Timetable change brings over two million additional train kilometers in Austria
The timetable change on December 11, 2022, will bring more than two million additional train kilometers across all providers on the Austrian rail network. Schienen-Control compiled an overview of the new and discontinued services for 2023.
Schienen-Control determined the changes in terms of train kilometers offered when the timetable changed. The changes affect both new and discontinued passenger transport connections. The train kilometers traveled were calculated based on the ÖBB Personenverkehr AG timetable, the days of operation, the number of trains, and the directions of the respective routes.
New connections between Vienna and Villach or Innsbruck, as well as in the Enns Valley.
The largest increase in train kilometers is on the Südbahn line. ÖBB Personenverkehr AG is expanding its service between Vienna and Villach with two new connections per day (stopping in Friesach and Treibach-Althofen). This route will add around 540,000 new train kilometers in 2023.
WESTbahn is extending three of its trains daily from Salzburg to Innsbruck with stops in Kufstein and Wörgl. This adds a total of 372,000 train kilometers to the Austrian rail network.
The introduction of a regional train service running every two hours between Bischofshofen and Schladming stations will add approximately 220,000 additional train kilometers.
Other new routes include half-hourly services on weekdays between Villach and Spittal am Millstätter See (186,000 train kilometers), a daily direct connection between Vienna and Stainach-Irdning via Attnang-Puchheim (177,000 train kilometers), and a new pair of trains between Linz and Graz, which will run on weekdays during off-peak hours (149,000 train kilometers).
Route adjustments due to infrastructure improvements
The timetable change will not only see an expansion of services, but also the discontinuation of some connections. For example, the route between Bleiburg and Wolfsberg in Carinthia will be temporarily suspended from ÖBB Personenverkehr AG's regional service. This is due to construction work on the Koralmbahn railway line. A further reduction in train kilometers is to be expected on the western route. In future, WESTbahn will only run its afternoon connection from Vienna to Vöcklabruck instead of Salzburg (-59,000 train kilometers).
Additional connections by transport company include:
NÖVOG:
Additional connection between St. Pölten Central Station and Mariazell during the summer season and Advent period
ÖBB Personenverkehr AG:
Additional nighttime Railjet connections between Vienna Central Station and Linz
The morning connection between Linz and Attnang-Puchheim will be extended to Salzburg.
An additional RailJet connection for commuters between St. Pölten and Vienna Central Station
A new connection during off-peak hours between Salzburg and Mallnitz-Obervellach
A pair of trains runs daily between Vienna Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof and Prague via Gmünd, thereby strengthening regional transport (with two additional connections on weekends).
A new daily express train between Salzburg and Schladming with a stop in Bischofshofen
RegioJet:
New daily connection between Brno and Vienna Airport via Vienna Central Station
Extension of the midday connection from Prague to Vienna Central Station to Vienna Airport
Styria Railway (Murtalbahn):
More frequent service on weekends and a new connection for cyclists in summer
Stern & Hafferl:
Increased frequency of the Traunsee tram in the evening
Improved connections on the Attergau railway at midday through frequency adjustments
WESTbahn:
The afternoon connection of the WESTbahn runs between Vienna Westbahnhof and Vöcklabruck, no longer between Vienna and Salzburg.