Germany's Brenner Nordzulauf railway extension faces construction delays

The Brenner Nordzulauf, a new high‑speed rail corridor linking Munich with Verona and complementing the Brenner Base Tunnel, remains stalled on the German side. While tunnelling work in Austria and Italy is progressing, no construction has begun in Germany because of intense opposition from local residents near Rosenheim and organized citizen initiatives demanding a planning halt.

The German Federal Ministry of Transport indicated the project will be examined by the Bundestag in the first half of 2026, but no legislative proposal has yet been submitted. Even with parliamentary approval, further procedural steps and possible legal challenges could push the start date further into the future. The tunnel itself is reported to be about 90 % complete, underscoring the contrast between the advanced work abroad and the pending German preparations.