Characteristics
The A22 – the Brennero motorway – connects the Po Valley and the A1 motorway with Austria and Germany. The A22’s 314 km connects Modena to the Brennero across four regions: South Tyrol, Veneto, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna. The motorway has two, 3.75 m lanes per direction (northbound and southbound)l and a 2.5 m hard shoulder which widens to 3.5 m between Egna and Verona so it can be used as a dynamic lane. The route boasts a difference in height of 1,300 m and features 31.2 km of bridges and viaducts, 30 unidirectional tunnels, and 146 overpasses.
FACTS AND FIGURES
314 km motorway
1,325 hm from 50 to 1,375 asl
142 bridges and viaducts (31.2 km)
30 unidirectional tunnels (12.6 km)
146 km motorway overpasses
24 tollgates
22 service stations
1 museum rest area
COMMERCIAL INFORMATION (TOLLS)
6 Service Centres
TRAFFIC, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPPORT
1 User Assistance Centre (CAU)
1 Motorway Operation Centre (COA)
4 Subsections, Highway Patrol Officers
6 Motorway Safety Centres (CSA)
> A22 map
BRIDGES AND VIADUCTS
The Brennero motorway has 142 bridges and viaducts and 146 overpasses.
A bridge is the extension of the road as it detaches from the ground to overcome natural or manmade obstacles. Nature is as different as it comes, and so are bridges. These feats of engineering transform the surroundings and adapt them to the needs of people. The structures therefore become part of and merge into their surroundings. The resulting landscape is different from the previous one and, inevitably, has a different, unavoidable impact on the observer. For these reasons, when planning and developing the upgrade of overpasses, the A22 aims to build architectural infrastructures which can enrich the local landscape while reducing their environmental impact as much as possible. It aims to plan and build modern and efficient infrastructures which are also aesthetically pleasing, high-quality projects which are both functional while also symbolically charging the surrounding area. Maintenance is aimed to adapt these infrastructures to increase their load-bearing capacity in line with new norms, and adapt them to seismic guidelines and their geometrical and functional profile in line with current mobility demands and regulations.
TUNNELS
The Brennero motorway has 30 unidirectional tunnels boasting a total of 12.6 km. There are four double-barrel tunnels over 500 m: the Brennero, Fortezza, Bolzano (Virgolo) and Trento (Piedicastello) tunnels.
Motorway tunnels are adapted and upgraded to improve their structure and equipment. They’re also used for experimental studies to prevent and limit all events which may put somebody’s life at risk, threaten the environment or their structural integrity.
> TUNNELS
OVERPASSES
There are 146 motorway overpasses: most of them have been upgraded and they were planned to have as little of an impact on the environment as possible while also aesthetically enhancing the area.
TOLLGATES
There are 24 tollgates on the A22. The toll is calculated based on the entry and exit toll booth.
During the years, the tollgates have been modernised and equipped with new technologies. Today, all tollgates are enabled for contactless payments and have dedicated Telepass Europe lanes: these innovations reduce “stop and go” phenomena, making them a valid service for motorway users.
>> download the list
SERVICE STATIONS
There are 22 service stations on the A22: 11 for each direction (southbound and northbound) placed every 30 km. Non-oil and oil services – respectively café and food and fuel distribution – are managed 24/7 by applicants who’ve won a public tender published by the company. The company regularly carries out rigorous audits, especially regarding prices for both categories, location cleanliness, and customer service. If Autostrada del Brennero finds violations, it implements pertinent measures or applies sanctions as outlined in the tender specifications. You can visit the company’s website and look at all services offered in each service station as well as non-oil and oil prices. When refurbishing a service station, the work aims to improve the layout and introduce new services as well as enhance the existing buildings and integrate them into the landscape. The company’s investment plans also focus on energy as a key priority, which will be achieved by installing solar panels and innovative technologies. The plans also include the expansion of e-charging stations.
> Service stations list and services
HGV REST AREA
Autostrada del Brennero has different rest areas for HGVs to allow drivers to rest as regulated by the law (EC Regulation 561/2006, entered into force in 2007). For years the company has been committed to improving and upgrading these areas. Some of them are part of regular service stations (Paganella Est, Paganella Ovest, Campogalliano Ovest); one of them is located near the Plessi Museum; another is just a short distance away (ex dogana Ovest); the other five are in the Sadobre car park, Brennero Casa Lupo, Firmian, Trento Nord Interporto, Rovereto Sud and are exclusively for HGV drivers. Here, drivers can avail themselves of the following services: toilets, showers, food, refreshment area with vending machines, laundrette. They will also be able to use supply, de-icing, and power facilities for their refrigerator trucks. The areas feature lights and CCTV as well as other services – updates on traffic, the weather, accidents displayed on screens as well as cash dispensers. To offer improved services to HGV drivers, Autostrada del Brennero decided to become the coordinator of the PASS4CORE-ITA-2 project submitted as part of the process for the European CEF-T-2021-SAFEMOBGEN tender. The goal is to develop a network of safe rest areas for HGV drivers on the TEN-T Italian road network. These areas will be equipped with the highest safety, security, quality, connectivity, and transparency standards in line with the results of the MOVE/C1/2017-500 study on car parks. The company’s objective is to certify the “Sadobre”, “Interporto di Trento Nord” and “Rovereto Sud” rest areas as “Safe & Secure” as outlined in the Delegated Regulation (UE) 2022/1012 of the European Commission of 7 April 2022. Rovereto Sud was awarded the “Silver Level” in 2024. However, the company has its sights on the “Bronze Level” for Sadobre and the “Silver Level” for the “Interporto Trento Nord”. Each level certifies guarantees and services. The minimum obligatory requisites interest two areas: security and services. The latter includes functioning toilets divided by gender with an affixed, public cleaning schedule; availability of showers; bins, adequate road signage, the possibility of purchasing and consuming food and beverages 24/7 (restaurant and vending machines); free Wi-Fi and power chargers for personal use. The areas also need to have a visible poster with rules, legislation, and emergency contacts. The security measures include controlling the perimeter, entries and exits, and the parking area. Tangible measures, to name but a few, will be the correct installation of infrastructure and equipment and ensuring their adequate functioning and good maintenance (fences, gates, barriers, cameras); reliability and functioning of the CCTV and lighting system; 24/7 support to users; visible information on how to submit a complaint to the relevant authority; and staff training. Guaranteeing rest areas with quality security standards impacts a drivers’ performance and translates into a more serene rest and smoother journey.
> HGV rest area list
CAR PARKS
Autostrada del Brennero created light vehicle car parks near the exit of all tollgates to favour vehicle optimisation, and contributing to reduce environmental and noise pollution. The Bressanone, Rovereto Sud, Affi, and Mantova Nord car parks feature e-vehicle charging stations.
