Germany’s Brenner Nordzulauf rail link costs projected at over €16 billion

The pre‑planning phase for the Brenner‑Nordzulauf, a 54‑km railway line from Grafing via Munich to the Austrian border, has been completed, paving the way for a Bundestag decision. DB InfraGO says most of the route will run underground and will cut Munich‑Verona travel time to about three and a half hours while boosting freight capacity.

The project is estimated to cost €8.57 billion, with an additional €7.6 billion set aside for inflation and other risks, bringing the total to just over €16 billion. The German railway company notes that the contingency is intended to be managed prudently. Funding is expected to come partly from the European Union, as the line forms part of the Scan‑Med corridor linking Italy to Scandinavia. Operations are targeted for the early 2040s, following the expected 2032 completion of the main Brenner Base Tunnel. The plan has attracted criticism from citizen groups in Germany.

Matthias Neumaier, DB InfraGO’s overall project manager, said, “We have fulfilled our planning mandate and achieved the traffic objectives set out in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan.”