Route closures on the western route due to bad weather have led to severe restrictions on long-distance and local transport. The “new” western route must remain closed until further notice due to bad weather. The opening of the second track on the ‘old’ western route from October 10 will provide relief.
The flood disaster had major consequences for the western route. Thousands of commuters who were used to getting to work quickly have to switch from the train to the car.
But now there is a glimmer of hope for commuters and travelers: with the opening of the second track on the “old” western route from October 10, the timetable on the western route will be significantly expanded.
90 percent of long-distance transport is possible again
The ‘old’ western railway line through the Vienna Forest will be available again on two tracks from next Thursday. The rubble has been cleared and the damage to the track has been repaired. ÖBB and Westbahn presented the new timetable in Vienna on Friday. On the Vienna – Salzburg connection, there will be four courses per hour from the two companies from October 10.
After the storm disaster in mid-September, there is an “extremely difficult situation for both passengers and ÖBB,” says Sabine Stock, board member of ÖBBpersonal transport AG. “Unfortunately, this will remain the case for some time.” The ‘lifeline’ of Austria’s railway system has suffered a ‘heart attack’ and the ‘recovery phase’ continues.
According to the ÖBB, the repair work on the “new” western route will take several months. Railway construction experts fear a disruption that could take up to a year before the high-speed line between St. Pölten and Vienna is fully operational again.
Damage to the tracks is likely to amount to “at least a three-figure sum of one million.” According to the Federal Railways, the 2.5 kilometer long Atzenbrugg tunnel is considered “destroyed”. Tullnerfeld’s train station was particularly hard hit.
The plan for Christmas traffic is still under consideration
Long-distance traffic can still be increased to 90 percent of the old level from October 10. And there will be a “reliable timetable,” Stock says. The information about this is available “as of today” on the ÖBB online booking portal “Scotty”.
According to the passenger transport board member, she cannot answer questions about the infrastructure. The ÖBB wanted to “do as much as possible” for Christmas traffic. Stock announced that a timetable for this should be available in the next two weeks.
Thomas Posch, Managing Director of Westbahn Management GmbH, spoke of “coming together in an unprecedented situation” in connection with the flood disaster. The two companies are joining forces despite the competitive environment. The goal is that people can and should continue to trust the railway.
Four times an hour from Vienna to Salzburg
From next Thursday, the ÖBB Railjet The Railjet runs to Salzburg every hour at minute 28. It was emphasized that a travel time increase of approximately 30 minutes is expected.
The Westbahn will also increase its offering again. From October 10, it will run every half hour at minutes 15 and 45 from the Vienna Westbahnhof. The travel time extension to St. Pölten is 23 minutes. Direct connections from Salzburg to Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Munich are still fully available.
Despite the extensive offering on the western route, certain long-distance connections such as IC courses or D trains are still cancelled. The connection to Germany with the ICE exists. However, for most trips a transfer in Linz is necessary. Traffic to Vienna Airport in Schwechat is also affected by restrictions. According to ÖBB, a shuttle service with trains from Vienna Central Station will be set up every 30 minutes from next Thursday.
SEV for commuters and students
Commuters and students can also hope for improvement: in Lower Austria, rail replacement transport (SEV) with buses is being further optimized, Stock said. During rush hour, the direct connections on the route St. Pölten central station – Tullnerfeld – Tulln would be expanded.
The lines S50 and S40 run completely or partially in SEV. For the S50, there will be a 15-minute cycle (currently 30 minutes) in the SEV on the Unter-Purkersdorf – Vienna Hütteldorf route from October 10. The line S80 (Vienna main station – Vienna Hütteldorf) has been canceled until further notice.
According to the ÖBB, in the section of the “new” western line, which opened in 2012 at a cost of 2.8 billion euros and was affected by the flood disaster, 125 kilometers of track and 67 switches were damaged and all switches were damaged. disks should be replaced. 30 elevators, 34 switchgear and tunnel safety systems were also affected.
Source: Krone
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