CROSS-border train services resumed on the 66km main line between Vienna, Austria, and Bratislava, Slovakia, on October 11 following the completion of electrification, track doubling and upgrading of the line via Marchegg.
The €541.3m project in Austria involved track doubling and electrification at 15kV 16.7Hz ac on the 37km section between Vienna Aspern North and Marchegg on the Austrian-Slovak border. All level crossings were replaced by underpasses. Stations were modernised to improve accessibility and provide park-and-ride facilities. In addition, the line speed was increased from 120km/h to 160km/h. A further increase to 200km/h is planned when the line is equipped with ERTMS.
Slovak infrastructure manager ŽSR modernised the bridge over the River March on the border at a cost of €11.5m. The work was delayed several times by flooding and unexpected technical challenges. However, the maximum line speed over the bridge remains at 70km/h and the 6km section between Marchegg and Devinska Nová Ves is still single track.
As a result of the upgrade, the journey time from Vienna to Bratislava main station has been cut from 1h 6min to 56 minutes. Trains run at hourly intervals. Four daily Eurocity trains will be introduced on the route with the start of the 2026 timetable on December 14.
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