Abstract: With the rapid development of domestic railway construction, the tunnel construction is facing more and more complicated environments. The Chongqing Railway Terminal crosses busy urban areas in a broad scale. As a key component of the terminal, the Xinhongyan Tunnel, a shallow buried tunnel, features buildings and a dense population above, including quite a few important buildings and precision machinery that required protection. How to control and minimize the effects on environment and residents induced by tunnel construction has become a prominent topic that needs to be addressed urgently. This paper discusses the selection of non-blasting excavation options. Based on the tunnel features, the option with boom-type roadheader was finally determined.