Shock at the Brenner inflow: Tunnel under the Inn makes rail projects up to three billion more expensive

Created: 09/13/2022, 19:26

By: Dirk Walter

Bone of contention: the Inn bridges - here a visualization from a railway film.

© DB/brennernordzulauf.eu

The desired tunneling of the Inn in the region drives up the costs enormously.

Now the costs could be up to three billion euros more expensive than expected.

Rosenheim – The northern access to the Brenner could become enormously more expensive.

Crossing under the Inn north of Rosenheim, as desired in the region, would require a complete redesign of the new line in the north.

It is "technically very, very demanding, but feasible," said DB project manager Matthias Neumaier.

But the biggest obstacle is probably the cost.

Brenner feeder train up to three billion euros more expensive

A tunnel under the Inn would result in additional costs of around three billion euros.

So far, seven billion euros have been estimated for the overall project of the northern access to the Brenner Pass, which is to run from Ostermünchen north of Rosenheim to the border near Kiefersfelden.

In addition, the construction period with the Inn Tunnel would be extended by another two to three years.

"Completion in 2038 would not be sustainable," said Neumaier.

The railway had checked the Inn crossing under pressure from the region.

On site, nobody can get used to the distinctive Inn bridges planned so far, over which one track is supposed to run.

However, nobody is really satisfied with the DB investigation, which was presented yesterday in Rosenheim.

"These results are not good news," said Rosenheim CSU member of the Bundestag Daniela Ludwig.

She could not "understand" the additional costs, they would "definitely have to be checked more closely".

The Rosenheim member of parliament for the Greens, Victoria Brossart, however, has a different view.

Yesterday she warned against ruining the project.

"Trying to make everything as expensive as possible," she wrote on Twitter.

"Then it is argued that it is not economical."

Video: Northern access to the Brenner Pass: Another section of the railway line is fixed

In the meantime, an 8.5 meter high bridge structure was to be built in the east of Kirchseeon for the Brenner inlet.

Brenner inlet: tunnel under the Inn would be up to 20 meters deep

DB project manager Neumaier explained the cost explosion in the case of crossing the Inn with the difficult topography.

The distance between the bottom of the Inn and the tunnel ceiling must be up to 20 meters, since muddy sea clay lurks underground.

The enormous depth of the Inn Tunnel has serious consequences: the entire route section towards Munich would have to be laid deeper, even the Ostermünchen station would have to be rebuilt up to 16 meters deep.

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Replanning is then also necessary on the other side, to the south: Actually, the railways had thought that the tracks after the Inn bridges would disappear immediately afterwards in a tunnel with the project name "Ringelfeld".

But if the Inn were to be tunnelled, the subsequent tunnel section "Ringelfeld" would also have to be much deeper and the railway line would only come to light at the Niederaudorf junction.

This new giant tunnel would then be up to 34 kilometers long if it is not interrupted in the meantime (which is provided for by a railway variant).

It would be the longest railway tunnel in Germany.

Bahn does not want to pursue the plan for the Inn tunnel for the time being

All of that, however, is far in the future.

The railway stated that it would not continue to pursue the Inn tunnel for the time being.

It cannot be reconciled with the "principle of economy and thrift".

But ultimately it is up to politicians to decide, said Matthias Neumaier from DB.

The transport and budget committees in the Bundestag will be asked in 2025 whether they will approve the additional costs.

This year, Deutsche Bahn wants to present the project for a decision after preliminary planning.

The CSU MP Ludwig has already announced that she insists on rescheduling - and with her probably many politicians from the CSU, which sets the tone in the region.

The tunnel must come.

In the Tyrolean Inn Valley, the river is crossed twice underground by the railway line.

"What is possible in Tyrol must also be possible here."