The pipeline is divided into three sections:
- TAL-IG: a 465 km-long line (diameter 40”) that connects the Tank Farm in San Dorligo della Valle with the Tank Farm in Lenting, and supplies six refineries (two belonging to OMV, one to Schwechat near Vienna and the other in Burghausen, Bavaria, the Czech refineries of Kralupy and Litvinov, through the MERO system in Vohburg, Bayernoil refinery in Vohburg and Gunvor refinery in Ingolstadt);
- TAL-NE: a 22 km-long line (diameter 26”) that connects the Lenting Tank Farm in Bavaria with the Bayernoil refinery in Neustadt;
- TAL-OR: a 266 km-long line (diameter 26\”) that connects the Lenting Tank Farm with MiRO refinery in Karlsruhe (Baden-Württemberg).
The Transalpine Pipeline runs almost always underground: it goes through towns and cities, farm lands, many rivers and lakes and across the Alps mountain range where it reaches its highest point at 1,572 metres above sea level.
The pipeline runs for 145 km inside the Italian territory (within the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region). Starting from San Dorligo della Valle, it goes around Trieste and continues along the Karst plateau, parallel to the border with Slovenia before reaching Gorizia. It passes east of Monfalcone and is carried on pillars across the River Isonzo and then continues northwards near Manzano, Remanzacco and Tricesimo, in the Province of Udine. Near Osoppo it crosses the River Tagliamento heading towards Cavazzo Lake and then re-crosses the river another time.
It passes Tolmezzo before running along the valley of the River But, west of Paluzza and Timau, where it goes through a 7 km-long tunnel under Monte Croce Carnico to cross the border with Austria. Within Austria, it goes through the Gail valley and the Gailbergsattel and then continues along the Drau valley near Lienz and the Isel valley and through the Tauern tunnel before arriving at the Felbertauern tunnel where it reaches the maximum altitude of 1,572 metres.
After crossing the Salzach Valley in Mittersill, the pipeline then continues across the Thurn Pass to the south-west of Kitzbühel and through the Hahnenkamm Tunnel before reaching Going and descending to the German border at Kufstein/Kiefersfelden.
Once in Bavaria the pipeline descends the Inn Valley and then continues to the west of Rosenheim and Wasserburg before heading north to the refineries in Vohburg and Ingolstadt and into the Lentig Tank Farm. The entire pipeline route is signposted with a series of markers holding special signs that show the progressive mileage and the contact number of the Control Room.
