Chinese features will soon start between Salzburg and Vienna!

Chinese features will soon start between Salzburg and Vienna!

Something is happening in Austria in the railway world: the first trains of the Western Railway are expected to roll this year on the rails between Salzburg and Vienna. This development is no coincidence, because the release by the European railway agency (ERA) is imminent. The manufacturer CRRC's four double -decker drives in Austria and Germany have been on the road for test purposes for over two years, but first without passengers. A hot iron with which the Westbahn follows a accurate strategy to inspire customers in the future. Loud rail the approval in Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic is sought.

With regard to security, however, not every section of the route can be used. For example, the new trains are not in use in the Koralmtunnel on the route towards Graz and Klagenfurt. The focus is initially on connections to the west. In this regard, the Westbahn has a good hand, because the Czech Republic already has three CRRC trains in use, which shows that the trains are not just on display.

Technical data and features

The CRRC DDDemu2, also known as the Westbahn Class 4100, are real miracles of engineering. With a length of 158 meters, they offer space for 571 seats and can transport up to 1,280 passengers - a real profit for travelers. The products from the manufacture of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. are manufactured in a modern design with aluminum, carbon fiber and glass fiber. The planned commissioning of the new trains will take place in 2025, with the first test runs already taking place in 2021 and the green light was given for the operation.

A look at the technical data shows that the trains can whiz through the landscape at 200 km/h. This not only rely on speed, but also on contemporary security standards that are in accordance with the regulations of the European Union. The modern trains are well prepared for international routes: they can be traveling in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Hungary.

Rail traffic in the upswing

The ongoing positive development in rail transport extends throughout Europe. How Eurostat reported, rail passenger traffic in the EU reached its highest level in a long time in 2023 with a total of 429 billion passenger kilometers. This corresponds to an increase of 11.2% compared to 2022 and shows that rail is becoming increasingly popular as a means of transport. This trend is particularly clear in Austria: with 32.0 passengers per capita, the country is one of the leaders in the European rail network.

Developments such as the introduction of CRRC trains could help promote this positive growth. If the new trains will also be put into operation regularly from the end of the year, the Western Railway can expect that many travelers will use Salzburg to Vienna and, moreover, the railway will use as a convenient and quick alternative.

With all these news and developments in rail technology and rising rail customer interest, the Westbahn is certainly facing an exciting future - and we can be excited to see how the situation on the rails will change.