Tyrolean Karwendel Railway

Slowed down by mudslides: train line closed for longer

One set was still on the line on Tuesday.

(Bild: ÖBB/Gasser-Mair )

Mudslides caused a major incident on the spectacular Karwendelbahn line in Tyrol on Monday evening. Two trains were partially trapped by the masses of debris - one even had to be evacuated. The Innsbruck-Seefeld line will now be closed for days.

Two regional trains were directly affected by the mudslides in impassable terrain at around 8 pm. A total of 21 people were on the train to Innsbruck. "The passengers were evacuated from the danger area by the Zirl fire department, the Innsbruck professional fire department, the mountain rescue service and the mountain rescue service and then taken collectively from Zirl to Innsbruck West station by vehicle," it said.

For the time being, nothing worked on the Karwendelbahn line on Monday evening.

(Bild: ÖBB | SAE, Krone KREATIV)

The rails were buried several meters deep.

(Bild: ÖBB/SAE West)

Another train returned
The train heading towards Seefeld even got caught in the rubble and got stuck in it, according to ÖBB. There were 40 passengers on this train. "After assessing the situation on site, restoring the interrupted power supply, repairing the major damage and checking the train set, it was decided that the train set could travel back to Westbahnhof." All passengers got off the train unharmed at around 11 pm.

No more train services this week
The situation was examined on site on Tuesday. It became clear that no more trains will be running on the Karwendelbahn line this week at least. "The damage is considerable". The connection between Innsbruck and Seefeld in Tyrol will remain closed - probably up to and including August 19. 

"Depending on the final damage pattern, it cannot be ruled out that the line closure will have to be extended," says ÖBB.

A mudslide also occurred just before a small tunnel.

(Bild: ÖBB/Gasser-Mair )

Rail replacement service set up
The local infrastructure must now be checked and, if necessary, repaired. Slope stabilization and the renovation of protective structures would also have to be carried out. The overhead line will also have to be repaired in sections. ÖBB has already started the clean-up and restoration work. In the Martinswand area, a forest path is being cleared of debris so that the track area can be reached with heavy equipment. 

ÖBB has set up a rail replacement service between Innsbruck and Seefeld. Travelers should inform themselves on the railroad channels before departure.

Severe storms caused problems on Monday evening, particularly to the west of Innsbruck - especially in the Zirl and Kematen area. In addition to the Karwendelbahn line, the B171 Tiroler Straße was also displaced by mudslides - ten cars were trapped as a result.

More than 150 fire department operations
From Monday evening to Tuesday morning, a total of 153 call-outs were recorded due to the storms, 109 of which were in the Innsbruck-Land district. In the municipality of Kematen alone, the fire department was called out 56 times due to the storms. A total of 47 fire departments were deployed.