The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) transported over 511 million passengers on buses and trains last year, marking the first time the company has exceeded half a billion passengers. Passenger numbers in local and regional transport rose by 10 percent compared to 2023, while long-distance travel numbers remained stable. The new Nightjets have also increased demand in the night train segment, the ÖBB reported on Sunday.

As more people opt for rail travel, the ÖBB has been expanding its offerings and investing approximately 6.1 billion euros in new and modern trains by 2030. “Around 330 new trains will be put into service,” said ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä.

For this year, the state-owned railway expects similarly strong results in passenger numbers across all areas as last year. The Koralmbahn will begin operations in December 2025, significantly expanding the service on the southern route. Further details on the 2024 business performance will be announced by the ÖBB at their annual press conference in the spring.