Vienna International Rail Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international rail industry in Vienna and Austria

Kern: "We are Struggling for Survival"

The CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Christian Kern, paints a dramatic picture of the largest domestic transport company.

April 8, 2011

Economic Chamber: Austria's Economy in Distress because of ÖBB-Structuring

"Significant price increases and deterioration of rail services will lead to shift of traffic to roads."

March 24, 2011 · Updated: March 24, 2011; 00:49

No Sale of ÖBB-Power Plants

The proposal that the Austrian Federal Railways sell its assets rather than increase its capital meets with vehement rejection.

March 23, 2011

ÖBB Restructuring: "There is no other Alternative"

Christian Kern, CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) explains his plans to manage the turnaround in an interview with the magazine "Standard".

March 12, 2011

ÖBB: Cargo Division as Loss-Maker

The continuing crisis of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) is due in large extent to the losses in freight traffic of Rail Cargo Austria (RCA).

March 8, 2011

Major order for Siemens Austria

The Austrian subsidiary of the German electronics group receives a new order from Poland for the construction of underground train sets.

February 26, 2011

WKÖ: "Clear Commitment to the Brenner Base Tunnel is Needed”

The chairman of the Austrian Economic Chamber considers the tunnel between Italy and Austria as a pioneering infrastructure project.

February 23, 2011

Brenner Tunnel: ÖBB will not pay

The Austrian Federal Railways will only accept to build the tunnel for € 10bn, if the costs are passed on to the state.

February 22, 2011

Difficulties in ÖBB Restructuring

The Austrian Federal Railways cannot get out of their debt crises. Restructuring of the freight division requires additional funding

February 15, 2011

Tension between ÖBB and ÖVP

The conflict over the finances of the Austrian State Railway between the ÖBB and the ruling ÖVP goes on.

February 8, 2011

ÖBB CEO Kern Closes In on Politicians

The CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Christian Kern, reacts angrily to accusations made by politicians.

February 5, 2011

The Westbahn Complains Because of ÖBB-Subsidies

In December, the new “Westbahn” (Western Railway) will start competing with the ÖBB (Austrian state railways) which are allegedly being privileged by the government.

February 3, 2011

ÖBB in "Rebuilding Phase"

The CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways, Christian Kern, sees a new era beginning for the group. He intends to put more focus on performance.

January 22, 2011

Austrian Federal Railways Needs € 400m

Christian Kern, CEO of the Federal Raiways (ÖBB), backed up his call for a capital increase.

January 3, 2011

Drastic Job Cut at ÖBB

The Austrian Federal Railways cuts 650 posts at its freight division Rail Cargo Austria (RCA).

January 1, 2011

Czech Railways Considers to Acquire ÖBB-Railjets

The Austrian Federal Railways doesn´t want to exercise its option to buy further Railjets from Siemens.

December 28, 2010

French SNCF Participates in Westbahn Project

The French National Railways acquire a stake of 25% in the Haselsteiner project.

December 17, 2010

Allegations of Market Abuse Against ÖBB

The Austrian Federal Railways are facing another accusation by the Federal Competition Authority. Rail Cargo is said to have abused its market power.

December 17, 2010

JCL Logistics and Rail Cargo Austria Step into Strategic Alliance

Both logistics companies agree to establish a cooperation in groupage service. Their common target is to reach synergies in their transport network.

December 15, 2010

Linz AG: Decrease in Operating Profits

The Upper-Austrian energy supplier experiences a slight increase in sales. Profits declined. However, the board states to be “satisfied”.

December 14, 2010

Extra-budgetary Debts Grow Unabated

Debt levels which are not attributed to the Austrian Federal Budget rise exorbitantly. Above all, the ÖBB and Asfinag are responsible.

November 30, 2010

ÖBB-CEO Kern Reconstructs Freight Division

After the decisions made about personnel, Kern wants to make the freight division profitable again. The group’s CEO has accorded himself three years for the process.

November 26, 2010

ÖBB: Changes in Freight Traffic Leadership

Because of poor results, the ÖBB CEO has to act on facts: The managers of the freight division are being replaced.

November 25, 2010

Wiener Stadtwerke Inaugurates New Headquarters

The largest Viennese infrastructure company concentrates its activities at the new headquarters and also sets a mark for urban development.

November 24, 2010

Siemens Austria: New Orders from Bangkok

The Thai BTSC has placed an order at Siemens for 35 additional intermediate cars for the city rail system. Works in Bangkok start in 2012..

November 22, 2010

The ÖBB is a Risk Factor for the State Budget

While the investment projects for the ÖBB are being reduced by Transport Minister Doris Bures, a fiasco is threatening on the revenue side.

November 15, 2010

Linz AG: Pause After Investment Offensive

The municipal company recorded extraordinary high capital expenses in 2009. The next projects are still in the planning phase.

