So far, the privately owned Western Railway has avoided Styria and Carinthia, but in the future it also wants to serve the Southern Railway. This should be the case by the end of 2029 at the latest; approval has already been applied for.
At the beginning of this year, Thomas Posch, CEO of Westbahn, announced the private railway company’s plans to also operate on the Southern Railway in the future. An application has now been submitted to the Rail Control Authority – for five daily connections from December 2025, when the Koralm Tunnel between Styria and Carinthia will be put into operation. The trains will run between Vienna and Villach.
These are “basic registrations and considerations to not miss deadlines,” emphasizes Westbahn spokesman Ademir Jatic. However, by the end of 2025, Westbahn trains will probably not be running south. The company has double-decker trains that cannot be used on the current Semmering mountain route.
Waiting for the Semmering Tunnel
In other words: You have to wait until the Semmering Base Tunnel between Styria and Lower Austria comes into operation – currently scheduled for December 2029. Or you can buy other single-decker train material in advance; the “Kurier” recently reported on “Stadler Smile” trains from Switzerland. Renting is also an option.
“Like other railway companies, we are faced with the challenge of quickly obtaining the right rolling stock,” Jatic emphasizes. Delivery times are therefore long, the starting point on the southern route is still completely open.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
