Austria - General Information
Country Name
Austria (Österreich)
National Railway System
National Railway Operator
Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB).
Language
German, which differs in certain respects from the version spoken in Germany. One notable difference which can often be seen in timetables is that the month of January is Jänner rather than standard German Januar.
Currency
Euro
UIC code
numeric 81; alpha A.
Timetable
Journey Planner
Actual Train Times
Downloadable Timetable
Individual tables can be downloaded here - the route plan under Bahnnetz gives table numbers.
Printed Timetable
ÖBB no longer publish a complete printed timetable, but do issue timetable booklets for each route (usually available only in the area in question). Table numbers can be found from the downloadable timetable under Bahnnetz.
Engineering Information
This page provides a pictorial map for each month by Region giving the locations and dates of engineering work on the ÖBB network.
In the summer months many sections of line can be closed, with bus replacement services operating, for several weeks: it pays to check the ÖBB 'Scotty' Journey Planner carefully.
Bus Information
The ÖBB 'Scotty' Journey Planner can also be used to plan bus journeys. The Journey Planner provides a complete database of all means of public transport in Austria.
Maps
Printed Maps
- Eisenbahnatlas Österreich by Schweers + Wall.
- European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball.
- European Railway Atlas (Regional Series - Austria) by M.G. Ball.
Web-based Maps
- An overall system map is provided at ÖBB Netzkarte.
- Sporenplan has a number of on-line schematic track diagrams. Click on "Sporenplannen" on the left hand side for a map showing the countries covered.
- Map of Austria and Map of Wien both dated December 2022 - on the Railroad Maps site.
- Maps and Plans - Austria.
Ticketing
Introduction
Ticketing in Austria is much simpler than for example in Germany. Flexible single and return tickets are valid on any type of train without variation in price. As with most European railways, train-specific Advance tickets are available at lower prices than flexible tickets. Rover tickets are available in all Länder (regions) or, for small groups, across almost the entire country.
Single Tickets
Flexible tickets for are known as ÖBB Standard-Tickets. The price is the same irrespective of the type of train used. For longer journeys, tickets are valid for two days, except for local journeys within tariff areas where they are only valid for one day. They are fully refundable before the first day of validity. Break of journey is permitted. If purchasing a return ticket, the planned date of the return journey must be given and then the holder has that day and, on longer journeys, the next day to make the return trip.
For journeys wholly within tariff areas, cheaper flexible tickets may be available but have restrictions, such as only being able to be used within two hours of the stated time, and without break of journey.
Advance tickets are known as Sparscheine and are available on journeys where at least one leg is on a long-distance service (IC/EC/ICE/RJ/RJX). The specified long-distance train must be used and tickets are non-refundable. Slightly dearer Sparscheine-Komfort tickets are also available which come with a free seat reservation and are refundable.
An overview of Standard and Sparscheine tickets is on the ÖBB website here.
Discount Cards
ÖBB offers a range of annual discount cards known as Vorteilscards (Advantage Cards) which give a 50% discount on Standard-Tickets, but no discount on Sparscheine (Advance) tickets. Cards available include:
- Vorteilscard Classic: No age restriction. Available online or at ticket offices. Costs €99 per year, but only €66 if it is a renewal before the existing card expires.
- Vorteilscard 66: Same as a Vorteilscard Classic but available through the ÖBB website or App only, at €66 per year.
- Vorteilscard Senior: For over 65s at €29 per year. For journeys wholly within a tariff association (TA) (Verkehrsverbund) area, the TA's own tickets are offered with a Senior discount only with the Vorteilscard Senior. This discount is also given on TA tickets for regional buses and urban transport, except in Vorarlberg, where only rail journeys are discounted. The only journeys where a Senior discount is offered without the need for a Vorteilscard are some short journeys within cities such as Wien or Innsbruck.
- Vorteilscard Jugend: For under 26s at €19 per year. Can be bought up to one day before your 26th birthday.
- Vorteilscard Family: Allows up to four children between 6 and 14 years old, inclusive, to travel free of charge with one adult holder for €19 per year. Only valid on a few non-ÖBB railways.
