According to the ÖBB, the disruptions to train traffic caused by the storms that swept southern Austria on Thursday afternoon and evening will last until Monday. Although the major disruptions have already been resolved, there is currently no train between Leoben and Friesach, long-distance trains from Vienna to Italy are being diverted via Salzburg. Normal operation is not expected until Monday – if there is no further damage from new storms.
“We have all available troops in action,” ÖBB press spokesman Jörg Winter said in the Ö1 “Tomorrow Journal” on Friday morning. Throughout the night, cleanup and repair work was in full swing and thanks to the efforts of the ÖBB repair teams, most of the obstacles were cleared.
However, there are still serious handicaps for train passengers:
- The routes from Leoben to Friesach and from St. Michael to Wald am Schoberpass will remain closed until Friday midnight. It is hoped that these routes will be single-track again from the expected start of work on Saturday and double-track from Monday, it is hoped.
- The long-distance trains (Rail and Nightjet) from Vienna to Venice and back will be diverted via Salzburg on Friday.
- The long-distance trains from Vienna to Villach and from Graz to Selzthal will be canceled on Friday. Passengers are requested to use alternative connections via Salzburg or local transport. Rail replacement services were set up between Leoben and Friesach and between St. Michael and Wald am Schoberpass.
- There are also obstacles and possibly longer transport times in freight transport, according to the ÖBB in a broadcast.
The ÖBB provides up-to-date information on its website and on the social media channels and on the Federal Railways service hotline on 05/1717.
All train traffic in Carinthia, East Tyrol and Styria is at a standstill
Severe storms severely damaged the power supply and rail infrastructure in southern Austria on Thursday. ÖBB stopped all train traffic in Carinthia, East Tyrol and Styria in the afternoon. Trains on the route at the time ran to the nearest station around 4pm – including a Railjet at Neumarkt station.
According to information from “Krone”, the passengers then received drinks from the neighboring houses, celebrated and hoped to be able to drive again soon. But nothing came of it: around 9.30 pm the train passengers were taken to another station by two buses.
Thousands of homes still without electricity
The reason for the complete paralysis in southern Austria was a large-scale failure of the 110 kV traction power supply for the area of Carinthia and Styria, it said. Many households in Carinthia were still without electricity on Friday morning, in Styria there are about 6,500. About 85,000 households could not be supplied on Thursday.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
