Westbahn revolutionizes traffic: New connection from 2026 for Carinthia!

Westbahn revolutionizes traffic: New connection from 2026 for Carinthia!

From March 1, 2026, the Westbahn, under the direction of industrialist Hans Peter Haselsteiner, will introduce a new rail connection between Vienna and Villach via Graz and Klagenfurt. This connection is served five times a day and is intended to offer the entire duration of three hours and 28 minutes. In addition to the cities mentioned, there are also stations such as Vienna Meidling and Bruck an der Mur, such as the announcement by vienna.at . This makes the Westbahn through the new Koralmunnel to the main artery in the Südbahn and wants to fix the current defects in long -distance transport.

In order to implement this ambitious plan, the Westbahn has ordered three high -speed trains that can drive up to 250 km/h and are therefore the fastest in Austria. Each train offers space for 422 passengers in three classes and guarantees accessibility through two levels. These trains were ordered in a remarkably short period of time, which illustrates the successful partnership with the Swiss manufacturer Stadler. According to steiermark.orf.at , connections towards Lienz in East Tyrol could also be possible in the future, which would further increase the flexibility and accessibility of the region.

competition and quality

The people responsible for the Western Railway reaffirmed that the entry into the new connection is not only a supplement to the existing mobility offer, but will also have positive effects on the quality of rail traffic in general. Haselsteiner expressed criticism of the Austrian Bundesbahn (ÖBB) and emphasized that the competition will improve the performance of all providers. In addition, the new route is also seen as an opportunity for tourism in the region, since a Koralmbahn stop in the Clopeiner See tourism region is requested. An improved connection could also fuel battles for customers in travel and bring significant advantages for travelers.