Tauern tunnel renovation: night trains to Italy deleted from November

Tauern tunnel renovation: night trains to Italy deleted from November

If you are planning to travel to Italy from Munich, you have to prepare for considerable restrictions. The reason for this is the upcoming renovation of an important tunnel in Austria that will have far -reaching effects on train traffic.

In the Alps between Austria and Italy, the Tauern tunnel is located, which is a central connection for night trains. From November 18, 2024 to July 13, 2025, this tunnel is closed due to extensive renovation work, which leads to the abolition of the popular night jets. These trains, which many vacationers bring from Munich to destinations such as Venice, Rome or the Cinque Terre, cannot run during this time.

Details for tunnel renovation

The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), which are responsible for the implementation of this work, have urgently needed the Tauern tunnel, which was opened in 1909, urgently needed modernization. The last major work took place in 2004. In order to increase the safety and performance of the tunnel, the vault is renovated and the overhead line and the signaling technology are updated.

A spokesman for ÖBB, Robert Mosser, emphasized that the goal was to minimize the effects of construction work on travelers. A bus shuttle is set up for commuters in the flight area, so that they can still manage their daily paths. At the same time, Mosser said that a second construction phase in 2027 should include the modernization of the Rothenthurn station and the viaducts in the Gastein Valley.

Another important point is that the overhead line and the road are fundamentally renewed. These measures are necessary to manage the seepage water and ensure safety in the tunnel. In addition, communication technology in the tunnel is also improved to enable more efficient control of train traffic.

timetables and replacement offers

The effects on travel traffic are enormous. The Nightjets from Munich to Rome, Venice and La Spezia will not be able to run throughout the entire railway interruption. The railjets that are offered from Munich to Klagenfurt are also affected, with a replacement of rails between Bischofshofen and Spittal on the Drau until the renovation.

For cyclists who use the Alpe-Adria cycle path, there are also alternatives. A wheel shuttle will be set up from April 11, 2025 to ensure the transport of bicycles. These buses will run between Salzburg and Carinthia several times a day.

With regard to car traffic, which will also suffer significantly from the construction work, there are no alternative offers so far. The blocking of the Tauern lock means that drivers have to switch to the Tauern motorway, which is also overloaded by running construction sites.

But not all connections are canceled. The long-distance trains to the winter sports locations in the Gastein Valley will continue to be approached directly from Germany until the beginning of March, and the Euronight Doctugment from Stuttgart to Zagreb will be diverted via Graz, which also leads to changes in the timetable.

In order to give a foretaste of the upcoming difficulties, the train traffic from Munich is already falling during the autumn holidays, from October 25 to November 4, 2024, since the Deutsche Bahn also carries out renovation work on a different section.

The construction work in the Tauern tunnel is of considerable importance for north-south-facing rail traffic between Germany and Italy. Travelers can adapt to extensive changes and restrictions in the course of the coming year, while the ÖBB is also working on improving the existing system. More information on this topic can be found in a current report www.merkur.de .