The Austrian Ministry of Climate Protection and Austrian state railway ÖBB, together with the Economica Institute for Economic Research, have presented the “Zielnetz 2040” railway strategy. As part of this strategy, the parties are planning a comprehensive further development of the railway network up to 2040. The technical draft for the Zielnetz 2040 strategy comprises 67 projects in 25 modules, with measures totalling around €26 billion at current prices, of which projects worth around €4 billion are already included in the 2024-2029 framework plan. These projects are to be implemented over the next 15 to 20 years and will increase the transport capacity on the Austrian railway network to one and a half times the current level. The technical draft is not yet a concrete plan or financing of individual projects but serves as a strategic guideline for the expansion of passenger and freight transport, taking into account capacity requirements, environmental impact, and economic effects. The strategy foresees that a total of 255 million train-km per year can be operated on the railway network by 2040. Following further discussions with the Austrian states and a public consultation, the Zielnetz 2040 strategy is to be adopted before the end of 2024.
