Train travelers who want to go to Italy via the Brenner Pass or return from there will have to change trains in the coming weeks. Because from this weekend on, the important railway line over the pass will be closed for about two and a half weeks – in the middle of the main travel season. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg the summer holidays have only just begun, in all other federal states with the exception of North Rhine-Westphalia (they end this weekend) the holidays are still going on. According to the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the route between Innsbruck and Brenner station will be completely closed in both directions from Sunday, August 6, 10 p.m. to Wednesday, August 23, 5 a.m. Passengers to and from Italy will have to transfer to replacement buses.
The ÖBB cited extensive renovation work in several railway tunnels along the route as the reason for the complete closure. Due to the limited space, access to the construction sites is usually only possible via the railway tracks; a complete closure is therefore inevitable. Also, in order not to endanger the workers in the tunnels, all train journeys are stopped. This applies not only to passenger traffic, but also to freight traffic.
For train passengers, this means that they have to switch to replacement buses during the closure. The buses stop at the main station in Innsbruck, in Matrei, Steinach, Stafflach, St. Jodok, Gries and at the border station at the top of the Brenner Pass. Deviations from the timetable and delays are to be expected depending on the traffic situation; In addition, the travel times of the buses differ from the usual travel times of the trains. The Austrian train operator has published alternative timetables on its website. According to ÖBB, the replacement service should be organized in such a way that every passenger can find a seat on the bus.
But that’s not all: If you want to continue by train beyond Bolzano in the direction of Trento, you have to be prepared for another full closure – but this will be shorter. Also from Sunday, August 6th to Friday, August 11th, according to ÖBB, the route between Bolzano and Trento will be interrupted in addition to the Brenner closure. Construction work is also taking place here and travelers can use a rail replacement service. For the duration of the closure between Bolzano and Trento, direct bus connections between Innsbruck and Trento will also be offered.
The railway line over the Brenner Pass, opened in 1867, is one of the most important routes for rail traffic between northern and southern Europe. Everyone who travels by train from Munich to Venice, Bologna or Rimini passes the route. According to ÖBB, around 70 local trains and ten long-distance connections are affected by the blocking every day. There are also numerous freight trains. The route over the pass also plays an important role in European rail freight transport.
The closure of the railway line could therefore also have an impact on road traffic. That’s how she calculates Tyrolean Citizens’ Initiative Transit Forum with the fact that car and truck traffic on the already busy Brenner autobahn could increase further during the full closure. Companies that currently have their goods transported by train via the Brenner Pass could – at least for the time of the closure – load their goods onto trucks. That would result in even more trucks on the busy highway. The Transit Forum is therefore calling for the metering of truck traffic on the Brenner route, which is practiced from time to time in Tyrol, to be intensified during the construction work. However, the opposite is currently planned.
According to ÖBB, bicycles can only be taken on the replacement buses to a limited extent: In local transport, bicycles can only be taken on specially designed bicycle transporters – and only at the train stations in Innsbruck, Steinach am Brenner and Brennero/Brenner. “Bikes cannot be taken on long-distance buses,” explains ÖBB.
Especially important for passengers in regional transport: A ticket cannot be bought in all replacement buses; Tickets should therefore be bought in advance online or at the counter in the train stations.