Finally finished! Koralmbahn shortens travel time between Graz and Klagenfurt

Finally finished! Koralmbahn shortens travel time between Graz and Klagenfurt

After 26 years of intensive construction work, one of Europe's most important infrastructure projects, the Koralmbahn, was completed at the end of November. This 130 kilometer long railway line, which runs through the Koralpe mountain range between Carinthia and Styria, is now about to be put into operation. The ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) informs that the first phase of commissioning will take several months, during which over 70 test drives and around 15,000 test kilometers will be carried out before the route is opened for regular operations. The maximum speed on this high-speed line is designed to be up to 250 km/h, making the Koralmbahn the fastest railway line in Austria. The construction work was accompanied by various challenges, and numerous test drives with train driver simulators are planned to ensure safety and functionality. Particularly noteworthy are the 50 kilometers of tunnels and over 100 bridges that characterize the route, as well as the 23 modernized train stations and stops, which will also act as important hubs for regional and international traffic.

Important milestones and future prospects

The core of the Koralmbahn is the 32.9 kilometer long Koralm Tunnel, which crosses under the two federal states of Carinthia and Styria. The Koralmbahn promises to drastically reduce the travel time between Graz and Klagenfurt from the current three hours to just 45 minutes. This significant time saving will greatly improve accessibility to the two state capitals, which will not only stimulate public transport, but also make freight transport more efficient and stimulate the region's economic development. The total cost of the project now amounts to around 5.4 billion euros, which underlines the importance of this investment. With a gradual commissioning since the end of 2023, regional connections between St. Paul im Lavanttal and Klagenfurt will now also be introduced, while the complete completion and regular operation of the entire Koralmbahn is targeted for the end of 2025, as well Wikipedia reported.