Holidaymakers heading south via Tyrol’s Fernpass route faced up to two-hour delays on 25 October after German authorities re-introduced blockabfertigung (metered release) for trucks at the A7 motorway tunnel near Füssen. The measure, coupled with stichprobenartige (random) ID checks, quickly produced tailbacks that spilled 12 kilometres into Austrian territory and paralysed the B179, the only practical alternative to the Brenner motorway for traffic between Bavaria and northern Italy.
Live updates from Reisereporter indicated that weekend leisure traffic, ski-season logistics and diverted freight from the already-congested Inntal corridor converged to create a ‘perfect storm’. Police asked drivers without urgent business to postpone trips or switch to rail. The Austrian Automobile Club (ÖAMTC) deployed roadside teams to distribute water and warned that similar restrictions could recur throughout the winter.
For international corporates the disruption highlights the fragility of Alpine surface links. Mobility managers with expatriates in Tyrol or northern Italy should ensure contingency accommodation in case staff cannot reach airports in Munich or Zurich in time. The event also renews calls from Tyrol’s regional government for the long-promised 4.8-km Fernpass tunnel—scheduled for 2029—to be fast-tracked, together with a harmonised EU approach to internal border measures.
From a compliance perspective, the metered release procedure is legally separate from formal border controls but can still trigger document inspections; employers should brief posted workers to carry passport, residence title and A1 certificate when crossing. Couriers and time-critical supply-chain operators may wish to explore night-time slots, when truck quotas are less restrictive.
Live updates from Reisereporter indicated that weekend leisure traffic, ski-season logistics and diverted freight from the already-congested Inntal corridor converged to create a ‘perfect storm’. Police asked drivers without urgent business to postpone trips or switch to rail. The Austrian Automobile Club (ÖAMTC) deployed roadside teams to distribute water and warned that similar restrictions could recur throughout the winter.
For international corporates the disruption highlights the fragility of Alpine surface links. Mobility managers with expatriates in Tyrol or northern Italy should ensure contingency accommodation in case staff cannot reach airports in Munich or Zurich in time. The event also renews calls from Tyrol’s regional government for the long-promised 4.8-km Fernpass tunnel—scheduled for 2029—to be fast-tracked, together with a harmonised EU approach to internal border measures.
From a compliance perspective, the metered release procedure is legally separate from formal border controls but can still trigger document inspections; employers should brief posted workers to carry passport, residence title and A1 certificate when crossing. Couriers and time-critical supply-chain operators may wish to explore night-time slots, when truck quotas are less restrictive.
