New Lower Inn Valley railway

Last updated
New Lower Inn Valley railway
Bahnstrecke Kufstein-Innsbruck.png
Overview
Native nameNeue Unterinntalbahn
Line number330 01
LocaleAustria
Service
Route number300
Technical
Line length40.236 km (25.001 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed220 km/h (135 mph)
Route map

Contents

BSicon extSTRe.svg
Planned railway
BSicon xABZg+l.svg
Original line
from Kufstein
BSicon eBST.svg
Schaftenau junction
BSicon xABZgl.svg
Existing line
to Wörgl
BSicon exCSTRa@g.svg
BSicon exTUNNEL2.svg
BSicon exCSTR.svg
Angath
BSicon exTUNNEL2.svg
BSicon exCSTR.svg
Angerberg
BSicon exTUNNEL2.svg
BSicon exCSTR.svg
Breitenbach
BSicon extSTRa.svg
BSicon extKRZW.svg
Inn
BSicon extSTRe.svg
BSicon xABZg+l.svg
Original line
from Wörgl
BSicon BST.svg
24.262
Radfeld junction
BSicon ABZgr.svg
Original line
BSicon CSTRa@g.svg
26.500
Radfeld cutting
(L 791 m)
BSicon tCSTRe.svg
27.291
Münsterer tunnel
(L 15.990 m)
BSicon tKRZW.svg
Inn
BSicon tKRZ.svg
Original line
BSicon tKRZ.svg
Existing line
BSicon tCSTRa.svg
43.269
Jenbach cutting
(L 620 m)
BSicon CSTRe@f.svg
BSicon ABZg+r.svg
Original line
from Jenbach
BSicon BST.svg
43.890
Stans junction
BSicon ABZgr.svg
Existing line
to Fritzens-Wattens 2 junction
BSicon CSTRa@g.svg
44.760
Stans cutting
(L 514 m)
BSicon tCSTRe.svg
45.274
Terfner tunnel
(L 15.840 m)
BSicon tKRZ.svg
Existing line
BSicon etDST.svg
Vomp passing station
planned
BSicon tKRZ.svg
Existing line
BSicon tCSTRa.svg
61,160
Baumkirchen cutting
(L 624 m)
BSicon CSTR.svg
61,524
61,407
Change of chainage (-117 m)
BSicon CSTRe@f.svg
61,667
BSicon ABZg+r.svg
Existing line
from Stans junction
BSicon BST.svg
61.749
Fritzens-Wattens 2 junction
Baumkirchen interconnection
BSicon ABZgr.svg
Original line
BSicon STR.svg
Innsbruck bypass
to Innsbruck 1 junction
Source: German railway atlas [1]

The New Lower Inn Valley railway (German: Neue Unterinntalbahn) is a partially completed double-track high-speed main line of the Austrian railways. It connects the Brenner railway at Innsbruck and the Innsbruck bypass with the line to Kufstein, connecting with Germany, Salzburg, and eastern Austria. It forms a part of the core of the network of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The bypass is part of Line 1 of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). The first section (Kundl–Baumkirchen), which is designed for speeds up to 220 km/h (140 mph), was opened on 26 November 2012. [2] Since the timetable change on 9 December 2012, it relieves the existing Lower Inn Valley railway between Wörgl and Baumkirchen with trains able to operate at up to 250 km/h (160 mph). In the future, these and other construction projects (including the Brenner Base Tunnel) are expected to reduce travel time on the Munich–Innsbruck route from 1:50 to 0:55 and on the Munich–Verona route from 5:20 to 2:20. [3] The cost of the project amounted to €2.358 billion. [4]

History

The KundlBaumkirchen section was opened on 26 December 2012.

Route: section 1: Kundl-Baumkirchen

Looking east: the middle tracks are the end of the Munsterer tunnel, part of the Stans link. The outside tracks are the new route of the original line, which has been in operation since 15 August 2011 2011.05.30 NUIB von Jenbach.jpg
Looking east: the middle tracks are the end of the Münsterer tunnel, part of the Stans link. The outside tracks are the new route of the original line, which has been in operation since 15 August 2011

The line is 40 km (25 mi) long, of which approximately 32 km (20 mi) is in tunnels or deep cuttings. One segment has been made as an upgrade of the original line while the other is an entirely new line:

