AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) opened the 130km Koralm Railway to freight traffic on November 4 ahead of the launch of passenger services on December 14.
The 250km/h line links Graz and Klagenfurt and now forms part of the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor, which ÖBB says will strengthen Austria's position as a logistics hub.
“Thanks to the new Koralm Railway, we can offer our customers shorter transport times and increased capacity for climate-friendly logistics,” says Clemens Först, CEO of ÖBB Rail Cargo Group. Indeed, the new line provides 30% more capacity for freight, and because it has a 1% gradient rather than the 1.6% gradient on the old route it will enable trains to carry an additional 250 to 280 tonnes of freight per train.
Transit times will be cut as trains between Villach South and Graz will no longer need to travel on the longer northern route via Knittelfeld, Leoben and Frohnleiten.
The Koralm Railway has around 50km of tunnels including the 33km Koralm Tunnel, more than 100 bridges and 23 stations and stops.
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