By Ashley Karen
The federal government has revealed a €21·1bn railway infrastructure investment program for 2024–29, a boost on the previous programs to spend €19bn in 2023-28. This investment contains the addition of projects worth €1·5bn.
On October 30, Leonore Gewessler, Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation & Technology, stated: “With this framework investment plan, we are securing the railway expansion program in the long term.”
In addition, Andreas Matthä, ÖBB CEO, expressed: “In a challenging economic environment, we managed to secure financing for railway infrastructure projects. This means that ÖBB is not only a reliable mobility provider that can meet increasing demand through consistent expansion, but also a stable partner to the economy.”
An additional €4·7bn has been assigned for the current infrastructure maintenance in 2024-29.
The plan also contains Graz-Köflacher-Bahn infrastructure projects, with its infrastructure division to be merged into the national ÖBB-Infrastruktur in mid-2024.
The investment intends to raise capacity on heavily used routes and make regional rail travel more attractive.
One of the most significant projects is a new double-track alignment between Köstendorf and Salzburg, which is part of the four-track expansion of the east-west primary line.
The line south of Graz from Werndorf to the Slovenian border at Spielfeld-Straß will be doubled to improve capacity towards southeast Europe and the port of Koper. Nonetheless, the line between Nettingsdorf and Rohr-Bad Hall will be doubled as well.
Moreover, modernization works are scheduled on the Herzogenburg – St Pölten and Ossiachersee lines.
Another priority is improving renewable energy usage, with ÖBB to generate wind and solar power plants to supply traction electricity.
As reported, several stations are to be modernized to boost accessibility, such as Maishofen-Saalbach and Leogang, to serve the Alpine Ski World Cup in 2025.
The completion date of double-tracking the 9 km Hinterstoder – Pießling-Vorderstoder section of the Pyhrnstrecke has been brought forward from late 2031 to next year. Yet, some projects have been delayed.
The beginning of route modernization work on the 66 km northern section of the Nordbahn connecting Wien with Breclav in the Czech Republic has been pushed back by two years. Also, double-tracking of sections of the Franz Josef Bahn between the capital and Gmünd has been postponed by three years, and modernization of the cross-city Wiener Stammstrecke is now planned to begin in 2025.
In addition, the Quadrupling of a section of the Wien – Salzburg Weststrecke east of Linz has been delayed by a year to the end of 2033, and the Linz – Marchtrenk upgrading has also been postponed by a year to the end of 2031.
However, electrification between Wien and Bratislava is planned for completion at the end of 2024, depending on the progress on the Slovak side.
In addition, the construction program for the northern access route to the Brenner Base Tunnel containing a new alignment from Schaftenau to Radfeld, north of Wörgl, is set to be amended.
As construction is dependent on work on other interventions along the Brenner corridor, the beginning of main construction is to be pushed back to 2028, with the commissioning of the route prepared for 2037.
The Kärnten section of the Koralmbahn is due for inauguration at the end of this year, two years before the complete commissioning between Graz and Klagenfurt in 2025.
