Month-long closure
Flood disaster: ÖBB completely changes its timetable
ÖBB has to change the timetable throughout Austria! The reasons are too few trains and the month-long closure of the "new" western line between Vienna and St. Pölten due to the devastating flood damage.
The new timetable for passenger transport is due to come into force on October 10.
This is necessary because the trains are planned in one rotation and the storms and the resulting necessary repairs therefore not only affect the western route, explained ÖBB boss Andreas Matthä on Wednesday on Ö1's "Mittagsjournal".
Only 150 instead of 550 passenger and freight trains a day
Only 150 instead of 550 passenger and freight trains a day are currently running on the "old" western line through the Vienna Woods.
Partial detour of freight traffic via Semmering and Pyhrn
Double-track operation will not be possible until October 10 at the earliest. Due to the closure, ÖBB Rail Cargo is attempting to divert some of its freight traffic via Semmering and Pyhrn.
Entire corridors no longer passable
According to Rail Cargo, international freight transport has also been "massively affected" by the flood damage in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Italy (Emilia Romagna). Entire corridors are no longer passable due to flooding and mudslides.
"Hundreds of trains are at a standstill, especially at the borders," said Maria Magdalena Pavitsich, spokeswoman for ÖBB's freight subsidiary Rail Cargo, to the "Presse" (Wednesday edition). The backlog and handling of freight traffic will therefore "take some time".
Massive loss of revenue
For Raaberbahn Cargo, the second-largest freight transporter on the western route, the closure will mean 60 percent less turnover per week, the "Presse" was told. The losses cannot yet be quantified more precisely. The routes taken by customers would quickly shift.
Supply of larger domestic industrial companies secured
ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä believes that the supply of larger domestic industrial companies is secured despite the restrictions. "The supply of goods north-south via the Pyhrn, which is functioning, i.e. the supply of Voest (voestalpine steel group, note) is secured so far. We still need solutions from the north via Poland, but we will succeed," he said on Wednesday's Ö1 "Mittagsjournal".
ÖBB not insured against damage
According to ÖBB, the flood damage to the railroad network in Austria is still difficult to estimate. Matthä, however, spoke of a "mid three-digit million amount". ÖBB is not insured against the damage. "As the owner, the Republic of Austria waives this", writes Der Standard (Wednesday edition). The insurance premiums to be paid annually would in any case be higher and more expensive than taking on new government debt through the Federal Financing Agency, which would be passed on to ÖBB as a subsidy.
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