TRAFFIC
From February 8, the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) will halve the range of train connections between Vienna and Salzburg. The ÖBB justify this step with the low capacity utilization. The emergency award, which ÖBB obliged to maintain rail traffic during the pandemic, will also expire on Sunday.
06.02.2021 13.53
Online since today, 1:53 p.m.
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By means of an emergency award, the government has obliged the ÖBB and the Westbahn to ensure rail traffic on the western line between Salzburg and Vienna even in lockdown. Since the lockdown in November, the climate protection ministry has subsidized rail traffic with 45 million euros. This emergency award expires on Sunday. An extension has not yet taken place.
Half as many trains run between Salzburg and Vienna
With the expiry of this emergency award on Sunday, ÖBB will gradually reduce its connection offer between Vienna and Salzburg by up to 50 percent. The ÖBB could not maintain their previous transport offer due to the low capacity utilization, it said in a broadcast by the federal railways. The current occupancy is 30 percent.
The private Westbahn will also offer fewer trains. A Westbahn spokeswoman fears that fewer trains mean a greater health risk for rail travelers and train staff. Because the company is actually expecting more commuters and schoolchildren again because the lockdown will be relaxed on Monday.
The Chamber of Labor and the vida union are warning of possible infections in the trains and calling for the state-supported emergency operation to be extended.
Train tickets are only valid in the respective railway company
In addition, mutual ticket recognition between ÖBB and Westbahn will end on February 8th. This means that only ÖBB tickets are valid on ÖBB trains, a Westbahn ticket is only valid on trains of the same name.
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