All the above Vorteilscards except the Vorteilscard Family also offer discounts on most local non-ÖBB railways such as the Raaberbahn (GySEV), the Mariazellerbahn, Stern & Hafferl and the Zillertalbahn, plus the CAT (City Airport Train) in Wien. Purely tourist railways are not included.
Westbahn trains offer discounts on their flexible WESTflexpreis tickets for Vorteilscard holders plus holders of other European railway discount cards such as DB Bahncard and SBB Halbtax.
All Vorteilscards offer unlimited free 2nd Class travel throughout Austria on ÖBB and participating private operators' services on the holder's birthday.
It is possible, perhaps mandatory in certain circumstances, to pay for a Vorteilscard by SEPA direct debit mandate. For information on this, see the ECB's SEPA website.
Details of these offers are on the ÖBB website. This can be switched to English if desired.
Rover Tickets
The Einfach-Raus Ticket allows groups of between two and five people to travel almost anywhere in Austria on local ÖBB and Raaberbahn (GySEV) services (S-Bahn, R, CJX and REX trains). Journeys that start or end in Land Vorarlberg (west of St. Anton im Arlberg, exclusive) are not permitted. A base fare is charged for two people with a small additional charge for each extra person. Tickets are valid after 09:00 on weekdays and at any time at weekends. Details are on the ÖBB website here.
All Länder (regions) have low-priced day rover tickets, known as Freizeit-Tickets, that cover the entire Land. These are all valid on all public transport in the Land concerned, with the exception of long-distance (IC/EC/ICE/RJ/RJX) and night (NJ) services. They have varying validity conditions, as follows:
- Kärnten (Carinthia): Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, for one person.
- Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Wien & Burgenland: Available with or without Wien, on Saturdays and Sundays only, for one adult and up to two children. Includes Raaberbahn (GySEV), Mariazellerbahn, Citybahn Waidhofen and Wiener Lokalbahn. A Wochenend-Ticket (Weekend Ticket) is also available, with or without Wien. It is valid from 12:00 on Friday to 24:00 on Sunday, also for one adult and up to two children.
- Oberösterreich (Upper Austria): Not before 09:00 on weekdays. Up to two adults and four children.
- Salzburg: No weekday time restriction. Up to two adults and four children.
- Steiermark (Styria): Available on Saturdays and Sundays only, for one person.
- Tirol: No weekday time restriction. Up to two adults and three children.
- Vorarlberg: No weekday time restriction. For one person.
Weekly and longer-period tickets are available in many Länder, also day tickets for city areas or smaller parts of a Land.
Details of all the above tickets are available on the ÖBB website's regional offers page.
Westbahn
Frequent train services branded as "Westbahn" operate between Wien, Salzburg and München/Innsbruck/Bregenz. Westbahn is a separate company with its own ticketing structure and their tickets are not valid on ÖBB services, nor vice versa, except in cases of extreme disruption.
InterRail/Eurail
InterRail/Eurail Global and One Country Passes are valid on Westbahn, Raaberbahn (GySEV) and RegioJet services as well as those of ÖBB.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Authority
Infrastructure is owned and managed by a public authority, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.
Network Statement
The Network Statement page gives access to the latest network statements.
Gauge
ÖBB is entirely standard gauge. Various Other Railways are narrow gauge, as noted below.
Electrification
15 kV 16.7 Hz. The electrification systems used by Other Railways are noted below. The following cross-border routes with Hungary are electrified at the Hungarian standard 25 kV 50 Hz:
- between Ebenfurth and Deutschkreutz via Sopron (Ebenfurth station area can be switched between the two voltages);
- between Neusiedl am See (exclusive) and Fertöszentmiklós (the electrification boundary is a few hundred metres south of Neusiedl station).
