Local leader desperate

No money: 20 million railroad station still not finished

A bakery should have moved into the multifunctional building a long time ago.

(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

Lack of money and inexplicable construction delays: it feels like the completely rebuilt Telfs-Pfaffenhofen railroad station (Innsbruck-Land district) in Tyrol has been a piecemeal project for ages. No outsider can understand the delays in the multi-million euro project. Renovation was due to start in 2020.

Cables are sticking out or down in many places, the toilet facilities have not been completed and the bakery still cannot move into the planned premises. The waiting area looks archaic, the bare interior walls are smudged - anything but inviting. This is the current situation at the "mobility hub", the completely renovated Telfs-Pfaffenhofen station, which has been highly praised by ÖBB and the state of Tyrol.

Completion promised for 2023
ÖBB started the 20 million euro project back in 2020 and, according to Mayor Andreas Schmid, the municipality of Pfaffenhofen was promised completion in 2023. "The delays are incomprehensible and difficult to explain to outsiders," says Schmid.

The toilet facilities are still not usable.

(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

Curious facts accompany planning and construction phase
The history of the redesign of the third-largest railroad station in Tyrol is peppered with curious facts right from the start. Originally, ÖBB had not even planned a toilet facility and no refreshment stops. Only after financial concessions were made by the municipalities of Pfaffenhofen and Telfs were both included in the plans - but they were not completed on time.

The cash flow ended in 2023
"Work was stopped abruptly in 2023 - allegedly because there was no more money available," explains Mayor Schmid. ÖBB announced the next completion date for all station facilities as spring 2024. The deadline was not met either. Finally, the timetable change in December 2024 was announced as the date. The "result" is known.

A possible shortfall of 200,000 euros bears no relation to the total construction sum of 20 million euros.

Andreas Schmid, Bürgermeister Pfaffenhofen

Bild: Die FotografenCharly Lair

Location mayor no longer understands ÖBB world
"A possible shortfall of 200,000 euros bears no relation to the total construction sum of 20 million," Schmid shakes his head in disbelief. As the mayor of the site, he is also repeatedly asked why the municipality is not continuing. "It's not in our hands," says the mayor. Most recently, he has heard nothing more officially from ÖBB on the matter.

After four years, there is still a building site atmosphere around the waiting bunk - without any work being done.

(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

Delays in delivery 
At the request of the "Krone", ÖBB provided the following information: "Due to additional costs, the cost calculation had to be re-evaluated and the corresponding financing (also with the state and municipality) had to be secured. Unfortunately, the last planned completion of the multifunctional building including toilet facilities could not be completed on schedule due to delivery delays."

Hope dies last
No completion date was given. Spring 2025 is reportedly under discussion - hope dies last.