Austria - Older General Information

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Introduction

This document acts as an archive for Recent and Future Changes prior to September 2012.

Rule of the road

Most double track lines in Austria operate with right-hand running, although many lines in the east of the country once operated with left-hand running, a hangover from the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Wien to Salzburg line was converted some years ago. The following lines converted to right-hand running on 6 August 2012:

  • Wien Floridsdorf – Bernhardsthal (Bernhardsthal – Břeclav ČD will convert on 9 December 2012)
  • Wien Rennweg – Flughafen
  • Wampersdorf – Wiener Neustadt Civitas Nova
  • Wien Hbf – Payerbach-Reichenau
  • Wien Hütteldorf/Penzing – Wien Meidling
  • Wien Meidling – Wien Floridsdorf
  • Wien Floridsdorf – Stockerau
  • Wien Süßenbrunn – Wolkersdorf

Recent changes

In September 2011 a new alignment opened on the Lieboch to Köflach branch, between Krottendorf and Söding.

An 800 metre new alignment on the Zell am See to Krimml branch, between Uttendorf-Stubachtal and Pirtendorf, opened in November 2011, avoiding tight curves and numerous level crossings.

On 2 October 2011 Wien metro line U2 was extended at its eastern end from Stadion to Aspernstrasse, and was subsequently extended further, to Seestadt.

The line from Friedberg to Oberwart (table 520) lost its passenger service with effect from 1 August 2011. On the same date the service between Deutschkreutz and Neckenmarkt-Horitschon was reduced to three rush-hour services each way, and an hourly M-S service was introduced between Klagenfurt and Weizelsdorf (table 660), the remainder of this line only seeing a single early morning train from Rosenbach.

The following lines closed at the timetable change on 11 December 2010:

  • 113 Schrambach - Markt St.- Aegyd am Neuwalde
  • 115 Ober Grafendorf - Mank
  • 120 Scheibbs - Kienberg-Gaming
  • 132 Gstadt - Lunz am See and Gstadt - Ybbsitz. These lines had already been closed since mid 2009 owing to floods. The section from Waidhofen to Gstadt has remained open, operated by NOVÖG.
  • 811 Krems an der Donau - Emmersdorf an der Donau. This has reopened for tourist services operated by NOVÖG.
  • 830 Schwarzenau - Zwettl Stadt
  • 831 Schwarzenau - Waidhofen an der Thaya
  • 912 Groß Schweinbarth - Sulz Museumsdorf

The sole remaining school train each way between Zeltweg and Bad St. Leonhard (T620) was withdrawn on 31 July 2010.

The StH line (Lambach -) Neukirchen – Haag lost its passenger service from 13 December 2009. It had been said that there was no financially viable way to connect this line when the Westbahn is upgraded Linz – Salzburg. On the same date a new alignment opened between Atzenbrugg and a point two kilometers east of the proposed new Tullnerfeld station, on the Herzogenburg to Tulln line. The intermediate stations of Michelhausen and Judenau have been closed. The new line runs alongside the high speed Wien to St Pölten line currently under construction. The old alignment has been de-electrified but, other than a short section at the east end, is still in use for freight. In connection with this, two freight-only spurs, a 1.8 km west to north chord at Tulln and a 0.9 km south to east chord at Absdorf-Hippersdorf, have been opened.

The new entrance to St Pölten from the east (Knoten Wagram) was completed in August 2005. This includes tracks from the Neue Westbahn (Wienerwald Tunnel – Tullnerfeld).

Electrification between Mistelbach and Laa an der Thaya was completed for use in December 2006. Graz Don Bosco station opened 7 September 2007.

For more information and links on these and other projects, see (in German) www.oebb.at/vip8/bau/de/Projekte_Planung_und_Bau/index.jsp.

Other new lines opened during the decade 2000 - 2010 are:

  • Innsbruck avoiding line, linking the Brenner and Wörgl lines (this is used only by freight trains)
  • Tunnel for fast trains between Leoben Hbf and St Michael
  • Diversion of the Tauernbahn, mostly in tunnels, between Lindisch and Mallnitz
  • The double track Schlierbach Umfahrung (bypass) on the Linz – Selztal line
  • Double tracking of Kolbnitz – Pusarnitz on the Tauernbahn
  • Double tracking Meidling – Inzersdorf

Salzburger Lokalbahn has taken over the operation of the Zell am See – Krimml line on 1 July 2008.

See Also