Rule of the road
Right-hand running, but with a few exceptions. Most double track lines are signalled for reversible working. Many lines in the east of the country were left-hand running in the past, a hangover from the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Wien - Graz line was left-hand running, but after Payerbach-Reichenau - Mürzzuschlag - Bruck a d Mur was converted to right-hand running at the December 2019 timetable change, only Bruck a d Mur - Graz - Leibnitz remains and ÖBB intends to convert this by the time the Koralmbahn opens in full. The only other line with left-hand running is Wien FJB - Tulln an der Donau - Absdorf-Hippersdorf, an isolated section of double track which will probably remain left-hand running.
Distances
The best source is the “Eisenbahnatlas Österreich”; see #Printed Maps.
Other Railways
Many of these are government (regional or local) owned, rather than owned by private companies. Table numbers in the Fahrpläne Österreich are shown in brackets and can also be found from the online timetable pages under Bahnnetz.
- Graz-Köflacher Eisenbahn: Graz Hbf – Köflach and Wies-Eibiswald (550 not shown)
- Montafonerbahn AG: Bludenz – Schruns (420). Electrified 15 kV 16.7 Hz
- Niederösterreich Bahnen
- St. Polten Hbf – Mariazell Mariazellerbahn (115) (760mm gauge) Electrified at 6.6 kV 25 Hz.
- Waidhofen an der Ybbs Bahnhof – Waidhofen an der Ybbs Pestalozzistraße Citybahn Waidhofen (132) (760mm gauge)
- Puchberg am Schneeberg – Hochschneeberg Schneebergbahn (523) (Metre gauge, rack operated)
- Gmünd NÖ – Groß Gerungs Waldviertelbahn (801) (760mm gauge)
- Gmünd NÖ – Litschau and Heidenreichstein Waldviertelbahn (802) (760mm gauge). The branch line from Alt Nagelberg to Heidenreichstein, while owned by Niederösterreich Bahnen, is operated and maintained by the private club Waldviertler Schmalspurbahnverein
- Krems an der Donau – Emmersdorf an der Donau Wachaubahn (811)
- Retz – Drosendorf Reblaus Express (941)
- Raab-Oedenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn AG: An international railway in joint Austrian and Hungarian ownership, better-known by its Hungarian name, Győr-Sopron Ebenfurti Vasút (GySEV). Raab and Oedenburg are the German names for Győr and Sopron respectively. The line from Ebenfurth to Sopron is electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz and used by dual-frequency GySEV trains between Sopron and Wien Hbf. GySEV also owns the line between Sopron and Győr, which is entirely in Hungary and electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz.
- [Wien Hbf –] Ebenfurth – Sopron [– Deutschkreutz] (512)
- GySEV also operated the line from Neusiedl am See to Fertőszentmiklós (731) until December 2020 when ÖBB took over operation of this line, which is owned by Neusiedler Seebahn GmbH (NSB). This was in exchange for GySEV becoming the sole operator on Wien – Ebenfurth – Sopron instead of sharing operation with ÖBB.
- Salzburg AG:
- St Wolfgang Schafbergbahnhof – Schafbergspitze Schafbergbahn (Salzkammergutbahn GmbH) (173 not shown) (metre gauge, rack operated)
- Salzburg Hbf (platforms 11 and 12) – Lamprechtshausen Salzburger Lokalbahn (210). Electrified 1000 V dc.
- Bürmoos – Trimmelkam – Ostermiething Salzburger Lokalbahn (210). Electrified 1000 V dc.
- Zell am See – Krimml Pinzgauerbahn (230) (760 mm gauge) Partly out of use owing to flood damage - see Temporary closures below
- Steiermarkbahn (StB) (Steiermarkbahn und Bus GmbH):
- Gleisdorf – Weiz Nord (531)
- Feldbach – Bad Gleichenberg (532) Electrified 1800 V dc. A daily service ran until 31 December 2020; a weekend-only service continues to run in summer, autumn and over the Christmas/New Year period.
- Peggau-Deutschfelstritz – Übelbach (540) Electrified 15 kV 16.7 Hz
- Unzmarkt – Tamsweg Murtalbahn (630) (760 mm gauge)
- Mixnitz – St Erhard (760 mm gauge) Electrified 800 V dc. This line is owned by RHI Magnesita N.V., but managed by StB. Occasional special passenger trains operate.
