Railway renovation 2026: train cancellations and diversions for Munich!

Railway renovation 2026: train cancellations and diversions for Munich!

As part of extensive renovation work, Deutsche Bahn is planning a far-reaching general renovation of its infrastructure in Bavaria, which will lead to changed timetables on the part of the Westbahn. From the second half of 2026, the Westbahn will temporarily no longer serve Munich Central Station because dilapidated routes in the DB network urgently need to be renovated. This particularly affects the route from Freilassing via Rosenheim to Munich, which will be renovated in two sections: first Freilassing-Rosenheim from spring 2027, followed by Rosenheim-Munich from spring 2028. During this renovation work, the tracks, sleepers, overhead lines and signals will be fundamentally renewed, which will result in a total of five months of service interruption per section. The renovation is part of Deutsche Bahn's overall program, which covers up to 1,500 kilometers of routes by 2027 and is aimed at improving performance.

A particularly important aspect of these measures is the rerouting of freight traffic, which will simultaneously result in a slowdown of all train connections. All trains, including connections to Munich, will have an extended journey time in the future. The time loss for the western railway will increase to around 20 minutes. The frequency of intra-Austrian connections to Salzburg will also be reduced from half-hourly to hourly, while connections to Stuttgart are expected to stop in Pasing and Munich East instead of directly at Munich main station.

Rehabilitation of the infrastructure

Deutsche Bahn has announced that numerous other routes in Bavaria will also be affected as part of these renovations. The general renovation of the aging infrastructure will begin in the first half of 2026 with the Nuremberg – Regensburg route and followed by the Regensburg – Passau route in the second half of 2026. A complete closure is also expected between Munich and Rosenheim in the first half of 2027 and between Rosenheim and Salzburg in the second half of the same year. As part of this, in addition to tracks, signal boxes, switches and overhead lines will be renewed and 13 stations will be converted into barrier-free train stations of the future. The DB will also switch to the new “ETCS” train control system, which will ensure safety on the tracks from the 2030s.

The renovation measures are part of a comprehensive program by Deutsche Bahn that focuses on restoring infrastructure and improving the customer experience. CEO Richard Lutz emphasizes the urgency of these renovations due to the poor condition of the existing infrastructure. The goal is to increase punctuality in long-distance transport to 75 to 80 percent by 2027 and to reduce infrastructure-related delays by 20 percent. In addition, there is a need to switch to a synchronized system to optimize construction and maintenance measures.

Impact on passenger numbers

The changes in timetable design are not only noticeable for the Western Railway. Deutsche Bahn Regio has already noticed a return in passenger numbers to pre-corona pandemic levels and is focusing on integrated everyday mobility. Nevertheless, the renovation of the infrastructure will also have a significant impact on Western Railway customers, who will now have to accept diversions. Discussions with the Czech Republic about the possible inclusion of trains in traffic are also being held in this context.

In summary, it can be said that Deutsche Bahn faces a huge challenge in the coming years. The extensive renovation work is intended not only to restore the infrastructure, but also to improve efficiency and punctuality throughout the system to ensure reliable and modern traffic levels.