Trains and other things: Berlin to Innsbruck

Day 3 starts in Berlin. Today I will cover around 750km and end up in Innsbruck.

Berlin Hbf in the morning

My first train is the ICE service to Munich

There are many trains nowadays between Berlin and Munich, the fastest ICE Sprinter (operated with ICE3) takes only 4h, but unfortunately no such service was available during Christmas days. This ICE service operated with 1st generation of ICE trains takes 5h20min.

Until Erfurt I could enjoy a whole compartment just for myself

Passing by Halle rail marshalling yard

After leaving Halle, the train is travelling on the Halle-Erfurt high speed railway, which was the first part of the "German Unity Rail Project no 8.1" (Verkehrsprojekt Deutsche Einheit Schiene, VDE 8.1).

This line was opened in 2015

Here is a short video taken when travelling on VDE 8.1

Erfurt

The next part of VDE 8.1 opened in 2017 between Erfurt and Nuremeberg.

After grey weather in the north, it is getting sunny in the region of Bayern

At Nuremberg there is a longer stop, as the train is changing direction here

The restaurant coach is empty now so I can have my lunch

Suddenly the weather is changed again, from sunny to foggy

This ICE train is taking a bit longer route through Donauwörth and Augsburg on the way to Munich

When approaching Munich the sun is back again

The train was on time all the way until Munich Hbf, as it was announced that there is a "Signal box problem/failure" at the Munich Hbf, and as a result the train arrived almost 30min later.

I was planning to change trains here at Munich Hbf, but it turned out that due to this failure, my next train was departing from Munich Ost station, so I had to take S-Bahn train over there.

Munich Hbf

After a quick trip with S-Bahn, I am at Munich Ost

Most of the trains eastbound were delayed to the signal issue. Here is Eurocity Brenner train

ÖBB 1216 locomotive "Taurus" for services to Italy

My next destination is Kufstein, and I have an option to take either Eurocity train or Meridian Regional service

Hector Rail locomotives can be seen not only in Sweden

Inside the Eurocity Brenner train

Since 2013 service provider Meridian is operating the route from Munich eastbound. Stadler Flirt trains are used for these services

I'm taking the Meridian service to Kufstein

Zebra trains

I'm approaching Alps

At the station Kiefersfelden, which is just before Kufstein I decide to exit and continue by foot.

Kiefersfelden is the last stop in Germany located along the Rosenheim-Kufstein railway

Railjet services between Innsbruck and Vienna are using this line through Germany

ÖBB Class 1116

The route I'm taking is following the river Inn and the railway

Crossing the German-Austrian border by foot

Somewhere here is the border between the two countries

I had expected to see some freight trains on this route, but there was nothing during my almost 1h long walk. Perhaps the reason is Christmas holidays...