Regional railway extension to Völs delayed until at least 2032

The regional railway linking Rum with Völs will not open before 2032, ORF reports. In Innsbruck, the service operates as tram line 5 and currently runs between Rum station and the Technik West stop.

The extension, being implemented by Innsbruck Public Transport on behalf of the Tyrol government, was originally scheduled for completion by 2030. It will create a second rail connection through the Innsbruck region alongside the ÖBB network, running from Rum in the east to Völs in the west.

Passengers from the Oberland travelling to western Innsbruck will eventually be able to change trains in Völs instead of travelling to the city centre first. The connection is expected to shorten journeys to workplaces, schools and other destinations in the western districts, while also easing pressure on the existing ÖBB route, according to Innsbruck Public Transport managing director Ekkehard Allinger-Csollich.

Three bridges will be built to carry the railway over the Inn, a motorway and a main road on its way to Völs station. The route will also serve the Cyta shopping centre.

Documents for railway approval are being prepared and are due to be submitted to the authorities in autumn 2026. The approval process is expected to take about six months, after which construction tenders and contracts will be prepared. Major construction work is currently expected to begin in 2028.

The section to Kranebitten could potentially open as early as 2030, Allinger-Csollich said, while the full route to Völs is scheduled to enter service in 2032.

The project is estimated to cost more than 60 million euros. The federal government and Tyrol will each provide half of the funding. Political commitments have already been made, and the financing agreements are expected to be signed by the end of 2026.