Brennero, Italy: Border Station Existence And Proximity To Austria

The Brenner Pass is a major transport route across the Alps, forming the border between Italy and Austria. The village of Brenner is located on the pass and is accessible by road and rail. The Brenner Railway, which was completed in 1867, is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck to Verona. The Brenner Railway passes through the Brenner Pass and has a station at Brenner, which is located at the border between Italy and Austria.

The Brenner Railway Station

The arrival of the railway transformed the village of Brenner, confirming it as the principal mountain pass for travellers and merchants. It also enabled the Austrian Empire to move troops more efficiently to secure its southern regions of modern-day Veneto and Lombardy. In 1919, following the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the Brenner station came 300 m (980 ft) south of the border due to the annexation of County of Tyrol's territory by Italy.

The station is currently managed by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), with Italian train services operated by Trenitalia and Austrian train services operated by ÖBB. The passenger building is a modest, three-storey structure with the ticket office, a waiting room, and a cafe on the ground floor. The station yard has 12 through tracks, with five equipped with platforms and four terminating tracks with bay platforms. All the platforms are connected by a pedestrian underpass.

The Brenner Pass

The Brenner Railway was the first trans-Alpine railway without a major tunnel and at high altitude. The railway enabled the Austrian Empire to move troops more efficiently to secure its territories of Venetia and Lombardy. However, these territories were lost to Italy following the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859 and the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

At the end of World War I, control of the Brenner Pass was shared between Italy and Austria under the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The pass was annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II but was returned to Italy after the war. Following World War II, the Brenner Pass once again formed the border between Italy and the newly independent Republic of Austria and remained an important trade route.

The Schengen Agreement

The Brenner Pass forms the border between Italy and Austria. The Brenner railway station, situated at 1,371 m above sea level, is the border station between the two countries.

In 1990, the Schengen Convention supplemented the agreement, proposing the complete abolition of systematic internal border controls and a common visa policy. The Schengen Area operates as a single state for international travel purposes, with external border controls for travellers entering and exiting, common visas, and no internal border controls. It currently consists of 29 European countries, covering a population of over 450 million people and an area of 4,595,131 square kilometres (1,774,190 sq mi).

Today, the Schengen Area encompasses most EU countries, except for Cyprus, Ireland, and the UK, which withdrew from the EU in 2020. Several non-EU countries, including Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, have also joined the Schengen Area through special association agreements.

The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Yes, there is a border station near Brennero, Italy, into Austria. The Brenner railway station, situated at 1,371 m above sea level, serves as the border station between Italy and Austria. It is located in the town of Brenner in the province of South Tyrol, northeastern Italy.

Now, onto the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

One of the significant outcomes of the treaty was the significant reduction of Austrian territory, amounting to over 60% of the prewar Austrian Empire's land. The Lands of the Bohemian Crown, such as Bohemia and Moravia, formed the core of the newly established Czechoslovakia. Austrian Silesia was split between Czech Silesia and Poland. The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was returned to the re-established Polish Republic, and the adjacent Bukovina passed to Romania.

Additionally, the southern half of the former Tyrolean crown land up to the Brenner Pass, including South Tyrol and Trentino, was ceded to Italy. This transfer of territory was a result of the Treaty of London (1915), which had secretly promised Italy the regions south of the Brenner Pass if they joined the Entente Powers during World War I. The treaty also addressed war reparations, with Austria being made liable for substantial sums, although no exact amount was ever defined or collected.

The Village of Brenner

Gossensaß, the main village and administrative centre, dates back 4,000 years. It was a place to prepare for the Brenner Pass, which was under frequent use during prehistoric times. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the village prospered due to silver mining. Today, tourism is a significant contributor to the local economy, especially during the winter when the ski resort in Ladurns is open.

The construction of the Brenner Railway transformed the village's planimetry. The railway's completion in 1867 opened a new era for the village, confirming the Brenner Pass as the principal mountain pass for travellers and merchants. The arrival of the railway also led to the development of new infrastructure, such as the Grand Hotel near Brenner Bad, which attracted tourists to the area.

Frequently asked questions