th century the tunnel’s importance faded after Salzburg’s court was joined to Tyrol. The modern tunnel opened in 1967 after five years of building. It replaced an old mountain road and included 36 kilometres of new route. Avalanche defences cost millions of euros to construct. The tunnel is owned by Felbertauernstraßen-AG, with Austria holding the majority share.