NÖ: Westbahn Line Heading Towards Speed 230

On the Westbahn line in Lower Austria, the comeback of 230 km/h speed is imminent. According to ÖBB, the final repair works after the flood of September 2024 are ending as planned. From Friday, the connection in the Tullnerfeld will be open again, and the detour through the Vienna Woods with 30 minutes longer travel time on the section Vienna - St. Pölten will be a thing of the past. ÖBB and Westbahn are returning to their regular schedules.

Closure on the "new" Westbahn line

Following the three-month closure of the "new" Westbahn line last autumn after the century flood, as announced, another three and a half weeks for final repair works began on May 12. The focus was on the Atzenbrugger and Lainzer tunnels as well as the Tullnerfeld station. The flood had left its marks not only there. According to Infrastructure Board Member Judith Engel, the total damage for ÖBB will likely be "just under 100 million euros".

In the Atzenbrugger Tunnel, provisional solutions were dismantled and replaced with new components that were not available last year, according to the federal railways. Additionally, a mobile flood protection is now available. In the Lainzer Tunnel, cable penetrations were sealed and safety technology systems were renewed. Additionally, elements of the power supply, including more than 1,000 distribution boxes, have been relocated to higher positions along the walls. Here too, there is now a mobile flood protection.

In the Tullnerfeld station, which was also heavily affected, lines and distributors of building services (electricity, heating, ventilation) were raised to better protect them from future flooding. To make optimal use of the closure, the platforms were also extended to about 420 meters. With this upgrade, longer train sets can now stop in Tullnerfeld.

According to ÖBB, the fastest connection on the Vienna - St. Pölten section is now "in top condition" again. Before the reopening, test and acceptance runs are still taking place. "With good planning and teamwork, ÖBB ensured that the closure and the comprehensive replacement measures worked smoothly and the flood damage is now finally eliminated," Infrastructure Board Member Engel was quoted in a press release.

RJ821 from Wels first train

The first train on the comeback on the route through the Tullnerfeld will be the RJ821 from Wels, scheduled to arrive at 5:35 AM at Vienna Main Station. From Vienna West, the CJX5 (train 9120) departs at 4:48 AM. Seven minutes later, the RJ848 to Salzburg follows from Vienna Main Station. The Westbahn returns to the fast connection with train 900, which departs at 5:38 AM from Vienna West and also heads to Salzburg.

(APA/Red)

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