The German Christian Democratic parliamentary group CDU/CSU rejected Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) project for German access to the Brenner Base Tunnel, running between Austria and Italy. If a decision on the route is not made before 2025, Germany runs the risk of having to wait until 2050 to connect Munich and the Bavaria region to the tunnel, which should be ready in 2032.
The current track itinerary laid out by DB “would directly affect 25 farmers, who would lose at least 50 and up to 90 per cent of their land”, CDU/CSU claimed. To fix this issue, the parliamentary group is asking to implement more underground connections, as well as an underpass below the Inn River, that would have a lower impact on the landscape of the German Inn Valley.
CDU/CSU’s demands
The current proposal for the German access route to the Brenner Base Tunnel would entail a railway running from Munich to the border with Austria, in Kufstein, via Rosenheim. The section between Rosenheim and Austria would be the one crossing the Inn Valley. This is where CDU/CSU are pushing for a new itinerary with more underpasses.
For example, they are asking DB “to abandon the planned junction at Kirnstein south of Rosenheim and to examine alternatives instead”. Rather, the parliamentary group is would prefer for the junction to be relocated in Wildbarren. Moreover, they are asking for an underground section beneath the Inn River north of Rosenheim. Finally, they would like to relocate the Ostermünchen junction “two kilometres further north”.
A public hearing of the Transport Committee concerning CDU/CSU’s proposal is now planned for Wednesday 16 October.