A German railway tunnel is going to be constructed according to the preferred variant of the conceptual phase. In order to select the ideal tunnelling method, twelve options of tunnel construction were compared. These options differ in the applied tunnelling method, which is either the New Austrian tunnelling method or the excavation by using a tunnel boring machine. The variants include single-lined or double-lined tunnels as well as watertight or drained options. Geological, hydrogeological and feasibility aspects are considered to allocate the risk associated with a certain option. The amount of tunnel excavation, the required area of the construction site and the expected traffic on site of each option are evaluated to assess the environmental impact. Depending on the different options analysed, the project costs and the tunnel construction period were estimated. All aspects are summarized and compared in an evaluation matrix to determine the preferred option. The aim of this study is to choose the best option before continuing with further and more detailed project phases.