Carinthia and Styria combine forces: the new southern region in view!

Carinthia and Styria combine forces: the new southern region in view!

Kärnten, Österreich - Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) and Mario Kunasek (FPÖ), the governors of Carinthia and Styria, have announced the formation of a new “southern region” around the Koralm tunnel. This region, which includes both federal states, has a total of 1.8 million inhabitants, of which 1.1 million live in the central rooms. In a double interview with the "Krone" they discussed the opportunities and the need for investments in the region and the effects of rail connections.

A central aspect of the talks was the Koralmtunnel, which is part of the Koralm track. According to Krone, the construction of a high-speed route begins, which creates numerous jobs during the construction and operating phases. Trains are already going on certain sections of the route, and information about the construction progress is available in the respective areas.

the Koralmtunnel and the Koralm railway

The Koralmtunnel, which is considered the sixth longest railway tunnel in the world, is a milestone in the Austrian transport infrastructure. Parts of the Koralm train are already under construction or have long been completed. In addition to the Koralmunnel, the most important expanded infrastructure measures also include a new bridge over the Drau River and numerous new or modernized train stations that improve accessibility in the region.

The electrification of railway lines also plays an important role in the modern traffic landscape. As explained on [rail controlled] (https://schiencontrol.gv.at/de/wettbewerts- regulation/eisenbahnnetz-oesterreich.html), the electrification measures also affect the Carinthian section of the Koralbahn. In 2023, several route settings have already been made and important modernizations, including the barrier -free expansion at various traffic stations.

investments and future prospects

The investments in the Koralmtunnel and the associated projects not only aim at improving travel expression, but also on the economic development of the South region. The promising expansion of the high -performance network also includes the important Südbahn and Westbahn route. In 2023, [ÖBB] (https://infrastructure.oebb.at/en/projects-for-austria/railway-lines/southern-lineNa-villach/koralm-railway/about-the-project was opened and various new stations have been put into operation.

Overall, the developments around the Koralm Railway and the Koralmunnel offer a positive perspective for the southern region and a promising future for the transport infrastructure in Austria, which will benefit thousands of commuting and travelers.