Tram construction in Johanneskirchen: Government stops municipal utilities again!

Tram construction in Johanneskirchen: Government stops municipal utilities again!

The planned tram route in Johanneskirchen is once again on the brink. On July 3, 2025, the Munich municipal utility company (SWM) was supposed to start taking soil tests on the route, but this work was canceled due to an urgent message from the government of Upper Bavaria (ROB). The ROB advises the SWM to refrain from further investigations for the time being, as the approval of the responsible supervisory authority is still pending. The construction stop comes at an unfortunate time, as preparations for the 700-meter-long tram connection from Cosimastraße to Johanneskirchen S-Bahn station should actually have already begun.

This delay is not the first: there have been problems with the project in the past. In 2023, tree felling and pipe laying were stopped because the legal opinions were misinterpreted. The municipal utilities have also expressed different views on the legal situation in the current approval process. A lawyer who represents opponents of the route construction sees the current situation as another glitch in a series of mishaps surrounding the Johanneskirchen tram.

Building permit and preparations

In order to be able to continue the work, the municipal utilities would have to submit an application for approval and explain the need for soil testing. The preparatory work for the tram route, which seriously endangers 149 trees, including 89 under the tree protection regulations, was also stopped. Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) is demanding that the trees along the route be preserved, which is met with resistance from residents who complain about noise pollution and the loss of green space.

These ongoing difficulties with the tram project in Johanneskirchen may have a negative impact on the planning and implementation of new transport solutions in Munich. The Munich Transport Company (MVG) is planning the new Westtangente tram route, which will connect five districts in the west of Munich. This measure is intended to significantly improve the traffic situation.

moment in transport policy

The MVG has already announced that implementation of the Westtangente project will begin after receiving the planning approval notice. The first section, which runs between Agnes-Bernauer-Straße and Ammerseestraße, is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2025. The construction is divided into several sections, and a lot of work is already being done on the transport infrastructure in the neighboring districts, such as the installation of water and gas.

With over 3,700 trees in the project area, around 90 percent are expected to be preserved, which will reassure residents and environmentalists. It will be an exciting time for Munich's transport policy: While the municipal utilities are struggling with the challenges of the tram route in Johanneskirchen, the MVG is promising progress in other areas that are intended to improve mobility in the city.

The current situation is a clear indication of how complex and challenging infrastructure projects can be. With so many people involved and opinions, it remains to be seen how the situation surrounding the tram route in Johanneskirchen will develop. tz.de and sueddeutsche.de continuously report on the latest developments, while the MVG holds out the prospect of new building permits and informs citizens about the progress of the tram west tangent. mvg.de provides exciting insights into the planned measures for better networking in Munich. The people of Munich are eagerly awaiting the next steps.