Alpine Tour Bus Rollover In Germany Kills Two, Fifteen Passengers Injured On Mountain Road

Munich, Germany— Two people died and 15 were injured Saturday when a tour bus carrying hikers rolled over on an Alpine road in southern Germany.

The crash happened at 11:20 a.m. on October 25, 2026 on the B305 near Reit im Winkl, close to the Austrian border. The bus was descending a 9 percent grade after a morning stop at a mountain viewpoint. It left the lane on a left-hand curve, hit a stone barrier, and tipped onto its side.

The bus carried 34 passengers, most of them German retirees returning from a two-day Alpine tour. Luggage compartments burst open. Windows shattered. Several passengers were thrown against the opposite side of the aisle.

German Federal Police said the driver survived and told officers the brakes felt soft before the curve. Investigators found a 30-meter skid mark leading to the impact point. The road was dry. No other vehicle was involved.

"We had to cut the roof to get people out. The bus was lying on its door side," a Bavarian Red Cross team leader said. "Some passengers were pinned under seats. We stabilized the vehicle first so it would not slide further down the embankment."

Deutsche Welle reported that two women, aged 67 and 71, died at the scene from chest trauma. Fifteen others were taken to hospitals in Traunstein and Ruhpolding. Four had serious injuries, including spinal fractures and internal bleeding. The rest were treated for cuts and broken limbs.

The tour company, based in Rosenheim, said the driver had 22 years of experience and the bus was three years old. The vehicle’s last brake inspection was logged in August. Tachograph and brake fluid samples were taken for analysis.

The B305 was closed for seven hours. Alpine rescue helicopters landed on the road. A mobile crisis unit was set up in a nearby inn for uninjured passengers and families.

Federal police said speed was likely a factor, but mechanical failure has not been ruled out. The bus company’s operations permit was suspended pending the technical report.

The wreck was righted late afternoon and towed to a police compound. Passengers’ belongings remained scattered along the guardrail.