Webuild: excavation completed on Caterina, first tunnel on Salerno–Reggio Calabria High-Speed Railway

With excavation complete, TBM “Mireille” to start on Sicignano Tunnel; other works on site proceed with TBMs “Partenope,” “Leucosia,” and “Ligea” forging ahead 

After working on Grand Paris Express, “Mireille” with cutterhead over 10 metres in diametre is first TBM to be refurbished by Webuild

On Lot 1A, over 1,400 people at work, with more than 500 suppliers involved; part of a strategic project to connect southern Italy with northern Italy and Europe

MILAN, April 10, 2026 – The excavation of the Caterina Tunnel has been completed, the first on Lot 1A of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria High-Speed/High-Capacity Railway, a strategic project that will connect southern Italy with northern Italy and Europe. The work on Lot 1A is being carried out by a consortium led by Webuild under contract from RFI (FS Italiane Group). 

More than one kilometre long, the tunnel was excavated through challenging geology by "Mireille," an innovative tunnel-boring machine (TBM) weighing 1,200 tons and equipped with a cutterhead over 10 metres in diametre. The machine, powered by 11 engines generating 3,850 kW of power, required over 100 specialised technicians for its operation and maintenance, working round the clock, seven days a week in full compliance with the strictest safety protocols. After doing excavating work on the Grand Paris Express, "Mireille" became the first TBM to be refurbished at a Webuild facility in Umbria, established to give new life to large excavation machines within the principles of the circular economy.

"Mireille" will now undertake a complex 400-metre relocation in the coming months to reach the future entrance to the Sicignano Tunnel, where it will excavate a section more than 2.5 kilometres long to mark another decisive step toward completing the 35-kilometre railway between the cities of Battipaglia and Romagnano in the province of Salerno.

On Lot 1A of the Salerno–Reggio Calabria line, other construction work is proceeding at full speed as the project enters its most challenging operational phase: the excavation of the 450-metre-long Cerreta Tunnel using traditional methods. There is also the construction of the abutments and piers of the future viaducts ahead of the launch of the massive steel decks that will allow the TBMs to move to the next excavation site once their respective tunnels are completed.

 In addition to the "Mireille," three other giant TBMs - "Partenope," "Leucosia," and "Ligea" - are at work on Lot 1A. With cutterheads over 13 metres wide, they are the largest TBMs that Webuild has in operation in Europe. Their names celebrate the myth of the Sirens who inhabited the Gulf of Salerno. These imposing, mechanical Sirens pursue their underground journey without pause, supported by a team of over 300 specialised technicians. “Partenope” is going through the hills of the Sele Valley, excavating the three-kilometre-long Saginara Tunnel between the towns of Campagna and Contursi Terme; “Leucosia” is working on the Serra Lunga Tunnel (over 800 metres) before heading for the Acerra (250 metres) and Petrolla (over 1.2 kilometres) tunnels; while “Ligea” is excavating the Piano Grasso Tunnel (2.2 kilometres) before starting on the Contursi Tunnel (1.5 kilometres).

Lot 1A - which is being developed by the Xenia consortium comprising Webuild as leader and Pizzarotti, Ghella, and Tunnel Pro as partners - falls within the province of Salerno. It includes, among other things, the construction of 20 tunnels (8 of which are to be excavated using the four TBMs) and 19 viaducts. The project employs over 1,400 people, including direct staff and subcontractors. It also involves a supply chain of over 500 companies since work began. The Salerno–Reggio Calabria line will become a strategic axis of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). 

On the Salerno–Reggio Calabria corridor, Webuild has also been awarded the Cosenza–Paola/San Lucido track-widening project, which involves building over 22 kilometres of new track, including the Santomarco Tunnel, the project’s main structure, which will stretch for 15 kilometres. The two lots of the Salerno–Reggio Calabria project are among the 21 projects that Webuild is carrying out in Southern Italy, with a total contract value of over €16 billion, providing employment for 10,200 people, including direct and third-party staff, with 7,500 direct suppliers involved since the start of construction. In total, the Webuild Group will construct approximately 60 kilometres of modern and sustainable track on the Salerno–Reggio Calabria high-speed/high-capacity line.