Frecciarossa tests delayed, pushing Austria Germany launch to 2027
Thursday 3rd September 2026 on 06:45 in
Austria
Tests for Italy’s Frecciarossa high speed trains in Austria and Germany have started late, delaying the planned services to Munich via Innsbruck until summer 2027 at the earliest, ORF Tirol reported.
The test runs are part of the international approval process for the trains. Italian state railway FS announced the latest timetable on Wednesday.
In Austria, trains are being tested between Kufstein and the Brenner in Tyrol, and between Salzburg and Vienna. In Germany, testing is taking place on the Berlin Munich route and onward to Kufstein.
The railways also plan to exchange technical expertise as the trains are adapted to different power supply and signalling systems. Training for German and Austrian train staff has begun.
Frecciarossa is Trenitalia’s high speed train. The trains being used are designed to operate in several European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The planned connections from Milan and Rome to Munich via Innsbruck are intended to begin in summer 2027, depending on the outcome of the test runs. Christoph Gasser Mair, a spokesman for Austrian Federal Railways, confirmed to ORF Tirol that the delayed start of testing had pushed back the launch by six months.