Border controls lead to catastrophic traffic jams at the Scharnitz tunnel!

Border controls lead to catastrophic traffic jams at the Scharnitz tunnel!

traffic jam on the Austrian-German border: On June 27, 2025, the traffic lights on the southern portal of the Scharnitz tunnel switch to red. The increased entry controls of the federal police are to blame for this, which are carried out on the instructions of Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU). The changed conditions have led to massive traffic problems that extend to Zirl and lead particularly strong delays for returnees from the Bavarian Pentecost holidays. Scharnitz ’Mayor Christian Hersberger speaks of a" catastrophe ", while the speed at the checkpoints is reduced to just ten kilometers per hour.

The situation also exacerates by the blocking of the upstream of Scharnitz bypass tunnel, which is temporarily closed at traffic jams - a so -called block clearance. "It is a serious challenge for our rescue workers who have to be quickly in town," emphasizes Mayor Sieberberger, who sees himself limited in his possibility of action and urgently demands decisions at a higher level to cope with traffic chaos.

alternative routes and careful relaxation

Previous feedback shows that more and more holidaymakers are choosing alternative routes via the Leutascher valley to avoid traffic jams. Mayor Georgios Chrysochoidis from Leutasch sees the relocation, but describes it as "noticeable, but not dramatic". Nevertheless, it is particularly the traffic jams around the Porta Claudia tunnel that lead to frustration among drivers, since this was intended as a relief measure.

dr. Rainer Scharf, the spokesman for the federal police in Rosenheim, defends the controls and explains that it is not in the interests of the authority to produce traffic jams. Rather, the goal is to contain smuggling crime. The discussion about reinforced border controls is not new: The EU Interior Minister of the EU recently advised on such measures in Luxembourg to also ensure security within the Union.

background of the controls

not only in Germany, but also in other EU countries such as Austria and due to security policy considerations, controls at internal limits have already been introduced. In view of the increasing violence and extreme dangers, for example in connection with the conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Israel, a restrictive control is necessary from the perspective of many politicians. EU interior ministers discuss the opportunity to expand such controls in response to security concerns, whereby the conditions for this are defined in the Schengen border code. These measures can be carried out at short notice and temporarily in order to react appropriately to possible threats, which temporarily influences travel in our neighboring countries.

For this reason, it remains to be seen for the travelers who were stuck for this reason whether the situation at the border will relax in the coming days and what measures the responsible people will take to solve the traffic problems sustainably.

For more information and current developments, you can report the reporting of Merkur href = "https://www.tz.de/muenchen/leine-katastrophe-staufalle-an-der-zu-bayern- Reueckeger-Fest-93801243.html"> tz as well as BPB keep an eye on.