Commuters, watch out!

Delays, cancellations: ÖBB reduces timetable

The ÖBB timetable in the eastern region will be temporarily thinned out from February 12.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Due to the current train cancellations and delays, ÖBB is temporarily canceling 50 of 2700 daily local trains in the eastern region as of February 12. The 1.9 percent reduction in services is necessary "to create reliability", said board member Klaus Garstenauer on Thursday. The restrictions are to last until Easter.

Only regional services in Vienna and Lower Austria will be affected.

The S3 will run 84 instead of 102 times a day between Korneuburg and Floridsdorf. This means that at least a 30-minute interval will be maintained on this route, the Federal Railways have assured. From Korneuburg, passengers can switch to the half-hourly REX3 to Floridsdorf.

The ÖBB timetable in the eastern region will be temporarily thinned out from February 12.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Alternative options
On the R40 connection from St. Andrä-Wördern to Vienna Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, the timetable including the S40 will be reduced from 116 to 108 trains. Passengers can alternatively take the S40, which runs every half hour, ÖBB advises. In addition, four trains with single-decker sets will run between Vienna - Wiener Neustadt - Deutschkreutz and on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn in the direction of Gmünd so that the usual double-decker sets can be used on other routes.

(Bild: P. Huber)

50 trains are removed from the timetable
The total of 50 trains will be removed from the timetable "so that the rest are reliably available for our passengers again", emphasized Garstenauer. The aim is to increase the workforce in the workshops and keep the restrictions as short as possible.

Thinning out the timetable should bring stability
Until the Easter weekend at the end of March, however, the thinning out of the timetable should bring stability. Even if the affected passengers have to cancel their usual trains, ÖBB expects the situation to improve overall. "The criterion is reliability," said Garstenauer.

ÖBB apologizes for recent problems
The Austrian Federal Railways once again apologized for the recent problems caused by delays in the delivery of new trains. In addition, "more trains than planned are currently in our workshops", explained Garstenauer. Passengers are to be informed about the reduced timetable via the Scotty timetable information service and by employees on the affected routes.

There are currently more trains in our workshops than planned.

Klaus Garstenauer, Vorstandsmitglied der ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG

Sharp criticism from Landbauer
Lower Austria's Deputy Transport Minister Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) has described the ÖBB's service cuts and train cancellations as "extremely unpleasant". "This is a real burden for our commuters, schoolchildren and families who rely on public transport every day", especially as "extremely commuter-relevant trains" were also canceled.

This is a real burden for our commuters, schoolchildren and families who rely on public transport every day, especially as trains that are extremely important for commuters have also been canceled.

Niederösterreichs Landeshauptmann-Stellvertreter Udo Landbauer (FPÖ)

"ÖBB is called upon to take the necessary steps to improve the quality and punctuality of its services," continued Landbauer. And: "I take ÖBB boss Matthä at his word that the necessary quality, which has also been ordered by the state of Lower Austria, will be on track from the end of March." At the very least, the reduced timetable must be handled punctually, reliably and efficiently, demanded the Freedom Party member.