THE Austrian state of Salzburg has published information in the Official Journal of the European Union detailing a future tender for a concession to operate regional rail services in Salzburg and the neighbouring states of Upper Austria, Tirol and the German state of Bavaria.

THE new Vienna South intermodal terminal at Inzersdorf has started operation with a few container trains per day and should be in full service from December.

THE first Stadler Kiss 2 EMU for Austrian open-access operator Westbahn arrived in Austria at the end of October for trials.

AN agreement on the upgrading the Slovenian section of the Maribor - Graz line was signed by Mr Damir Topolco, director of the Slovenian Infrastructure Directorate and Austrian transport minister Dr Thomas Spiegel of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology in Maribor on October 20.

SAD Local Transport, which operates train services partly in cooperation with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) in the Bolzano area, invites tenders by October 31 for seven tri-voltage EMUs.

FRAUSCHER Sensor Technology, Austria, announced on October 24 that it has been acquired by New York-based Greenbriar Equity Group, for an undisclosed sum.

AUSTRIAN light rail operator Wiener Lokalbahnen (WLB) has signed an agreement with the local governments of Vienna and Lower Austria to finance a batch of 18 new LRVs for its 30km line from Vienna to Baden.

AUSTRIAN open-access rail freight operator Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo has awarded Bombardier a contract to supply three Traxx AC3 electric locomotives with last mile diesel engines for shunting on non-electrified sidings.

AUSTRIA’s federal government has approved Austrian Federal Railways’ (ÖBB) infrastructure investment plan for 2017-2022, which pledges to spend €15.2bn on the rail network over the next five years.