Extensive works on the railway tunnels will make it necessary to interrupt the service connecting Merano/Meran and Tel/Töll until most likely summer 2022. Efforts to electrify the Venosta/Vinschgau valley railway line are also still under way.
With a heavy focus on adapting the infrastructure as well as on improving the safety of rail traffic and the tunnels more generally, the construction and maintenance works on the Monte Giuseppe/Josefsberg and Tel/Töll railway tunnels will start on 22 November 2021 and are expected to last until summer next year. The profile of the Monte Giuseppe/Josefsberg tunnel in particular will be expanded and the entire structure will be brought in line with European requirements regarding tunnel safety: Among other things, a footpath including a handrail will be built on the inside to ensure increased safety levels in the event of evacuation measures.
STA – Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige SpA/ Südtiroler Transportstrukturen AG – has also commissioned maintenance and repair works to be carried out on the track infrastructure during the closure, which is necessary in view of the electrification of the railway line and the doubled capacity that will come with it.
Replacement buses between Merano/Meran and Tel/Töll
During the works, the tracks between the two stations will remain closed: All trains will be suspended and rail replacement services will be provided. To keep journey times to a minimum and ensure that passengers can make their connection at either station, bus services will run between the train stations of Merano/Meran and Tel/Töll without intermediate stops.
Please note that the replacement buses will not stop at the train stations of Lagundo/Algund and Marlengo/Marling, which can instead be reached by taking the buses with the numbers 212, 213 or 217. In the evenings, there will be three additional journeys between Merano/Meran, Lagundo/Algund and Marlengo/Marling on the 212 bus route to make sure that public transport remains available to all passengers travelling later on in the day.
In the early mornings, three of the four replacement buses will first travel to Merano/Meran train station and then directly to the Luis Zuegg school complex to allow all students to be there in time for the start of school. Those three services will depart from Tel/Töll train station at 07:23 and arrive at the Luis Zuegg school complex at 07:43.
Please note: There will be no ticket validation machines on board the replacement buses – so please remember to check in and validate your ticket at the station, i.e. before you board. A ticket validation machine will be installed outside the pedestrian underpass at Merano/Meran station. In addition, Südtirol Pass and Euregio Family Pass holders can also use their smartphone to check in and validate their ticket before departing.
Venosta/Vinschgau valley railway: minor timetable changes
The remainder of the Venosta/Vinschgau valley railway line, i.e. all journeys between Tel/Töll and Malles/Mals, will continue to operate regularly. To ensure that passengers make their connection both in Merano/Meran and Tel/Töll, there will be a few minor adaptations to some departure times from 22 November 2021.