- Stern & Hafferl Verkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H.:
- Linz Hbf – Peuerbach and Neumarkt-Kallham LILO (143) Electrified 800 V dc, operated by dual-system EMUs into Linz Hbf on 15 kV 16.7 Hz
- Lambach – Vorchdorf-Eggenberg (160)
- Vorchdorf-Eggenberg – Gmunden Bahnhof (161) (metre gauge) Electrified 800 V dc
- Vöcklamarkt – Attersee (180) (metre gauge) Electrified 800 V dc
- Stubaitalbahn (Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe AG): Innsbruck – Fulpmes (Metre gauge) Electrified 900 V dc. Operated by tram-style vehicles which work through on to the Innsbruck tram system at 750 V dc.
- Westbahn (Westbahn Management GmbH): Wien Westbahnhof – Salzburg Hbf – München Hbf / Innsbruck Hbf (100, 101). The first open access operator in Austria; runs a generally half-hourly semi-fast service between Wien and Salzburg, with certain trains extended to München and Innsbruck. From December 2023, one train pair is extended to Bregenz.
- Wiener Lokalbahnen AG: Wien Oper – Baden Josefsplatz Electrified, 800 V dc. A long-distance tramway ("inter-urban" in north American parlance), connected to the Wien tram system. Owned by Wiener Stadtwerke AG.
- Zillertalbahn (Zillertaler Verkehrsbetriebe AG): Jenbach – Mayrhofen im Zillertal (310) (760 mm gauge).
Tourist Lines
Listing current at August 2022.
Various lines listed under Other Railways, above, are wholly or largely tourist operations but are not repeated here. Some of the following lines are commercial operations but most are supported by preservation societies.
- Abenteuer Erzberg (900 mm gauge, underground mine railway) (note: can be reached by Erzbergbahn)
- Achenseebahn AG: Jenbach – Achensee Seespitz (metre gauge, rack operated).
- Eisenbahnclub Mh.6: Ober Grafendorf - Haag-Kleinsierning (760 mm gauge). A short section of the former line to Mank, reopened in 2021-22.
- Erzbergbahn (Verein Erzbergbahn): Vordernberg Markt – Erzberg (Erzberg - Eisenerz out of service since 2010 because of storm damage)
- Feistritztalbahn (Feistritztalbahn Betriebsges.m.b.H.) : Birkfeld – Anger – [closed onwards at present to] - Weiz (760 mm gauge) Operated in conjunction with Club U44. The line has not operated in 2024 and the state of Steiermark has now decided to close it entirely. See also Recent Changes, below.
- Gurkthalbahn: Treibach-Althofen – Pöckstein-Zwischenwässern (760 mm gauge)
- Höllentalbahn (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Lokalbahnen): Payerbach Lokalbahn – Hirschwang (760 mm gauge)
- Klagenfurt museum tramway (Lendcanaltramway Klagenfurt) (Nostalgiebahnen in Kärnten): (metre gauge)
- Liliput-Bahn (Liliputbahn Prater G.m.b.H.): Wien's historic 15 inch gauge line - ca. 3.9km circuit in Prater park. Also operate separate Donaupark line.
