Following an initiative by the Austrian transportation ministry in 2006,[3] Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Italy signed a Letter of Intent to expand the TEN-T railway project 23, in order to form the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor. The goals of the initiative were to eliminate bottlenecks, create intermodal linking of traffic flows and connect with other European main corridors, eliminate structural and geographical disadvantages for under-served areas (such as the southern Austrian states of Styria and Carinthia), increase the competitiveness of rail with roadway (truck) transport and to realize the market development potentials of passenger traffic along the corridor.
14 European countries signed a declaration calling for implementation of the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor between Gdańsk and Bologna in 2009. Work began in late 2008 on the first phase of the Austrian Koralm Railway between Graz and Klagenfurt, including the 33 km (21 mi) long Koralm Tunnel, the largest infrastructure element of the line. It is expected to be operational by 2025. In 2012 construction of the Semmering Base Tunnel started, expected to open in 2030, bypassing the gradients of the Semmering Pass.
By resolution of 19 October 2011, the Baltic Adriatic Corridor was linked with the TEN-T Rail Baltica project from Warsaw via Kaunas, Riga and Tallinn to Helsinki (including the proposed Helsinki to Tallinn Tunnel). In a discussion with Member of the European Parliament Debora Serrachiani on 24 April 2012, the Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Corrado Passera reaffirmed the Italian government's commitment to extend the Baltic–Adriatic Corridor as far as Ancona, 325 km (202 mi) south of Venice.[4]
