Overview
- In late May 2026 Deutsche Bahn announced it will replace a single nearly five‑month full closure with a two‑phase Korridorsanierung that begins preparatory S‑Bahn work in autumn 2027, includes an eight‑week full mainline closure mid‑February to mid‑April 2028, and schedules further works in the first half of 2031 that could last up to 16 weeks.
- The first phase centers on technical upgrades: old relay signal boxes will be swapped for electronic interlockings and the corridor will be prepared for the European Train Control System (ETCS) to improve reliability and capacity.
- Immediate local disruptions are already planned and affecting travelers, notably the Werdenfelsbahn full closure from 1–15 June 2026 and multiple S‑Bahn weekend and section restrictions across June with replacement buses and altered timetables.
- Bavarian politicians hailed the reversal after sustained pressure, while the freight industry group Verband Die Güterbahnen says the split could mean equal or greater total disruption, complains of poor consultation, and urges more single‑track phasing and upgrades to diversion routes.
- The Munich–Rosenheim work is part of a multi‑billion Korridorsanierung program funded by the federal Sondervermögen that aims to cut disturbances long term and ready the line for connected projects such as the Brenner Base Tunnel.