The partial operation of the infrastructure of Austrian regional transport operator Graz-Köflacher Bahn (GKB) is to be transferred to ÖBB-Infrastruktur. The Austrian Ministry of Transport, which has presented the corresponding bill, expects this to result in total savings of around €201.8 million in the period from 2024 to 2027. The lower operating costs of ÖBB-Infrastruktur compared to GKB and the transfer of the financing of the investments to the annuity financing of ÖBB-Infrastruktur is supposed to reduce the costs for the federal budget. The draft law provides for a demerger and takeover agreement to be signed between GKB and ÖBB-Infrastruktur. GKB will continue to exist in the process. The planned GKB Infrastructure Transfer Act also provides for a number of provisions aimed at securing the entitlements of the employees of the infrastructure sub-operation of GKB.