- Museumsbahn Ampflwang-Timelkam (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (ÖGEG)): Ampflwang – Timelkam
- Museums-Lokalbahnverein Zwettl: Zwettl – Schwarzenau
- Museumsbahn Weinviertel: Bad Pirawarth – Sulz-Nexing
- Museumstramway Mariazell-Erlaufsee: Mariazell – Erlaufsee
- Pferde-Eisenbahn (Pferdeeisenbahn Museum & Gaststätte, Rainbach i.M.): (1106mm gauge; short horse-drawn tramway)
- Regiobahn: [Wien Praterstern –] Korneuburg – Ernstbrunn
- Rheinbähnle (Rhein-Schauen Museum und Rheinbähnle): Rheinmündung – Lustenau (750mm gauge, 750V dc) (see route map – former maintenance railway of Internationale Rheinregulierung)
- Rosenthaler Dampfzüge (Nostalgiebahnen in Kärnten): [Rosenbach –] Weizelsdorf – Ferlach
- Schaubergwerke Kupferplatte: Jochberg, Kitzbühel (600 mm gauge, underground mine railway)
- Schwazer Silberbergwerk (Schwazer Silberbergwerk Besucherführung GmbH): Schwaz/Tirol (narrow gauge, underground mine railway - Die Grubenbahn)
- Stainzer Flascherlzug: Stainz – Preding-Wieselsdorf (760 mm gauge)
- Steyrtalbahn (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (ÖGEG)): Grünburg – Steyr Lokalbf (760 mm gauge)
- Taurachbahn: Mauterndorf – St Andrä Andlwirt (760 mm gauge)
- Wälderbähnle (Bregenzerwaldbahn-Museumsbahn Betriebsges.m.b.H): Bezau – Schwarzenberg (760 mm gauge)
- Ybbstalbahn Bergstrecke (Niederösterreichische Lokalbahnen Betriebsges.m.b.H. (NÖLB)): Kienberg-Gaming – Lunz am See [- Göstling an der Ybbs] (760 mm gauge)
- Zayatalbahn (Verein Neue Landesbahn): Mistelbach – Hohenau; the section between Prinzendorf and Neusiedl-St. Ulrich (7.5 km) is currently closed but intended to be reopened.
- Zayataler Schienentaxi (Verein Neue Landesbahn): Mistelbach Interspar – Asparn an der Zaya – Grafensulz. The line between Asparn and Grafensulz is also used by the Weinvierteldraisine - see below
Rail cycling is possible on a number of lines:
- Mostviertler Schienenradl: Lunz am See – Klein Großau (760 mm) (relocated from Ruprechtshofen – Wieselburg an der Erlauf in 2019. Now connects with Ybbstalbahn Bergstrecke - see above)
- Sonnenland Draisinentour: Neckenmarkt-Horitschon – Oberpullendorf
- Weinvierteldraisine: Ernstbrunn – Grafensulz – Asparn an der Zaya. The line between Grafensulz and Asparn an der Zaya is also used by the Zayataler Schienentaxi – see above)
Metro
Wien has a third rail U-Bahn (much of which is above ground) and several sections of overhead-electrified U-Bahn tramway with metro characteristics. A track plan is available on the Gleisplanweb site.
Trams/LRT-Systems
Gmunden, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, Wien (which extends via the Wiener Lokalbahnen into Baden). The Wien system was the largest European network outside Russia but has now been overtaken by Berlin. As of December 2023 Wien has 176.9 route km and Berlin 198.5
Track plans for the systems of Gmunden, Graz, Linz, Innsbruck and Wien are available on the Gleisplanweb site.
See also Austria - Tram services over obscure routes
Recent and Future Changes
Recent changes
Openings
The following lines (re-)opened on 10 December 2023
511 | Münchendorf – Wampersdorf (Pottendorfer Linie) | New Ebreichsdorf bypass, replacing original route |
620 | [Klagenfurt –] Grafenstein – Wolfsberg via the Koralmbahn | Mainly brand new line with some reopened sections of existing and new route, closed since 2 April 2023 |
620 | Mittlern – Bleiburg – Wiederndorf-Aich | Reopened section of original line, forming a loop through Bleiburg, with new connection at the north end. Original line closed since 11 December 2022 |
The following line opened on 13 December 2021
401 | Hard-Fussach (Abzw Lauterach West) – Wolfurt (Abzw Lauterach Süd) | Four SSuX peak-hour train pairs between Feldkirch or Dornbirn and Lustenau. On 12 December 2022 this was increased to six pairs and trains extended to St. Margrethen (CH). |
The following line opened on 7 September 2020
620 | Völkermarkt-Kühnsdorf – St Michael ob Bleiburg | A section of the future Koralmbahn replacing part of the existing Drautalbahn route, with temporary connection to the old line at its east end |
in the "heritage/museum" sector:
On 24 March 2023 the Verein Neue Landesbahn ran the first passenger train on the reopened Zayatalbahn from Mistelbach Lokalbahnhof as far as Bullendorf and on 30 September 2023 the first train will run to Prinzendorf. At the other end of the line, freight trains have run from Hohenau as far as Neusiedl-St. Urich since 1 July 2022. The society intends to open the remaining middle section of the line (7.5 km) which will allow trains to run throughout.
