EuroAirport – BSL/LFSB – refurbishment of runway 15/33

Refurbishment of Runway 15/33: The Megaproject 2026 at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg

In spring 2026, EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg underwent one of its most critical infrastructural upgrades in decades: the comprehensive refurbishment of its main runway 15/33 and Taxiway Bravo. Handling around 97% of the airport’s total traffic, the 3,900-meter-long main runway required a temporary full closure to ensure maximum operational safety for the future.

Several construction workers in safety gear stand on the EuroAirport’s main runway under refurbishment, surrounded by traffic cones and yellow vehicles, with hills visible in the background.

Built to Last: The Power of Concrete

While many airport surfaces rely on asphalt, the central 1,500-meter section of Runway 15/33 was deliberately reconstructed using high-grade concrete. Renowned for its extreme durability, concrete is uniquely equipped to withstand the immense stress and heavy loads of landing commercial aircraft. Thanks to exceptionally favorable weather conditions during the initial weeks of construction, the crews were able to process and lay the concrete with maximum efficiency. This state-of-the-art surface is designed to ensure smooth and safe flight operations for the next 30 years.

A worker and a lorry perform grooving as part of the main runway refurbishment at EuroAirport on a clear day, with an aircraft and airport buildings visible in the background.

Ahead of Schedule: Back in the Air

The project was on a massive scale and required a concerted effort – at peak times, up to 1,000 workers and several hundred vehicles were working in shifts. Thanks to the seamless execution and excellent progress of the construction teams, the project achieved a major milestone: both the main runway 15/33 and the freshly renovated Taxiway Bravo (spanning 2,100 meters) were completed ahead of schedule. Regular flight operations resumed on May 16, 2026 – a full five days earlier than originally planned.

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A wide, empty airport runway at EuroAirport stretches into the distance under a partly cloudy sky, with traffic cones and a few vehicles visible—signs of the main runway 15/33 refurbishment. Green fields and low hills are seen in the background.

A wide, freshly concreted runway, with tyre tracks and a round metal cover for the runway lighting in the foreground, highlights the refurbishment of the main runway 15/33 at EuroAirport. Under a clear blue sky, orange traffic cones line both sides.

Construction workers and vehicles operate on the wide, unfinished concrete runway during the refurbishment of the main runway at EuroAirport, with orange traffic cones and heavy machinery visible under a clear sky.

A wide view of EuroAirport's main runway 15/33 refurbishment under a partly cloudy sky, with construction vehicles, a car, and orange traffic cones visible. The airport terminal and control tower are in the background.

EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg terminal building viewed from the runway, with traffic cones and barriers in the foreground under a clear blue sky during main runway 15/33 refurbishment.

The empty runway 15/33 at EuroAirport, with orange traffic cones positioned in the middle, flanked by grass and trees beneath a blue sky. Grooves in the concrete indicate that renovation work has been carried out.

The empty runway 15/33 at EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, with orange traffic cones positioned in the middle, flanked by grass and trees beneath a blue sky. Grooves in the concrete indicate that renovation work has been carried out.

Construction equipment and workers are resurfacing EuroAirport's main runway 15/33 on a clear day. Orange safety cones and a temporary fence separate the work area from the rest of the taxiway Bravo, with trees lining the background.

Three workers in safety vests stand on the threshold of EuroAirport's main runway 15/33, with traffic cones nearby and a yellow vehicle to the right. Green trees and a clear blue sky form the backdrop.

A yellow raised lighted yellow cross is parked on the temporarily closed runway 15/33 at EuroAirport during renovation work, surrounded by orange traffic cones. The sky is blue with a few clouds; hills can be seen in the background, and several workers are visible near the temporarily closed runway.

The long main runway 15/33 at EuroAirport, which is currently undergoing renovation, is lined with orange traffic cones on both sides. In the background, under a cloudy sky, distant vehicles and hills can be seen; to the right of these are speed limit signs and road signs.