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Graffiti alarm: ÖBB records highest damage ever!
In 2024, graffiti caused damage to ÖBB worth 4.5 million euros. The number of crimes increased by 18 percent.
Graffiti alarm: ÖBB records highest damage ever!
The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) are struggling with rapidly increasing graffiti damage, which reached an alarming sum of 4.5 million euros in 2024. This means an increase of 1.4 million euros compared to the previous year. According to ÖBB, an impressive 2,710 pieces of graffiti were documented on trains and buildings, representing a shocking 18 percent increase in graffiti crimes compared to 2023. The costs consist of cleaning costs and the resulting downtime of the cars. These contaminations not only represent a financial burden, but also affect the subjective feeling of safety of passengers, which has a negative impact on the acceptance of public transport, as the ÖBB warns.
Increase in graffiti crimes
The ÖBB has tightened its measures against sprayers in recent years. Almost twice as many perpetrators were caught in 2024 as in the previous year. Every graffiti is documented and recorded in a database. ÖBB works closely with the authorities and the police to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable. The dangers of spraying on railway systems should not be underestimated: Many sprayers are not aware of the risks that arise from illegal access to the railway systems, where highly active trains travel with long braking distances and where there are extremely high voltage overhead lines that can cause fatal electric shocks.
In addition, the ÖBB explained that the trains will not be available during cleaning, which will lead to restrictions in the timetable and thus possible train cancellations. Tracks and other railway systems that are part of the operating points in the railway network are defined according to the Railway Construction and Operating Regulations (EBO). The EBO describes how stations and tracks are structured; they are crucial for the smooth operation of the railway. As reported by allanswers.de, train stations are not only places where trains start or end, but also important nodes in the transport system.