Breakdowns with old trains

“New level”: ÖBB orders 19 additional Railjets

The new Railjets should be significantly more comfortable than the old ones.(Bild: ÖBB/Harald Eisenberger)

After some problems last winter, ÖBB has now ordered 19 additional Railjets. The first new trains are already on the road during the Easter vacations. They come from a previous order.

A total of 27 sets have been ordered, which will also run on the southern line by 2028. The supplier is Siemens, and the 19 Railjets now ordered will cost around 405 million euros, according to Bundesbahnen.

ÖBB has recently had a hard time with the Railjet. There were technical problems during the Christmas period of all times. Shortly before Christmas 2023, ten percent of the 60 older-generation Railjets were said to be in the workshop.

"More comfort and privacy"
The new Railjets will go into service on Friday: from then on, they will run on the western route between Vienna Central Station and Feldkirch. On Monday, April 8, 2024, two brand-new train pairs will start operating internationally on the Munich - Innsbruck - Bolzano - Verona - Bologna route and another new train pair on the Munich - Innsbruck route. "The new trains boast modern equipment, more comfort and increased privacy," ÖBB promises. According to Group CEO Andreas Matthä, this will "raise comfort to a new level".

In concrete terms, according to the railroad company: The sets offer multi-adjustable seats with a closed design on the backrests for more privacy. There are two folding tables per seat for extended storage options, footrests in all comfort classes, integrated reading lamps, additional charging options via USB and inductive charging station as well as improved seat labeling for easy orientation.

Improvements for wheelchair users and cyclists
First Class and Business Class are furnished with leather and real wood. Barrier-free travel will be facilitated by the low-floor design and three wheelchair spaces in the multifunctional coach. There are also improvements for cyclists, with six bicycle parking spaces available.

Train bistro to become more pleasant
The train restaurant is also set to become more pleasant. It offers table seating and bar stools right by the window, where individual passengers can also find their own seat.

Tanja Kienegger, CEO of Siemens Mobility Austria, pointed out the added value for the business location today: "We have developed and manufactured the new generation of Railjets in Vienna, generated high added value in Austria and implemented many innovations."

532 seats in nine carriages
The new Railjet, which can reach speeds of up to 230 km/h, offers a total capacity of 532 seats thanks to its nine-car design. These are divided as follows: 430 seats in Economy Class, 86 in First Class and 16 in Business Class. Newly developed windows permeable to mobile communications have improved the network function and there is free WLAN on board.