Following a EUR 5 million investment by Land Tirol, the Achenseebahn metre-gauge rack line from Jenbach to Achensee reopened on 30 April 2022. The line had been at serious risk of closure and had not operated since the end of the 2019 season.
A heritage operation run by Eisenbahnclub Mh.6 commenced running on 7 August 2021 on a 1.3 km-long section of the 760 mm gauge Ober Grafendorf to Mank line, known as the Krumpe, between St. Margarethen-Rammersdorf and Haag-Kleinsierning. From 7 May 2022 public services started running through on certain dates from the depot "Heizhaus" in Ober Grafendorf via Ober Grafendorf station to Haag-Kleinsierning.
The Eisenbahnmuseum Strasshof has reopened the 8.8 km line between Bad Pirawarth and Sulz-Nexing (the former Sulz Museumsdorf station) as a heritage railway. Services run on Saturdays and Sundays during the season. The first day of service was 1 August 2021.
Weizelsdorf to Rosenbach, which latterly had one very early morning train in one direction only, was closed in December 2016. It was purchased by Land Kärnten in 2020, and trains are now permitted to run through to and from ÖBB tracks at both ends. Occasional special trains started to operate from July 2021, and a motor-draisine operation known as Carnica Draisinenexpress started to run between Ferlach, Weizelsdorf and Feistritz im Rosental in July 2023.
Permanent closures
The following line closed on 10 December 2023
512 | Gramatneusiedl – Wampersdorf | The three evening REX services to Deutschkreutz that ran this way no longer run so the line reverts to being diversionary only |
The following line closed on 1 July 2023
511 | Münchendorf – Wampersdorf (Pottendorfer Linie) | Replaced by new Ebreichsdorf bypass line in December 2023 |
The following line closed on 2 April 2023
620 | Grafenstein – Mittlern (Drautalbahn) | Remaining section of old route, replaced by the Koralmbahn in December 2023. Closure includes temporary connection to Koralmbahn, opened on 2 September 2020 |
The following line closed on 12 December 2022
620 | [Bleiburg –] Bleiburg Stadt – St. Paul im Lavanttal - St. Paul (site of new station) | Replaced by a connection between Bleiburg Stadt and the Koralmbahn in December 2023 |
The following line closed on 1 January 2021
532 | Feldbach – Bad Gleichenberg (Steiermarkbahn) | A weekend-only service continues to run in summer and autumn, also over the Christmas/New Year period |
The following line closed on 13 December 2020
132 | Waidhofen an der Ybbs Pestalozzistraße – Gstadt | A further cutback of the rump of the narrow-gauge Ybbstalbahn, now known as the Citybahn. The new terminus of Pestalozzistraße is a new station about 300 m beyond the existing Vogelsang station. |
The following line closed on 24 August 2020
620 | Völkermarkt-Kühnsdorf – St Michael ob Bleiburg | Replaced by a section of the future Koralmbahn |
The following lines closed on 14 December 2019
133 | Sarmingstein – St Nikola-Struden | |
152 | Haiding – Aschach an der Donau | Services are intended to resume over the Eferding – Aschach section. See Planned (re-)openings below. |
912 | Gänserndorf/Obersdorf – Groß Schweinbarth – Bad Pirawarth |
In the "heritage/museum" sector:
The Weiz – Oberfeistritz – Birkfeld tourist line (Feistritztalbahn) was temporarily cut back from the beginning of 2020 to Krottendorfer Hauptstraße (about 1 km from Weiz) to allow construction of a new bypass road. Since then services have operated only on short sections south of Birkfeld. Trains ran only between Birkfeld and Anger in the 2023 season and have not operated at all in 2024. The condition of the track and a lack of investment mean that operation is no longer feasible. The state of Steiermark has therefore decided to close it entirely and convert it into a cycling and walking path. The realignment in Weiz has been abandoned.
