Competition in rail transport: Schienen-Control market assessment for 2024

The Schienen-Control survey Schienen-Control qualitative market assessment for 2024 paints a clear picture: while Austria continues to achieve top marks in many areas of rail transport in a European comparison, key challenges for competition are intensifying at the same time. The results are based on a systematic survey of railway companies operating in Austria using a school grading system, with a response rate of just under 80 percent.

Austria better than the EU average – especially in terms of infrastructure quality

The Schienen-Control evaluation Schienen-Control that domestic conditions perform better than those in other European countries in almost all categories—this is particularly evident in the condition of the network, training facilities, and timetable quality. Training facilities, for example, achieve the top score of 2.0. The train driver's license (2.04) and the language skills of staff (2.06) are also cited as consistently positive factors.

Competition with road transport and increasing technical complexity across the industry are the biggest challenges

Companies once again cite competition from other modes of transport, especially road transport, as the biggest obstacle to new traffic. This factor was rated worse than ever before at 3.82 (out of 5) and, in the view of Schienen-Control , is Schienen-Control consequence of structurally distorted framework conditions such as lower personnel costs, lower taxes, and a lack of pricing for external costs in truck and air traffic.

Factors relating to technical specifications and new technologies also received poor ratings:

• Safety technology (ETCS) deteriorated significantly (to 3.14) – particularly due to a lack of compatibility and high costs for cross-border transport.
  
  
• Country-specific exceptions to EU technical specifications (TSI) are criticized with a score of 3.09—according to respondents, they prevent genuine interoperability and lead to unnecessary additional costs.

Rolling stock and energy: costs are rising – availability is falling

According to industry statements, the availability and costs of key operating resources continue to deteriorate. Traction vehicles (3.08) and energy (2.87) are examples of a tense market situation. At the same time, companies are criticizing track access charges—both their structure (2.52) and the specific amount for freight transport (2.84).

About the survey

"With this market assessment, we have been providing a sound, systematically comparable basis for the situation of rail transport in Austria for almost 20 years – thereby enabling targeted improvements and effective competition," says Maria-Theresia Röhsler, Managing Director of Schienen-Control .

The assessment not only serves as an early warning system for policymakers, but also supports market participants in their investment decisions and shows where the course needs to be reset in order to maintain or expand competitiveness.

Since 2006, Schienen-Control has been conducting Schienen-Control survey of railway companies' subjective assessments of a total of 41 factors influencing market access and the development of new traffic. The survey provides a differentiated picture of the situation and offers deep insights into the framework conditions of the industry.