November 11, 2010

Kapsch CarrierCom Gets Major Contract for GSM-R Project in Spain

Kapsch was commissioned by the Spanish railway authority Adif with the implementation of a GSM-R network.

November 9, 2010

Competition for Hungarian ÖBB Subsidiary

Rail Cargo Hungaria (RCH) is still fighting for restructuring success. Meanwhile, a new competitor has appeared in the freight business.

November 5, 2010

Strabag CEO Haselsteiner: Koralmtunnel Has To Be Built

Haselsteiner reacts sharply to criticism of the construction of the Koralm tunnel. He sees the infrastructure measure as economically sensible.

November 2, 2010

ÖBB: Alleged Corruption

An internal document about a meeting of the ÖBB Supervisory Board in 2008 has now appeared. Bribes are openly talked about.

October 29, 2010

EU Funds to Finance Brenner Tunnel until 2015

The European Commission has extended its partial financing commitment for the Brenner tunnel. However, appropriate measures must be taken soon. Deliberations are still underway at present.

October 28, 2010

STRABAG Builds the Koralm Tunnel

The controversial project will be built by the construction group Strabag. The total investment amounts to around 600 million euro.

October 28, 2010

Hungarian Railway Workers Strike Against Rail Cargo

Due to employee layoffs at Rail Cargo Hungaria, the employees threaten to go on strike. Rail Cargo suffers losses both in Austria and in Hungary

October 27, 2010

New Westbahn Claims Unjustified Subsidies for the ÖBB

The reason is an amendment to the Public Procurement Act, which allegedly gives preference to the ÖBB.

October 20, 2010

Austrian Federal Railways in Debt Crisis

Several infrastructure projects will increase the debt burden of the Federal Railways dramatically. This could bring considerable effects for the financial situation of the whole Federation.

October 19, 2010

Coface CEE Top 500 - Poland Largest Number of Companies in CEE

Poland has the largest number of companies in the Central and Eastern Europe Top 500 with 28.4%. Hungary ranks second with 16.6%, overtaking the Czech Republic, which is home for 13.8% of the CEE Top 500.

October 12, 2010

Siemens Graz: - Investment of 12 Million in Plant for Railway Bogies

Siemens is investing a total of twelve million euro at the Graz location. The plant for railway bogies will receive a new assembly line for wheel sets. In addition to the present 950 employees new jobs will be created.

October 8, 2010

Rail Cargo Austria :End of Losses Not in Sight

The losses of the ÖBB subsidiary Rail Cargo Austria rise to at least 200 million euro The end is far away. Lay offs and restructuring are necessary.

October 7, 2010

Doppelmayr: Major Contract from San Francisco for 121 Million Euro

After major orders for its cable car system for Las Vegas and Venice, the cable car technology group from Vorarlberg now also got on track in the greater San Francisco area with the largest order in the company’s history.

October 5, 2010

Vienna now has its own Expat Center

In Vienna, the first Expat Center in Austria was opened. The project was handled by the Vienna Business Agency (former WWFF).

September 30, 2010

ÖBB: 100 Million Euro Savings Through Improved Purchasing

ÖBB want to save 100 million Euro during the next three years with cheaper and better organized purchasing. Shunting and traction are merged.

September 27, 2010

Austria's Management and Supervisory Boards’ Salaries on the Test Bench

The partly state-run OMV had the most expensive board of all Austrian corporations in 2009. In total, the oil company spent 10.2 million euro on its bosses, 23.4% more than the previous year.

September 20, 2010

Vienna International Airport: 13.0% increase in passengers during August 2010

In August 2010 the number of passengers handled by Vienna International Airport increased 13.0% year-on-year to 1,991,481.

September 10, 2010

ÖBB: Layoff of 100 executives and 1,000 administrative jobs

In order to save the financially strongly ailing ÖBB, it is being set on a course of austerity by the new boss, Christian Kern, who has been appointed on Friday. 100 executive and 1,000 administrative jobs are to be cut within the next three years.

September 10, 2010

Verbund - Fight over capital increase further delayed

The controversy over Verbund capital is likely to prolong. Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures will continue to insist on her initial position.

August 26, 2010

Causa ÖBB - Verbund as top priority

Verbund AG wants to increase its equity, the federal government as majority shareholder will support the plan, which will be discussed, in tomorrows Council of Ministers.

August 23, 2010

Voestalpine back in black

The Austrian steel company Voestalpine has benefited from strong economic recovery in the first quarter of 2010/11 and has by far exceeded earnings expectations of analysts.

August 20, 2010

OIAG to become an infrastructure holding

The OIAG aims to become an infrastructure holding company. The federal real estate company (BIG), Verbund (energy), Asfinag (infrastructure) and parts of the ÖBB (railway) will be slowly integrated in an ÖIAG structure.

July 23, 2010

Union speaks of "death blow" for Austrian Railway

In the context of the forthcoming increase of capital of Verbund hydro electrical plants could be bought from the Austrian Railway Network ÖBB.

July 15, 2010