From the point of view of local politicians, the news for residents on the planned new railway line near Rosenheim in the direction of the Brenner Pass is not all that good: Crossing under the Inn north of Rosenheim, which they want, is possible, but highly complex and expensive. Deutsche Bahn announced on Tuesday that the section would incur additional costs of around three billion euros. “Despite the high costs and risks, the technical feasibility cannot be ruled out,” explained Deutsche Bahn. As part of the parliamentary process, the region now has the opportunity to introduce the Inn crossing as a core demand in the Bundestag.
Because the terrain rises, one challenge lies in making the route reappear after crossing the river. Crossing bodies of water, protected areas and natural gas storage facilities should also be taken into account. The construction time for the route would be extended by two to three years beyond 2038. The year 2040 had been in the air for a possible completion for some time.
“What is possible in Tyrol must also be possible here”
The Rosenheim District Administrator Otto Lederer (CSU) said he was “very disappointed” with the results of the investigation. Cost alone shouldn’t be the deciding factor. He sees no scope for a compatible, above-ground new route. Numerous citizens, sensitive natural areas and agricultural livelihoods would be massively affected. The railway must improve and optimize the crossing so that it is technically and financially feasible. He referred to the plans in Tyrol, where the Inn will be crossed three times – twice underground.
“What is possible in Tyrol must also be possible with us,” said Rosenheim CSU member of the Bundestag Daniela Ludwig. “These results are not good news for our region, and they are not acceptable to me in this form either. We stand by it: the northern access to the Brenner Pass must run underground as far as possible.” The protection of people and nature must have top priority. The results of the railway left questions unanswered. “Thorough rework and improvements are called for here.” For example, the additional costs are not understandable based on the statements.
The new tracks are to run in two planned sections from Grafing in the Ebersberg district to the Austrian border and increase capacity for the Brenner Base Tunnel, which is being built in Austria and Italy. The railway has presented preferred routes for both sections and is pushing ahead with the planning. A crossing under the Inn is already planned south of Rosenheim. The Bundestag is expected to decide on the northern access to the Brenner Pass in 2025. Citizens’ initiatives have been fighting against the new building for years. They consider modernization of the existing route to be sufficient. New tracks would bring more traffic and noise to the heavily polluted Inn Valley.