Expansion not before 2040

Cars will continue to ride up and away from the train for many years to come

"Please wait" is still the message for rail passengers in the Mühlviertel. ÖBB's "Target Network 2040", which includes the most important rail projects for the next 15 years, does not include the urgently needed expansion of the Summerauerbahn. Much to the displeasure of the population and the ÖVP. 

In the expansion plans of ÖBB and Infrastructure Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens), the Summerauerbahn from Linz to Freistadt has been sidelined. No improvements are planned until 2040. To the annoyance of many of the 14,000 or so people who commute from the Freistadt area. They would like to switch from cars to public transport. However, the time factor is clearly in favor of the car. Since the construction of the S 10, the provincial capital can be reached from Freistadt in 30 minutes.

"The efforts towards a traffic turnaround are nowhere to be seen, especially with this project. The expansion of the important railroad line across the Mühlviertel must be tackled immediately.

Florian Hiegelsberger, ÖVP-Landesgeschäftsführer

The "fastest" train takes 48 minutes, many journeys take an hour. Unsurprisingly, 75% of commuters therefore travel to work by car, while 9.8% use public transport. VP regional manager Florian Hiegelsberger is therefore calling on Gewessler to rethink: "The expansion of the important railroad line across the Mühlviertel must be tackled immediately." 

Brake on the relocation of freight traffic
"Especially in a Europe that is growing ever closer together and against the backdrop of climate-friendly mobility, a rapid expansion of the Summerauerbahn is essential. This is the only way to make the desired switch to climate-friendly mobility and the associated shift of freight transport to rail a reality," emphasizes Angelika Winzig, the People's Party's top candidate for the EU elections on 9 June. 

EU should make funds available
Winzig adds: "Putting off such an important trans-European rail link for 30 years now is a fatal mistake for the Mühlviertel and Europe as a whole. The EU must make more funds available to expand high-performance transnational connections such as the Summerauerbahn."

Ideal feeder line to the regional light rail system
Johanna Jachs, Member of the National Council for Mühlviertel, is also pushing for improvements to the Summerauerbahn: "With regard to the construction of the Linz regional light rail system, the expansion of the Summerauerbahn would represent added value for people and could serve as an effective feeder line if the appropriate services were available."