Temporary closures
The Tauerntunnel (Böckstein to Mallnitz) on the Schwarzach St Veit to Villach line will be closed for engineering work from 18.11.2024 until 04.07.2025
The Pinzgauer Lokalbahn between Zell am See and Krimml was seriously damaged by flooding on 16 July 2021 and the section between Mittersill and Krimml remains unusable. Trains continue to run to the normal timetable between Zell am See and Mittersill, with bus replacement beyond there. Niedernsill to Mittersill reopened on 17 June 2024, and Mittersill to Hollersbach is planned to reopen during 2025. Work is on target to reopen to Krimml in December 2025.
The Neue Westbahn high-speed line from Vienna to St Pölten was severely damaged by flooding on 15 September 2024, especially in the Tullnerfeld area,and is expected to be closed for several months.
Other changes
Electric services between Klagenfurt and Weizelsdorf commenced on 11 December 2022.
The Gänserndorf to Marchegg line was electrified in 2020. From the December 2020 timetable change, one of the two S1 services per hour from Wien Meidling to Gänserndorf has run through to Marchegg via this route, replacing the local shuttle service which was operated by a diesel railcar.
Arnoldstein to Hermagor was electrified from the December 2019 timetable.
Reutte in Tirol to the German border was electrified from the December 2019 timetable, and the 2 km from the border to Pfronten-Steinach was completed by the end of 2021.
Older Changes
For details of older changes dating back to the year 2005 see Austria - Older General Information.
Projects under way or planned
Planned (re-)openings
Information (in German) about ÖBB's major infrastructure projects an be found at their website.
The major project to improve service between Wien, Graz, Klagenfurt, Villach and Tarvisio [IT], the Südstrecke project, was due for completion in 2026.
However, the planned opening of the Semmering-Basistunnel between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag has been postponed to 2030 following an evaluation of geological, structural and technical issues connected with the Grassberg fault zone. The estimated cost has also increased from €3·5bn to €3·9bn. As at April 2022 about 23 km of the 27·3 km twin-tube tunnel has been bored, and 7 km lined with a concrete inner shell.
Work continues on the Koralmbahn element, to link Klagenfurt and Graz. This section of line is expected to be open fully in December 2025, when the 32.8 km Koralmtunnel section is opened for traffic. The two tunnel bores were broken through in 2018 (south) and 2020 (north) respectively, and the first test train ran on 12 June 2023.
Preliminary work has started on quadrupling the main line between Linz and Wels. This will involve a deviation and a station at Linz airport. Completion is due in 2026 at which point there will be two 230 km/h fast lines and two 160 km/h slow lines between Linz and Wels, all equipped with ETCS Level 2 in-cab signalling.
The current line from Oftering through Hörsching and Pasching stations will close. Hörsching station will not be replaced but there may be a new Pasching station on the new alignment. There will be a flyover in the vicinity of Marchtrenk station taking the slow lines over the fast lines. Marchtrenk station will be rebuilt slightly nearer to Wels. The Linzer Lokalbahn's parallel line will have to be relocated in the Leonding area. These works have fallen behind schedule, not least because of court cases challenging planning permission for the works, all now resolved. The works will now be completed in three stages:
- December 2026 remodelling of west end of Linz Hbf complete.
- Marchtrenk to Wels will be completed in December 2027 although the relocated Marchtrenk station is planned to open with the timetable change on 10 December 2023.
- Linz to Marchtrenk including the airport station will not be finished until 2031.
