ÖBB is beginning work to increase capacity on the new railway line in the Lower Inn Valley in Tyrol. The company will activate a passing station—which was prepared during the line’s construction—in the Terfener Tunnel, so that freight trains can be passed by passenger trains directly inside the tunnel.
ÖBB, Austria’s federal railway operator, is beginning major modernization work on the new Kundl–Baumkirchen railway line in the Lower Inn Valley, in the state of Tyrol.
The line, which opened in 2012, is the backbone of the modern rail infrastructure in this area. Freight trains run day and night through the modern tunnels, and long-distance trains can reach speeds of up to 220 km/h—faster than on the old surface line.
Now, ÖBB wants to further increase the line’s capacity. The goal is not a higher top speed, but the ability to run more trains at shorter intervals, with fewer conflicts between freight and passenger traffic.
A passing station in the tunnel
The central element of the project is the activation of a passing station in the Terfener Tunnel, in the Vomp area.
This capacity reserve had been prepared as early as the construction of the new line in the Lower Inn Valley. Over a length of approximately 2 km, the tunnel already has a third and fourth track.
By equipping the area with eight switches and modern railway technology, ÖBB will transform this previously prepared infrastructure into an operational passing point.
In practice, a freight train will be able to move onto one of the side tracks in the tunnel so that a faster passenger train can pass it. Once the track is clear, the freight train will continue on its way.
ETCS and Shorter Intervals Between Trains
ÖBB is also modernizing the safety and traffic control systems in the Münsterer and Terfener tunnels.
ETCS, the European Train Control System, is already in operation on this section, enabling digital traffic monitoring and increased operational efficiency.
In the next phase, ÖBB will remove the additional light signals connected to the system and reduce the distances between traffic blocks. This will allow trains to run at shorter intervals through the tunnels, resulting in greater capacity on the same infrastructure.
According to ÖBB, by equipping it with state-of-the-art railway technology, the new line in the Lower Inn Valley will become one of the most modern railway lines in Europe.
Work Through Mid-September
Work begins on July 10 and will last until September 14, 2026.
In the first phase, through July 25, work will take place on the eastern section, in the Münsterer Tunnel, between Radfeld and Jenbach. Subsequently, the entire new line will be closed for three days.
Starting July 28, work will shift to the western section, in the Terfener Tunnel, where it will continue until the project’s completion in mid-September.
ÖBB notes that, by the start of the school year, rail service will be fully restored without restrictions.
Impact on Passenger Trains
The work will affect both regional and long-distance traffic.
Long-distance trains will be rerouted via the old surface line. Trains coming from the east will arrive a few minutes later in Innsbruck, and some trains will depart earlier from Innsbruck.
However, ÖBB states that, thanks to the time buffers built into the train schedules, passengers continuing on to Upper Tyrol, Vorarlberg, or Switzerland should not be significantly affected.
From August 22 until the project’s completion in September, Interregio trains will be suspended on the Wörgl–Innsbruck section. As a compensatory measure, Railjet trains will make additional stops at Jenbach.
Restrictions on Regional Service as Well
Regional service will also see temporary changes.
REX2 and S3 trains will take approximately two additional minutes to travel through the Tiroler Unterland region. Starting July 25, one S3 train per hour will turn back at Fritzens-Wattens station, and stops east of this station will temporarily not be served by these trains.
CJX connections will have travel times that are approximately 12 minutes longer.
ÖBB recommends that passengers check the SCOTTY app and online schedule planner before departure, where arrivals and departures for all transit operators are displayed.
The work includes the installation of eight new switches on the slab track, work on approximately 2,000 m of track, the installation of 25,000 m of cables, and the construction of 800 m of overhead wire.
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