After 26 years of construction, the 130-kilometer-long Koralmbahn between Graz and Klagenfurt was officially completed on Thursday. According to ÖBB, test runs and staff training are still scheduled before the first regular train service begins in December 2025. “Unmatched in quality, unmatched in speed,” said Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens), highlighting that the new route will reduce travel time between Graz and Klagenfurt to just 45 minutes.
The opening of the century project Koralmbahn is now in sight. After the final major construction work, the so-called commissioning phase will begin at the end of November. “We need to ensure that everything built functions correctly,” explained ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä at the newly constructed Weststeiermark station. Over the next few months, more than 70 test runs are planned to check the tracks, power supply, and lighting.
Training for Train Operators and Emergency Services
In the first quarter of 2025, the tunnel will be connected to the rest of the ÖBB network, project leader Klaus Schneider said during a tour of the tunnel. Following this, test trains traveling at speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour will race along the tracks during “high-speed runs.” The planned maximum operational speed will be 230 kilometers per hour.
A key focus is also training the operating and maintenance staff. Train drivers will first practice in simulators and later on-site. Emergency responders and local fire brigades are rehearsing different scenarios. “Safety is our top priority,” said Matthä, “although we hope we never have to use these measures.” Freight services are expected to start in October 2025, ahead of passenger service, which will begin in December.
New Economic Corridor in the South
The railway connection is expected to create a new economic corridor, as “transport axes drive economic growth,” said Gaby Schaunig, Deputy Governor of Carinthia (SPÖ). With the Koralmbahn, Carinthia is “moving into the heart of Europe” as a former border region. The Baltic-Adriatic Corridor “now passes through Austria, thank God not around it,” emphasized Werner Amon, Styrian Councillor for Europe (ÖVP). “Freight transport will shift from road to rail,” said Styrian Environment Councillor Ursula Lackner (SPÖ).
“We need action on all levels – both large and small projects,” said the likely soon-to-depart Climate Minister Gewessler. “Implement, implement, implement” remains the key mandate.
Low Risk of Flood Damage
Following the damage to the Westbahn line due to floods in early September, ÖBB CEO Matthä stated that the risk of similar damage in the Koralmtunnel is low. The roof profile allows water to drain effectively. However, there are two noise protection tunnels on the Carinthian side of the Koralmbahn, similar to those in the Tullnerfeld region. “We are simulating flood spread around our rail lines with a new tool,” Matthä explained to APA about the ÖBB risk analysis in cooperation with Asfinag.
The first works on the Koralmbahn began 26 years ago, and construction on the 33-kilometer-long Koralmtunnel started in 2008. The Graz-Klagenfurt route is a total of 130 kilometers long, of which around 50 kilometers are in tunnels. According to ÖBB, the total cost of the project is approximately €6.1 billion. Parts of the new Koralmbahn are already being served by regional traffic, both on the Styrian side and since December 2023 on the Carinthian side.