Work has started on rerouting and extending Wien U-Bahn Line U2 and transferring part to a new line U5. Details of the project (in German) are here. Line U2 will be extended from the existing Schottentor station via Pilgramgasse to Matzleinsdorfer Platz S-Bahn station by 2028, and to a new terminus at Wienerberg between 2032 and 2035. Line U5 will take over the existing section of Line U2 between Karlsplatz and Rathaus by 2026, including a one-stop extension to Frankhplatz. By 2035, the U5 will be extended to Hernals, where it will connect with the S45 Vorortelinie service.
On 1 January 2024, Schiene OÖ GmbH took over operation of the Haiding – Aschach a d Donau line from ÖBB. This line was closed to passengers in December 2019 but is still used for freight. It is planned to electrify the 8 km section from Eferding to Aschach, which will enable the introduction of regular-interval S-Bahn services, operated by Linzer Lokalbahn ("LiLo"). This will give Aschach an infinitely better service than the extremely sparse service of one or two trains per day that it had latterly under ÖBB.
In 2020 ÖBB announced plans to electrify the lines from St Pölten via Traisen to Hainfeld and Freiland. This includes reopening to passengers of the section from Schrambach to Freiland, where a new rail/bus interchange for services up the two valleys beyond Freiland to Türnitz and St Aegyd am Neuwalde/Kernhof will be constructed.
The Salzburger Lokalbahn is to be extended underground by approximately 1 km to Mirabellplatz in the city centre. Construction work is due to start in 2025 with opening targeted for 2028. Further phases of this extension scheme (known as S-Link) are planned, which would take the line to Akademiestraße, Salzburg-Süd and finally Hallein by around the mid-2030s.
Other projects
It was decided in February 2020 to electrify the privately operated 760 mm narrow gauge Pinzgaubahn (Zell am See – Krimml). This project has been delayed by the flood damage sustained by the line in July 2021 — see Temporary closures above.
The plan to convert part of the Murtalbahn (Unzmarkt – Tamsweg) to standard gauge and electrify it has been abandoned. However the line will be reconstructed, with four realignments. Unzmarkt - Murau will be done in 2025-2028 and Murau - Tamsweg in 2028-2030.
Electrification of the Graz-Köflacher Bahn (GKB) is planned: Wettmannstätten – Wies-Eibiswald by 2025/26, to support electric services on the Koralmbahn, and by 2028 for the remainder.
Following the abandonment of plans to convert part of the isolated Linz Urfahr – Rottenegg – Aigen-Schlägl line as far as Rohrbach to tram-train operation, it is now planned to retain the whole line and link it to Linz Hbf by a new heavy-rail S-Bahn line, although no progress has been made on this proposal.
In 2020 ÖBB published plans to electrify 500 route-km of lines by 2030. Those not mentioned above are:
Under construction, scheduled to be completed for the December 2025 timetable:
- 190 Steindorf – Braunau am Inn (Simbach)
Under construction, scheduled to be completed for the December 2027 timetable:
- 130 St. Valentin – St. Nikola-Struden
- 151 Neumarkt-Kallham – Abzweigung Mining (Braunau am Inn)
Likely to go ahead:
- 112 Herzogenburg – Krems a d Donau
- 120 Pöchlarn – Scheibbs
May go ahead:
- 530 Graz Ostbahnhof – Szentgotthárd (HU)
Less likely to go ahead:
- 524 Wiener Neustadt – Loipersbach-Schattendorf [– Sopron (HU)]
Freight only:
- Zeltweg – Pöls
Threatened passenger lines
The 49.9 km Fehring to Hartberg section of the Thermenbahn to Friedberg, connecting through to Wiener Neustadt (KBS 520) was threatened with closure to passengers by 2026 or 2027, but according to this press article from February 2024, that threat has been lifted, although the current timetable will remain with no development work planned.
Special notes
Tourist railways up mountains are often of limited capacity, but subject to high demand, particularly at holiday periods and during the winter sports season. In such cases it may be necessary to wait some time before being able to board a train, so it is best to arrive at the railway as early in the day as possible. When booking a trip it is often necessary to reserve a seat on a specific train down the mountain. Once the railway’s capacity to bring people back down the mountain is fully booked, no more can ascend, unless they are staying at a summit hotel.