Second S-Bahn Core Route Munich: Sustainability aspects and main underground challenges during the upgrade works of the commuter rail connection through the heart of the Bavarian capital.-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The Munich S-Bahn Core Route project will add a second underground commuter rail connection through the city centre, expanding capacity in response to population growth and rising public-transport demand. New stations are planned at major passenger hubs, including the Main Station and Marienhof. Because the city’s underground is already crowded with rail lines and utilities, the route and stations must be built about 35–40 metres below ground.<br /><br />Construction faces complex geological and groundwater conditions. The ground includes gravel, sands, clays and silts, with multiple aquifers; quartz-bearing soils may cause significant wear on tunnel-boring equipment. Groundwater management is a major challenge, requiring around 350–400 wells, some drilled to depths of 80 metres. Tunnels must also pass close beneath existing railways, underground lines and buildings, with monitoring and construction controls needed to limit movement and avoid disruption to transit services.<br /><br />Major works include a western portal, deep station structures and extensive diaphragm-wall construction. At the time of the 2022 presentation, excavation and ground-improvement works were underway, as was construction at Marienhof. Upcoming activities included further excavation, tunnel works, groundwater-system testing and installation of monitoring equipment.<br /><br />The project’s sustainability measures include transporting all tunnel spoil and more than 60% of excavated material from the portal and future Main Station site by rail, using a dedicated conveyor system to load trains, and delivering tunnel segments by train. On-site concrete batching plants are intended to reduce truck movements in the city. Once operational, the expanded public-transport network is expected to reduce car travel by about 300 million kilometres and cut annual CO₂ emissions by approximately 64,000 tonnes, alongside reductions in other pollutants.

Keywords

Munich S-Bahn Core Route

underground commuter rail

city centre expansion

Main Station

Marienhof

tunnel construction

groundwater management

diaphragm walls

sustainability measures

CO2 emissions reduction