Signalling

The new line is fitted with ETCS Level 2 signalling system. Four new electronic interlocking systems were built to control both the new line and the existing line. These systems are remotely controlled from the new Innsbruck operations control centre (Betriebsfernsteuerzentrale). [7]

Planning: section 2: Brannenburg-Kundl

The approximately 25 km (16 mi) section from Brannenburg in Germany to Kundl is currently in the planning phase with route selection between Schaftenau and Kundl having been completed. The continuation of the route into Germany is currently being negotiated. [8]

Concrete shell for the new line Unterinntalbahn, Galerie Terfens, Rohbau.jpg
Concrete shell for the new line

The selected route south from Schaftenau would leave the existing line via several short tunnels and cuttings to join the route of the A12 autobahn. It would then run through a nearly 10 km (6.2 mi)-long tunnel under the mountains of the southern Angerbergs and under the Inn, the A12 and the built-up areas of Kundl before emerging between the tracks of the existing line and running to the grade-separated junction at Radfeld. [9]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">ÖBB</span> State-owned national railway company of Austria

The Austrian Federal Railways, now commonly known as ÖBB, is the national railway company of Austria, and the administrator of Liechtenstein's railways. The ÖBB group is owned entirely by the Republic of Austria, and is divided into several separate businesses that manage the infrastructure and operate passenger and freight services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenner Base Tunnel</span> Railway under construction through the Alps

The Brenner Base Tunnel is a 55-kilometre-long (34 mi) railway tunnel under construction through the base of the Eastern Alps beneath the Brenner Pass. Upon completion, it will be the second or third longest railway tunnel in the world, after the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland and the Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel between France and Italy. It will run from near Innsbruck, in Austria, to Franzensfeste/Fortezza, in Italy, replacing part of the current Brenner railway. The line is part of Line 1, the Berlin to Palermo route, of Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlberg railway</span>

The Arlberg Railway, which connects the Austrian cities Innsbruck and Bludenz, is Austria's only east-west mountain railway. It is one of the highest standard gauge railways in Europe and the second highest in Austria, after the Brenner. The 136.7 km line is a highly problematic mountain railway, in part because it is threatened by avalanches, mudslides, rockfalls and floods. It is operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and frequented by international trains, including the Orient Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wienerwald Tunnel</span> Austrian railway tunnel

The Wienerwald Tunnel is a 13.35 km (8.30 mi) long railway tunnel near Vienna, passing underneath the northern part of Wienerwald. It is part of a 250-kilometre-per-hour (160 mph) section between Vienna and St. Pölten which is part of Austria's Western Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kundl</span> Place in Tyrol, Austria

Kundl is a market town in the Kufstein district in the Austrian state of Tyrol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railjet</span> European high-speed rail service operated by ÖBB and ČD

Railjet is a high-speed rail service in Europe operated by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Czech Railways (ČD). Branded as Railjet Express (RJX) for the fastest services and as Railjet (RJ) for services with additional stops, it was introduced in 2008 and operates at speeds of up to 230 km/h (143 mph). Railjet is ÖBB's premier service and operates both domestically within Austria and on international services to adjacent major cities in the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary and Slovakia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof</span> Railway station in Tyrol, Austria

Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station in Innsbruck, the capital city of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. Opened in 1853, the station is a major hub for western and central Austria. In 2019, it was the 8th-busiest station in the country, and the 2nd-busiest outside of Vienna after only Linz Hauptbahnhof, with 315 train movements and 38,500 passengers daily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosenheim station</span> Railway station in Bavaria, Germany

Rosenheim station is the main railway station in the city of Rosenheim in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seventh largest passenger station in Bavaria and an important railway hub between the Munich–Rosenheim railway line and the lines to Salzburg, Kufstein/Innsbruck and Mühldorf, as well as the Mangfall Valley Railway. Rosenheim is operated by DB Station&Service, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, and is classified as a Category 2 station

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenner Railway</span> Major Austro-Italian transport link

The Brenner Railway is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck to Verona, climbing up the Wipptal, passing over the Brenner Pass, descending down the Eisacktal to Bolzano/Bozen, then further down the Adige Valley to Rovereto/Rofreit, and along the section of the Adige Valley, called in Italian the “Vallagarina”, to Verona. This railway line is part of the Line 1 of Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). It is considered a "fundamental" line by the state railways Ferrovie dello Stato (FS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berlin–Palermo railway axis</span> Key high-speed rail link in Central Europe

