Train travel in Austria continues to gain popularity. In 2024, improvements in service offerings and increased frequency led to 348.7 million passengers on the railways—an increase of six percent compared to 2023, according to the regulatory authority Schienen-Control on Thursday. While freight transport remains competitive, the sector is economically stagnant.
The surge in passenger numbers was largely due to the opening of the Carinthian section of the Koralm Railway and additional services in the Vienna region. There were also improvements in long-distance connections, including new links between Linz and Graz, Vienna and Villach, additional night trains, and extended Westbahn services. Passenger train kilometers reached a record 138.5 million.
Freight Traffic Competitive but Lacking Growth
Though described as “dynamic” and competitive, freight rail saw no growth in 2024. The regulatory authority cited weak economic conditions, international construction projects, flood-related disruptions, and shortages in staff, locomotives, and freight cars as key reasons. “Despite an increasing number of providers, rail freight performance has stagnated for years,” said Schienen-Control Managing Director Maria-Theresia Röhsler. Year-over-year, there was only a slight increase in net and gross tonne-kilometers.
Freight transport was particularly concentrated on the Brenner corridor, where one in three trains is a freight train. Rail Cargo Austria, part of the ÖBB, remained the market leader in freight, accounting for 57.3 percent of net tonne-kilometers (a 0.3 percent decrease). Private rail companies, such as Ecco-Rail, Lokomotion, and CargoServ, held a combined share of 27.6 percent. On the main transit routes (West axis, Brenner), private operators already dominated freight in 2024.
Regulator Sees Distorted Competitive Conditions Favoring Roads
The number of operators on the market increased in 2024. A total of 68 companies were authorized to operate trains on the ÖBB network. Cross-border freight partnerships also rose, positioning Austria as a growing hub in European rail logistics. However, the regulator emphasized the need for harmonized EU rules and more flexible track allocation.
A Schienen-Control market analysis showed that Austria’s rail system performs well compared to other European countries, particularly in network quality, training facilities, and scheduling. Still, road transport remains a major competitor. The authority pointed out structural advantages in favor of roads, such as lower labor costs and taxes, and criticized the lack of pricing for external costs in road and air freight.
