Cross-border rail traffic between Italy and Austria was halted on the morning of 26 November when a storm toppled a tree onto the overhead line north of Innsbruck. Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) stopped all services on the Brenner route, prompting Trenitalia and Deutsche Bahn to cancel EuroCity trains linking Verona, Bolzano and Munich.
Emergency crews removed the debris and inspected catenary damage; a substitute bus service ran between Innsbruck and Brenner Pass, adding up to 90 minutes to journeys. Freight trains were rerouted via the Tauern corridor, a diversion that logistics operators say costs roughly €300 per container.
![Brenner rail corridor closed for six hours after storm fells tree in Tyrol]()
The line reopened at 15:00, but ÖBB warned of residual delays. The incident underscores the vulnerability of the heavily used Alpine corridor ahead of winter and the 2026 Winter Olympics freight surge.
Companies relying on just-in-time deliveries from Germany to northern Italy should review contingency plans, while mobility managers may wish to shift travellers onto flights between Munich and Milan when severe weather is forecast.
Emergency crews removed the debris and inspected catenary damage; a substitute bus service ran between Innsbruck and Brenner Pass, adding up to 90 minutes to journeys. Freight trains were rerouted via the Tauern corridor, a diversion that logistics operators say costs roughly €300 per container.
The line reopened at 15:00, but ÖBB warned of residual delays. The incident underscores the vulnerability of the heavily used Alpine corridor ahead of winter and the 2026 Winter Olympics freight surge.
Companies relying on just-in-time deliveries from Germany to northern Italy should review contingency plans, while mobility managers may wish to shift travellers onto flights between Munich and Milan when severe weather is forecast.