The Berlin–Palermo railway axis is project No. 1 of the Trans-European high-speed rail network (TEN-R), which involves the creation of a 2,200-kilometre-long (1,400 mi) high-speed rail line between Berlin and Palermo. It is designated as one of the main transport links connecting Central and Southern Europe, tracking through Germany, Austria and Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Inn Valley Railway</span>

The Lower Inn Valley Railway is a two-track, electrified railway line that is one of the major lines of the Austrian railways. It was originally opened as the k.k. Nordtiroler Staatsbahn. It begins at the German border near the Austrian city of Kufstein as a continuation of the Rosenheim–Kufstein line and runs in a generally south-westerly direction through Tyrol along the Inn valley to Innsbruck. The line is part of the Line 1 of Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). The line is owned and operated by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innsbruck bypass</span> Key rail transport link in western Austria

The Innsbruck bypass is a 14.853-kilometre (9.229 mi)-long double-track electrified main line of the Austrian railways. It connects the Lower Inn Valley railway with the Brenner railway, bypassing Innsbruck. It was opened on 29 May 1994. The line is at a major part of the rail freight network of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosenheim–Kufstein railway</span> Double-track main line in Germany

The Rosenheim–Kufstein railway is a 32 kilometre-long double-track main line of the German railways. It connects the Munich–Rosenheim and the Rosenheim–Salzburg lines at Rosenheim with the line to Innsbruck, thus connecting Germany, Salzburg and eastern Austria with Innsbruck and the Brenner line to Italy and the Arlberg line to far western Austria. The line is part of the Line 1 of Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). It is electrified at 15 kV, 16.7 Hz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wörgl Hauptbahnhof</span> Railway station in Tyrol, Austria

Wörgl Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station of Wörgl, a city in the Kufstein district of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, about 20 km from the state border with Bavaria. It is a major hub for regional and international rail travel, both passenger and freight.

The Western Railway is a two-track, partly four-track, electrified railway line in Austria that runs from Vienna to Salzburg via St. Pölten and Linz Hauptbahnhof and is one of the major lines of Austria. It was originally opened as the Empress Elisabeth Railway in 1858 (Vienna–Linz). The line is owned and operated by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenner railway station</span> Railway station in Italy

Brenner railway station is the border station of Italy and Austria. It serves the town and comune of Brenner in the autonomous province of South Tyrol, northeastern Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kufstein railway station</span> Railway station in Tyrol, Austria

Kufstein railway station serves the city of Kufstein, in the Kufstein district of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. Opened in 1876, it is an Austrian-German border station, close to the border between Tyrol and Bavaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mittenwald Railway</span> Railway line in Austria and Germany

The Mittenwald Railway, popularly known as the Karwendelbahn, is a railway line in the Alps in Austria and Germany. It connects Innsbruck via Seefeld and Mittenwald to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vorarlberg Railway</span>

The Vorarlberg Railway denotes a through line running through the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. Its route is similar to the Rheintal/Walgau Autobahn from the border between Lindau and Hörbranz to Bludenz, where it connects to the Arlberg Railway. The entire route in Austria is owned and is operated up to Lindau-Insel by the Austrian Federal Railways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-speed rail in Austria</span> Overview of the high-speed rail system in Austria

The West railway between the capital Vienna and Salzburg is being upgraded. Most new sections have a continuous maximum design speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

References

  1. Eisenbahnatlas Österreich (Austrian railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2010. pp. 56–57. ISBN   978-3-89494-138-3.
  2. "Neue Unterinntalbahn: Highspeed und höchste Sicherheit" (PDF) (Press release) (in German). ÖBB-Holding AG. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH, ed. (October 2007). "Die neue Unterinntalbahn - Eisenbahntechnik auf höchstem Niveau" (PDF) (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  4. "Die letzte Schiene ist verlegt". Tiroler Tageszeitung (in German). 16 December 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  5. Atlas, High-Speed Rail 2021 on the International Union of Railways (UIC) website.
  6. "Section 1 route map" (PDF) (in German). Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  7. "Eisenbahnsicherungstechnik" (in German). ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. "Trassenauswahlverfahren für zweiten Abschnitt der neuen Unterinntalbahn abgeschlossen (Route selection process for the second section of the new Lower Inn Valley railway completed)" (in German). Austrian Federal Railways. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  9. "Section 2 route map" (in German). Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

47°25′43″N11°53′43″E / 47.42861°N 11.89528°E / 47.42861; 11.89528