Travel nightmare: commuters between Munich and Salzburg are stranded for days!

Travel nightmare: commuters between Munich and Salzburg are stranded for days!

On August 26, 2025, numerous travelers on the BRB trip from Munich to Salzburg experienced a real nightmare. What was planned as a relaxing trip quickly turned into an odyssey: the departure at 9:55 a.m. ended with the arrival in Salzburg almost six hours later, instead of at 11:42 a.m. as planned.

The reason for the massive delay was cable damage in East Munich. The passengers were first evacuated from the train and had to take the S-Bahn to Ostbahnhof, where a railway employee recommended that travelers take a train to Kufstein and change there in Rosenheim. But the situation remained chaotic: a direct offer for a train to Salzburg from Ostbahnhof was soon withdrawn and travelers were told to return to the main station.

Insights into the situation of travelers

At the main station the confusion was complete: a train to Kufstein was announced on platform 9, but turned out to be wrong. Finally, the passengers learned patience the hard way: After the platform had to be changed, the passengers on platform 17 were faced with the choice between two trains that were supposed to go to Salzburg. Unfortunately, only one of them turned out to be the right one.

The problems came at a time when there were already many train cancellations and hours-long delays between Munich and Salzburg. A railway spokeswoman reported massive restrictions on regional and long-distance traffic caused by unplanned delays in construction work between Rosenheim and Freilassing. Passengers reported delays of up to three hours, and many were stranded at the train station in Salzburg. The platforms were overcrowded and some travelers managed to get to Freilassing by S-Bahn.

Current situation and outlook

The ÖBB has already reported delays of up to 120 minutes and warned that the disruption could last until Tuesday afternoon. The route between Rosenheim and Freilassing was fully passable apart from a short single-track section, which further increased the backlog. People had to prepare for continued uncomfortable travel conditions, as further construction work on the route between Rosenheim and Munich had already been announced for the first half of August.

The train finally passed Lake Chiemsee at 2:20 p.m. and the passengers arrived in Salzburg at 3:04 p.m. Despite the chaos, the employee at the Ostbahnhof was positively mentioned for his efforts to inform travelers. Amid the hustle and bustle, this was a bright spot for passengers struggling through the inconvenience.

Fans of the rail connection between Munich and Salzburg should be prepared for delays and restrictions in the coming weeks. Stay informed to plan better.

As the Mercury reported, and in the current reports from BR can be read, the situation remains tense. Interested readers can find further information at ORF Salzburg.