Extensive infrastructure works by Deutsche Bahn will have significant cross-border impacts on rail traffic between Austria and Germany from February 2026, affecting long-distance passenger services, regional traffic and freight flows via Upper Austria.
From 7 February to 13 June 2026, DB will fully close the Regensburg–Nuremberg line as part of a major track renewal programme. The closure affects all passenger and freight services travelling between Austria and Germany via Passau. During this period, long-distance services on the Vienna–Nuremberg corridor will be reduced, and journey times will increase.
Three ICE services per day and direction will be rerouted via Ingolstadt, extending travel times by around 60 minutes. All remaining ICE connections between Vienna and Nuremberg will be suspended for the duration of the works. Munich main station will become a key transfer hub for passengers travelling between Austria and destinations within Germany. In addition, one extra ICE train pair will operate daily between Vienna and Munich via Passau. Nightjet services between Vienna and Hamburg or Amsterdam will be diverted onto alternative routes.
A second construction phase is scheduled from 14 June to 12 December 2026, when DB will close the Passau–Obertraubling section near Regensburg. This phase will have broader operational consequences, including effects on domestic rail traffic within Austria.
During this period, around 80 freight trains per day will be diverted onto Austria’s West Line to bypass the closed German corridor. The increased utilisation of the route is expected to lengthen long-distance passenger journey times by approximately 15 minutes between Salzburg and Munich as well as between Salzburg and Innsbruck. Services between Vienna and Vorarlberg are expected to face delays of around 30 minutes.
To manage capacity constraints, ÖBB and Westbahn have coordinated adjustments to long-distance services between Linz and Salzburg in favour of regional traffic. While half-hourly long-distance connections will remain in place on the corridor, a total of 18 long-distance trains per day will be partially or fully withdrawn.
As a result, some regional services will be modified or suspended, including the cancellation of REX line 70 between Linz and Attnang-Puchheim and reduced operation of the R21 line between Neumarkt am Wallersee and Salzburg main station during daytime hours. Further timetable adjustments are planned between Salzburg and Freilassing.
Despite the disruptions, Austrian operators said regional accessibility would be maintained through transfer connections. Detailed passenger timetable updates for summer 2026 are expected to be published ahead of the second construction phase.
