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Bolzano, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Scenic routes

Over the Brenner

Munich · Innsbruck · Bolzano · Verona · Venice

Timetable-checked:4 trains · 6h 48m on board
5-6 daysSuggested duration
5 stopsIconic cities
ClassicAlpine crossing
Lower CO₂Than flying

“Beer to wine, mountains to lagoon.”

Suggested
5-6 days
Stops
5
On board
6h 48m

Classic · Timetable-checked · Lower CO₂ than flying

Overview

Merchants, armies and pilgrims have crossed the Brenner for two thousand years. Today the railway carries you over the lowest main pass of the Alps in an afternoon, through three countries and two cultures.

“Three countries, one old road south.”

The route

  1. Munich, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsMunich · 1 nightBeer gardens, palaces and art.
    DB Fernverkehr AGICE 8309:33 → 11:18 · 1h 45mTimetable-checked
    ICE 83 · DB Fernverkehr AGOstbahnhof → Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof09:33 → 11:18
    1. OstbahnhofDep 09:33
    2. RosenheimArr 10:12 · Dep 10:13
    3. KufsteinArr 10:34 · Dep 10:36
    4. Wörgl HbfArr 10:44 · Dep 10:46
    5. JenbachArr 10:58 · Dep 11:00
    6. Innsbruck HauptbahnhofArr 11:18
  2. Innsbruck, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsInnsbruck · 1 nightAn imperial town hemmed in by peaks.
    Österreichische Bundesbahnen8909:24 → 11:27 · 2h 3mTimetable-checked
    89 · Österreichische BundesbahnenInnsbruck Hauptbahnhof → Bolzano/Bozen09:24 → 11:27
    1. Innsbruck HauptbahnhofDep 09:24
    2. Brennero/BrennerArr 10:00 · Dep 10:14
    3. Fortezza/FranzensfesteArr 10:44 · Dep 10:46
    4. Bressanone/BrixenArr 10:55 · Dep 10:56
    5. Bolzano/BozenArr 11:27
  3. Bolzano, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsBolzano · 1 nightWhere Austria and Italy meet.
    TrenitaliaREG 1603308:31 → 10:19 · 1h 48mTimetable-checked
    REG 16033 · TrenitaliaBolzano → Verona Porta Nuova08:31 → 10:19
    1. BolzanoDep 08:31
    2. OraArr 08:42 · Dep 08:43
    3. MezzocoronaArr 08:55 · Dep 08:56
    4. TrentoArr 09:08 · Dep 09:10
    5. CallianoArr 09:19 · Dep 09:20
    6. RoveretoArr 09:26 · Dep 09:27
    7. AlaArr 09:36 · Dep 09:37
    8. DomegliaraArr 09:57 · Dep 09:58
    9. Verona Porta NuovaArr 10:19
  4. Verona, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsVerona · 1 nightRoman stones and a summer opera.
    TrenitaliaFR 971010:00 → 11:12 · 1h 12mTimetable-checked
    FR 9710 · TrenitaliaVerona Porta Nuova → Venezia S.Lucia10:00 → 11:12
    1. Verona Porta NuovaDep 10:00
    2. VicenzaArr 10:25 · Dep 10:27
    3. PadovaArr 10:44 · Dep 10:46
    4. Venezia MestreArr 11:00 · Dep 11:02
    5. Venezia S.LuciaArr 11:12
  5. Venice, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsVenice · 1 nightA city of water at the journey's end.

Timetable-checked on 3 October 2026 for travel on 2026-10-04 · Data: DELFI / Deutschlandweite Sollfahrplandaten, Trenitalia national NeTEx

Suggested tickets

Suggestions only. Trainlink doesn't sell tickets: check prices, coverage and reservation rules with the seller.

The experience

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Munich, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Munich - The Bavarian capitalMunich
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Royal Munich

Munich was the capital of the Bavarian kings, and their Residenz palace sits in the heart of the city. Marienplatz, the main square, is watched over by the neo-Gothic town hall and its mechanical clock. Much of the centre was rebuilt after the war, but carefully.

Art and green space

The Alte Pinakothek holds one of the world's great collections of old master paintings. The English Garden is one of Europe's largest city parks. At its edge, surfers ride a standing wave on the Eisbach stream.

Weisswurst and pretzelsFood

Munich's white sausage is traditionally eaten before midday, with sweet mustard and a pretzel. Beer gardens serve roast chicken and radishes under chestnut trees.

OktoberfestTraditions

The Oktoberfest starts in late September and fills the Theresienwiese with beer tents and rides. Many locals wear traditional dress for it.

