Innsbruck/Rosenheim – It was a very cautious move by the Tyrolean State Transport Council René Zumtobel (SPÖ): On Bavarian territory, a diversion of the planned northern Brenner feeder would offer “great potential”, he said at a recent conference. The intention was to improve the planned new railway line, which would run around Rosenheim to accommodate the additional freight traffic expected in the future after the Brenner Base Tunnel is completed.
Brenner Base Tunnel: this is how Bavarian Transport Minister Bernreiter reacts to the advance from Tyrol
If the relationship between Bavaria and Tyrol were not so tense due to the dispute over cross-border road traffic that has been going on for years, says Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) may not have reacted as harshly as now: “Tyrol’s plans are not in the interests of Bavaria,” he told his Tyrolean colleague.
Rail traffic from Innsbruck to Munich: will there be an alternative route for freight traffic?
Even if it is only a “future idea”, it would cause even more unrest in the planning of Deutsche Bahn and the federal government. “This is absolutely unnecessary.”
© Uwe Lein/dpa
by Uwe Lein/dpa
“}”>
This is what it is about: After long debates and against resistance from the local population, another route for freight traffic is to be built in addition to the 150-year-old railway line from Innsbruck to Munich via Rosenheim.
Reason: According to experts, the existing railway line is not suitable for the additional traffic expected after the Brenner Base Tunnel is completed, but this is controversial. It should be in 2025 Bundestag decide on the “Brenner North Inlet”. Completion is not expected before 2040. However, the Brenner Tunnel is expected to open in 2032.
Suggestion from Tyrol: this will get you from Innsbruck to Vienna much faster
Train passengers from the Tyrolean capital Innsbruck to the Austrian capital Vienna currently travel at least four hours and 15 minutes on the approximately 450 kilometer long route. A look at the map shows: it would be half an hour faster if the Innsbruck-Munich route had a branch near Rosenheim towards Salzburg and on to Vienna. This of course did not go unnoticed by the former director of the Austrian Federal Railroad (ÖBB), Zumtobel.
Austrian mind games about rail transport upset Bernreiter
When Austrian television reported on the deliberations, alarm bells started ringing in the neighboring Rosenheim district. Another railway line in favor of the Austrians, that was clearly too much. Zumtobel rowed back.
© Eibner Europe/imago
by Eibner Europe/imago
“}”>
He has no interest in immediately including this connection in the planning. The purpose of the northern access to the Brenner is not to shorten travel times for passengers between Innsbruck and Vienna, Bernreiter replied sharply. Sepp Lausch, Member of Parliament for Rosenheim (Free voters) believes in nothing less than a conspiracy of the railways of Germany and Austria. A four-track “overtaking station” planned by the railway in the east of Rosenheim arouses his suspicions.
© Pond5 Images/image
by Pond5 Pictures/image
“}”>
Lausch suspects that the branch of a “pure high-speed line to Salzburg” is being prepared here: “Now the very generous planning is being explained.” According to him, the ÖBB would like to use German taxpayers’ money to push through an ICE railway line through the Bavarian Inn Valley in any way possible.