📋 Tender Overview
Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler and ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä, together with Economica Board Member Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Helmenstein presented the technical draft for the target network 2040. This is the grand vision for the further development of the Austrian rail network.
Over the past few months, the target network has been developed in intensive technical work by BMK and ÖBB together with external experts and the SCHIG, as well as with the involvement of the federal states and other stakeholders. On the one hand, it is based on the goals for the expansion of public transport and freight transport in Austria and, on the other hand, on capacity requirements, environmental impacts and economic effects.
It sets out a basic plan for the expansion of the country's railway infrastructure over the next fifteen to twenty years. The 2040 target network is not yet a concrete planning and financing of individual projects, as implemented in the framework plan, but a strategic guideline for further work.
"The target network 2040 is a glimpse into the future of what a modern rail system in our country could look like. It is a rail network for a climate-neutral Austria, where climate protection and good mobility go hand in hand. The design is full of bold ideas, new connections and even better railway lines. The target network 2040 sets the direction – and is the right compass for a sustainable railway infrastructure for the next fifteen or twenty years," said Leonore Gewessler during the presentation.
Only recently, the framework plan 2024-2029 confirmed the Federal Government's investment course in rail expansion for the next six years. "In addition, railway expansion must be planned strategically for the long term. In this way, as many people as possible will benefit from it in the future. That's why we're already determining which expansion projects will be tackled in the 2030s," summarizes Andreas Matthä.
"The investments of the Target Network 2040 directly trigger a wide range of impulses for the domestic economy in terms of value creation and employment. The long-term effects of strengthening the rail infrastructure extend even further. Private households (as passengers) as well as companies (both in terms of procurement and sales) will benefit from the improved offer. As a result, the 2040 target network will benefit the entire economy as well as society as a result of higher productivity combined with environmental sustainability," says Economica board member Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Helmenstein
After further discussions with the federal states, the technical draft will now be finalised and then subjected to a public consultation. In addition to political actors, the public is also invited to submit statements. Subsequently, the completed target network 2040 is to be decided this year.
Central modules in the target network 2040:On the basis of upstream analyses,
more than 100 project ideas were identified. The most promising of these were clustered into modules and evaluated as part of a macroeconomic benefit-cost analysis. In the end, 67 projects in 25 modules were selected on the basis of the evaluation results, which are now part of the technical design. Timetable concepts were created for each of the individual modules, simulations of effectiveness were carried out with the help of a traffic model, and initial plans were developed by civil engineers. Consideration was given to the expansion of international connections as well as regional transport, as well as projects to strengthen rail freight transport, the expansion of the interval timetable and better networking in conurbations.
The target network for 2040 is based on the vision that by 2040 a total of 255 million train kilometres per year will be able to be travelled on the domestic rail network. This corresponds to one and a half times the level of today's traffic volume.
These include the following measures:
New Innkreisbahn (NIB)
A new double-track line in Upper Austria and Bavaria is expected to reduce the travel time between Vienna and Munich from the current four to two and a half hours. The project is currently also being examined in Germany.
With the additional expansion of the existing Innkreisbahn, regional transport in the region will also be strengthened and the connection to the central area of Linz will be improved.
This shorter travel time will also benefit more distant international destinations such as Paris.
Pyhrnbahn (PYB)
With the construction of a new Bosruck tunnel, this route will be upgraded not only for passenger traffic, but above all for freight transport.
As a result of the flattening, longer and heavier freight trains will be able to run here in the future.
Vienna Danube Embankment Railway (WDB)
With the expansion of the line between Vienna Heiligenstadt and Vienna Praterkai, the range of local transport services in Vienna will be comprehensively expanded. This makes the concept of a multi-part S-Bahn ring in Vienna a reality.
In addition, more capacity will also be made possible for freight transport.
Rhine Valley (RHT)
With the expansion of the railway lines in the Bregenz area, local transport in the entire Rhine Valley will be massively improved.
In addition, there is the possibility of optimising long-distance traffic to Innsbruck and from Munich via Bregenz to Zurich.
A detailed list of all projects is also available here.
The technical draft for the 2040 target network is the result of an intensive process. It comprises measures totalling roughly 26 billion euros at current prices. However, the current framework plan for 2024-2029 already includes projects worth around 4 billion euros.
One thing is clear: the expansion of the rail network in Austria will not be completed in 2040. In addition to the projects in the 2040 target network, there are a number of other routes that can be expanded in the long term.
