Disruption and rerouting on the Munich-Salzburg train route - Aid's compatibility with the internal market remains undecided by the Commission.
The summer holidays are set to bring major disruptions to train travel between Munich and Austria, as well as to various destinations in Italy, due to construction and engineering works on the Munich-Salzburg railway line. The works, carried out by Deutsche Bahn, will take place from August 1st to 18th.
During this period, some sections of trains to and from Klagenfurt may still be canceled, and train travelers from Munich to Austria should expect restrictions. Trains to and from Klagenfurt will be canceled on some sections, and for local passengers in Kufstein, a replacement bus service may be set up in certain sections.
From August 2 to August 10, 2025, due to tunnel construction works, trains between Munich and Stuttgart will be rerouted via Passau instead of the normal route through Wels. During this period, trains will not stop at key stations including Attnang-Puchheim, Vöcklabruck, Salzburg, Rosenheim, or Munich East.
From August 2 to August 17, 2025, rail services between Salzburg and Tyrol will be suspended, affecting the Munich–Salzburg line segment continuing toward Tyrol.
Long-distance services affected include the Vienna – Salzburg – Innsbruck, Vienna – Salzburg – Bregenz, Innsbruck – Salzburg – Vienna, Bregenz – Innsbruck – Salzburg – Vienna, and services from Munich and Vienna towards Italy (Florence, Rome, La Spezia).
For those traveling via replacement buses by WESTbahn, which run free between Salzburg and Tyrol during the August 2–17 rail suspension period, all rail tickets for this segment automatically include reservation on these buses. For trains rerouted via Passau from Munich to Stuttgart and vice versa, WESTbahn advises checking specific diversion information.
Due to no replacement buses on the Innsbruck–Brenner closure (August 11-18), passengers are advised to consider alternate routes, such as via Tauern or Gotthard lines, or use Flixbus services.
Significant interruptions and cancellations will notably affect direct Salzburg-to-Munich trains and Salzburg–Tyrol connections, which form key segments on routes from Munich to Vienna and on to Klagenfurt. The suspension and rerouting will cause extended travel times, cancellation of certain direct trains, and increased reliance on bus replacements especially for Salzburg-Tyrol routes.
Routes toward Venice and Bologna passing through Innsbruck and Brenner will face full closures mid-August with limited rerouting and no rail replacement bus options, making travel more complicated and seat reservations highly recommended.
The construction work on the Munich-Salzburg railway line is intended to ensure a more stable train service in the long term. A comprehensive general renovation of the Munich-Rosenheim and Rosenheim-Salzburg lines is planned to begin in 2027.
Train travelers should continue to check current timetables and alternatives before their journey. From August 11th, most trains between Munich and Venice or Bologna will also be canceled.
- In light of the extended vacation disruptions to train travel, the community policy should encourage vocational training in the field of public-transit management to mitigate future inconveniences.
- For individuals affected by train cancellations during the engineering works, financial aid may be provided as part of the vocational training programs to help them upskill in the automotive or transportation industry.
- In order to maintain seamless transportation services during major construction periods, it would be beneficial to implement vocational training initiatives focused on alternate transit modes like bus or replacement services, particularly for routes like Munich-Salzburg and Salzburg-Tyrol.
