AUSTRIA: Electric services have started operating on the southern 4 km of ÖBB’s Mattigtal branch between Steindorf bei Straßwalchen and Friedburg, northeast of Salzburg, following the completion of a €23·3m electrification project.
The package included station modernisation and accessibility improvement works, along with the provision of a 100-space park-and-ride facility at Friedburg.
‘The journey from Friedburg to the city of Salzburg is now possible with 100% green traction current’, said ÖBB Infrastruktur CEO Franz Bauer when the electric services were launched on December 12. ‘This is an essential contribution to climate protection.’
A third track is currently being completed alongside the double-track Weststrecke main line over the 2 km from the junction at Steindorf bei Straßwalchen to Neumarkt am Wallersee, which is expected to open in 2022. This will provide independent access for Mattigtal trains to reach the regional interchange at Neumarkt and free up capacity for more services on the main line.
ÖBB expects to electrify the remaining 34 km of the Mattigtalbahn north from Friedburg to Braunau am Inn by 2028.
