For several months there will be no way through the Arlberg Tunnel. Planned renovation work makes another closure necessary.
Innsbruck – The time for phase two of the construction work has come. As was the case last year, the Arlberg Tunnel in Austria will be closed for months due to extensive renovation. From Monday, April 15th, the 14 kilometer long underpass will no longer be accessible, as announced by the Autobahn and Expressway Financing Corporation (ASFINAG). Accordingly, the ban applies until November 22, 2024.
Arlberg Tunnel in Austria closed again: renovation work should last until November
In the Arlberg Tunnel, which has been in use since 1978, the roadway is to be renewed and the tunnel coating optimized for better visibility. The drainage systems are also due for an overhaul to enable long-term operation of the tunnel. In addition, new toll lanes and toll booths as well as additional truck parking spaces with barrier-free toilet facilities will be created.
The costs for the second phase of the tunnel renovation are estimated at 75 million euros. 30 million euros are budgeted for the modernization of the toll booth. According to AFINAG, it will be “probably the last necessary closure of this size in the long term”.
Closure of the Arlberg Tunnel: Alternative routes lead over the pass or through Bavaria
In contrast to the tunnel, the Arlberg Pass - i.e. the B 197/L 197 - is a regional alternative route, which does not require a toll, but there could be "delays due to traffic congestion", especially on weekends. Experience from the first three closures in 2015, 2017 and 2023 would show that more than 20,000 cars are on the pass during the diversion on peak days.
That is why ASFINAG also advises using large alternative routes. This includes the route from Rosenheim to Munich, the route via Gotthard and San Bernardino in Switzerland and the route over the Fern Pass.
Driving bans during tunnel closures: Not all cars and hardly any trucks are allowed to use the Arlberg Pass
The Arlberg Pass is in any case taboo for trucks with trailers and articulated vehicles while the Arlberg Tunnel is closed, as long as the journeys are not subject to corresponding exceptions. Cars and station wagons with a trailer with a maximum permissible total weight of over 750 kilograms must also avoid the pass on weekends and public holidays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from July 1st to October 6th, 2024.
There are also restrictions for cyclists. You are prohibited from using the B 197/L 197 between Langen train station or St. Anton (Mooserkreuz) up to the top of the pass in St. Christoph during the tunnel closure, but this only applies to cyclists traveling uphill. The ban also affects cyclists who are traveling towards Tyrol via the Flexenpass from Lech-Warth. A shuttle service for cyclists will be set up from St. Anton and Langen.
Arlberg Tunnel not passable: No second tunnel tube is planned
ASFINAG emphasizes that the destinations in the Arlberg tourism region will be accessible at all times. In order not to impact the winter sports season, the closure will not begin until mid-April. It is also explained that there are no plans to build a second tunnel tube. According to the Road Tunnel Safety Act, this would only be required for an average of 20,000 vehicles per day; around 8,000 vehicles are currently registered in the Arlberg Tunnel every day.
Also interesting: The validity of annual route toll cards/multi-trip cards is automatically extended by the duration of the blocking. This means that these users should not incur any loss.
The Arlberg Tunnel is the longest tunnel in Austria and connects the federal states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg. At the time of its opening, almost four and a half years after construction began, it was considered the longest tunnel in the world.
Because one motorway bridge on the Brenner is permanently closed on one side, holidaymakers are threatened with permanent traffic jams. The Plöcken Pass on the border between Austria and Italy has been closed since a rockslide - the construction of an emergency road is now being called for. Due to renovation work on the Ammerseebahn and the Pfaffenwinkelbahn, closures are expected to last for months.
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