The predominantly private Westbahn of industrialist Hans Peter Haselsteiner will also become the Southern Railway thanks to the Koralm Tunnel between Styria and Carinthia. Starting March 1, 2026, it will run five times daily from Vienna Central Station via Graz and Klagenfurt to Villach, as announced at a press conference in Vienna on Wednesday. The project has been on the table repeatedly, even for an earlier date.

Westbahn Will Soon Head from Vienna to Villach

The total travel time is estimated at 3 hours and 28 minutes. In addition to the already mentioned stations, stops will also be made in Vienna Meidling, Wiener Neustadt, Semmering, and Bruck an der Mur, according to Wednesday's information. Additional stops are under consideration. The route may also be extended further west.

A rather clear jab at ÖBB was not spared by board member Thomas Posch, alluding to the problems that have repeatedly occurred in recent years with long travel times in rail long-distance traffic over Styria to Carinthia. They want to "put an end to the quality deficits in rail traffic on the southern route" and offer reliable service, said the manager of Westbahn, which, in addition to Haselsteiner, also has the French state railway SNCF as a co-owner.

Three High-Speed Trains

For the start of operations on March 1, 2026, three high-speed trains are to be acquired initially. These are expected to travel up to 250 kilometers per hour and are thus, according to Westbahn, the fastest in Austria. Each train has eleven carriages, is 202 meters long, and offers 422 seats in three classes. Two level entrances ensure accessibility. Double-decker trains will be available only after the completion of the Semmering Tunnel between Lower Austria and Styria.

Haselsteiner, the main owner of Rail Holding AG, to which Westbahn belongs, spoke of a record time in which his company received the new trains from the Swiss train manufacturer Stadler - even though he would have liked it to be even faster. "This has further strengthened the good partnership."

The Westbahn has innovative single-deck trains for its start on the Southern Railway. The "Smile" train set already has all approvals and will also be used by the Swiss SBB according to information at the press conference. Normally, it is double-decker, also on track with Stadler material. Double-decker trains are expected to follow once the Semmering Tunnel opens. This is expected by 2030.

Westbahn in the Future Also to East Tyrol?

When asked, Haselsteiner explicitly did not rule out that in the future one could also travel further on the southern route. Via the original seat of Strabag in Spittal an der Drau with the local Spittal-Millstättersee station, it could go beyond Carinthia to Lienz in East Tyrol. "I would like to go to Lienz and of course to Spittal an der Drau. That is certainly in focus, but the timing is open."

Regarding the company Westbahn itself, the industrialist emphasized that it is now even more fun than it was from the beginning. Because for two years, they have been making profits. EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) and EBT (Earnings Before Taxes) are positive. However, Haselsteiner did not provide any figures. But: "We will make up for past losses." However, he noted that the upcoming closures of the German corner for train corridor traffic could then reduce frequency and revenue. Fundamentally, however, the company is prepared for risks.

That ÖBB is also starting to use double-decker Railjets, Haselsteiner commented that he was already pleased as a construction entrepreneur when other companies "rebuilt" something. "That shows you did something right." Overall, the competition on the southern railway - Westbahn plans an hourly service there in the medium term - will increase the quality of all providers, the Westbahn managers agreed.

Carinthian Governor Explicitly Welcomed Railway Expansion

"The new Westbahn connection is an important additional mobility offer that, together with ÖBB, makes the century opportunity Koralmbahn optimally usable for the people in Carinthia," said Carinthian Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) in a statement. "A fast, comfortable, and reliable connection to Graz and Vienna strengthens Carinthia as a place to live, work, and do business and offers commuters and all travelers even more flexibility, freedom of movement, and mobility." Kaiser explicitly welcomed the railway expansion. "And because competition is known to stimulate business, with the entry of Westbahn there is also the justified hope and chance to realize a Koralmbahn stop in Kühnsdorf in the Klopeiner See tourism region." Such a stop is regionally demanded by tourism professionals but has not been planned by ÖBB so far.

The news was also met with approval in Styria. "With a stop in Bruck an der Mur, additional offers open up for the Upper Styrians to comfortably and conveniently reach the state capital Graz in about half an hour," said Governor Mario Kunasek (FPÖ). Lower Austria's Transport Minister and Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) also welcomed Westbahn's commitment on the southern railway line. Every additional offer is a gain.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.