The four-track expansion of the Lower Inn Valley line in Tyrol, between Radfeld and Schaftenau, will be completed later than originally planned. According to Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the completion date has been pushed back from 2037 to 2039. An ÖBB spokesperson told the Austrian news agency APA that the delay is due to austerity measures implemented by the Austrian federal government. At the same time, adjustments are being made “to reflect the project progress in Germany”—where the northern access route remains unresolved.
The delay affects a crucial section of the so-called Brenner Corridor, which is designed to connect the Brenner Base Tunnel with the German rail network. Without a continuous four-track expansion, the tunnel’s full potential cannot be realised, ÖBB spokesperson Christoph Gasser-Mair told ORF Tirol.
Tyrol’s Transport Minister, René Zumtobel, also described the decision as a “very painful” one in comments to APA. The postponement will not only delay cross-border freight traffic, but also hinder planned improvements in regional public transport. Without progress on the German side, “a bottleneck on the rail network north of Kufstein is inevitable,” said Zumtobel.
Meanwhile, Germany continues to grapple with fundamental planning issues. The Bundestag has yet to decide on the route for the Bavarian feeder line—known as the northern approach. Although Deutsche Bahn has presented a preferred option (the “Purple” route), political disagreements and calls for alternative solutions have stalled the process. Additionally, new elections to the Bundestag have further delayed decision-making.
Source: DB Netz AG – Projekt Brenner-Nordzulauf
In January 2025, the German government announced that the Bundestag would address the Brenner North Access railway project later that year. However, as of that time, no concrete decisions had been made regarding the route or timeline on the German side.
Despite the setbacks, the Brenner Base Tunnel itself is still scheduled to open in 2032. The mega-project, approved in 2004, aims to cut passenger train journey times from Munich to Verona from around five hours to three.