Munich → Innsbruck09:12 → 11:272h 15mdirectTimetable-checked

Into the Inn valley

The line crosses the Bavarian lowlands to Rosenheim, where the Alps rise ahead. It then follows the river Inn into Austria past the fortress of Kufstein on its rock. Mountains close in on both sides as you approach Innsbruck.

Innsbruck, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Innsbruck - Capital of the AlpsInnsbruck
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The Habsburg city

Emperor Maximilian I made Innsbruck a favourite residence around 1500. The Golden Roof, a balcony covered in gilded tiles, was built so he could watch events in the square below. The Hofburg palace and the court church with its bronze statues are nearby.

Mountains in the city

A cable car climbs from the town centre to the Nordkette range, high above the rooftops. The Bergisel ski jump, designed by Zaha Hadid, overlooks the city from the south.

Tyrolean cookingFood

Try Tiroler Gröstl, fried potatoes with meat and a fried egg. Cheese dumplings in broth are the other local staple.

Innsbruck → Bolzano09:15 → 11:522h 37mdirectTimetable-checked

Over the Brenner Pass

South of Innsbruck the line climbs the Wipp valley, looping through tunnels and passing under the tall motorway bridge. It crosses the Brenner, the lowest of the main Alpine passes, straight into Italy. The descent follows the Isarco valley past castles, monasteries and the first vineyards.

Bolzano, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Bolzano - Between two worldsBolzano
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A bilingual city

Bolzano was part of Austria until 1919, and German and Italian are both spoken here. Its old town has long arcaded streets, the Laubengasse, lined with shops. Waltherplatz, the main square, sits below the Gothic cathedral.

The Iceman

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology holds Ötzi, a man who died in the Alps over five thousand years ago. He was found in a glacier in 1991 with his clothes and tools. Cable cars lift you from town to the high plateaus of the Dolomites.

Speck and LagreinFood

South Tyrolean smoked ham, speck, goes with bread dumplings called canederli. The local red wine is Lagrein, grown on the valley slopes.

Christmas marketTraditions

Every December the Christmas market fills Waltherplatz with wooden stalls. In autumn, farms open for Törggelen, a season of new wine and roast chestnuts.

Bolzano → Verona08:06 → 10:342h 28mdirectTimetable-checked

Down the Adige valley

The line follows the Adige south through a broad valley of vineyards and apple orchards. It passes Trento, then squeezes through a narrow gorge at the Chiusa di Verona. The mountains fall away and you arrive in the Veneto plain.

Verona, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Verona - The Roman cityVerona
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An ancient city

Verona was an important Roman city, and its arena is one of the best preserved in the world. The Ponte Pietra, a Roman stone bridge, still crosses the Adige. The medieval Scaliger family left fortified castles and elaborate tombs.

Castles and churches

Castelvecchio, the Scaliger castle, is now a fine art museum with a battlemented bridge. The Basilica of San Zeno is one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy.

Amarone risottoFood

Verona's rich red wine, Amarone, goes into its signature risotto. The Valpolicella hills just north of the city grow the grapes.

Opera in the arenaTraditions

Every summer the Arena hosts an opera festival under the stars. Audiences bring small candles for the start of the performance.

Verona → Venice09:45 → 11:171h 32mdirectTimetable-checked

Across the Veneto to the lagoon

The line crosses the Veneto plain past Padua and Vicenza, the city of the architect Palladio. The last stretch runs over a long causeway across the lagoon, with water on both sides. It is one of the most memorable arrivals in Europe.

Venice, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Venice - The lagoon cityVenice
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A maritime republic

Venice was a powerful trading republic for a thousand years, and its wealth built the palaces on the Grand Canal. The Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica show its power and its links to the East.

Beyond the crowds

The quieter districts of Cannaregio and Castello show everyday Venetian life. Vaporetto boats reach Murano with its glassworks and Burano with its painted houses.

CicchettiFood

Venetian bars serve cicchetti, small snacks eaten standing with a glass of wine. Look for creamed salt cod on bread.

A year on the waterTraditions

Carnival fills the city with masks every February. In July, the Redentore festival ends with fireworks over the lagoon, and in September the historic regatta races along the Grand Canal.

Practical info

Booking

Trainlink doesn't sell tickets. Check each leg with the operator or a retailer before you travel.

Reservations

The direct trains over the Brenner are popular in summer; a seat reservation is recommended.

Languages

South Tyrol speaks German and Italian, and signs use both, so Bolzano is also called Bozen.

Best time to travel

September and October bring the wine harvest in South Tyrol and cooler days in Verona and Venice.

Trainlink plans journeys; operators and retailers sell the tickets.