No long-distance rail service over the Brenner: Trains rerouted for two weeks

For those travelling directly between the provincial capitals of Innsbruck and Bolzano, a replacement bus service has been set up. Between the two cities, "28 Busse im Zweistundentakt" are operating, as the railway explained. This means passengers have at least one bus connection every two hours during the closure.

Replacement service with buses

The Austrian Federal Railways are using the "Wartungsfenster" themselves for "dringend erforderliche Bautätigkeiten", as it was stated. Specifically, frost damage in the Mühltal tunnel is to be repaired, among other things. In this way, ÖBB aims to make use of the existing closure for additional maintenance work.

In an initial construction phase starting Saturday, "aufgrund der italienischen Baustellen die Einfahrt in den Bahnhof Brenner nicht möglich. Daher fahren alle Nahverkehrszüge nur bis bzw. ab Gries am Brenner." A replacement bus service is operating between Steinach and Brenner.

Construction work on the Italian side

In phase two, which runs from 23 July to 1 August, "schließlich auch der Abschnitt von Innsbruck bis zum Brennerpass für Bauarbeiten gesperrt werden". During this phase, the replacement bus service runs between Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof and Brenner station.

According to police, the rerouting has so far proceeded without major problems on the roads. "Auch auf den Straßenverbindungen wurden laut Polizei keine Probleme durch Ausweichverkehr verzeichnet." ÖBB also expressed satisfaction with the start of the replacement concept: "Laut ÖBB wurde er am Samstag gut angenommen, es habe keine Probleme gegeben."

No major problems so far

The closure lasts a total of two weeks and ends on 1 August. Until then, travellers must expect longer journey times between Austria and Italy, whether via the rerouting through Tauern and Tarvisio or on the buses shuttling every two hours between Innsbruck and Bolzano.