Night-time operation

Bomb threat: Vienna Central Station evacuated

(Bild: „Krone“-Leserreporter)

There was excitement at Vienna Central Station late on Thursday evening: an anonymous caller threatened to have planted a bomb at Austria's busiest long-distance train station. The entire building was evacuated as a result.

At around 10.30 p.m., the police received the alarming call, which resulted in a large-scale operation at the main station in Vienna's Favoriten district. Numerous police officers raced to the station and the building was immediately evacuated and searched.

Numerous emergency services raced to the main station on Thursday night.(Bild: „Krone“-Leserreporter, Krone KREATIV)

"Didn't realize right away that they were evacuating"
"It was suddenly announced over the loudspeaker that there was danger in the station and that you should leave as quickly as possible. I had my headphones on and didn't even realize at first that there was an evacuation," said one passenger who was taken by surprise by the scenes.

Instead of the timetables, a warning message appeared on the screens in the station building.(Bild: „Krone“-Leserreporter)

(Bild: „Krone“-Leserreporter)

(Bild: „Krone“-Leserreporter)

After leaving the station building, it was a case of waiting: "I estimated that there must have been around 200 people outside the station. At first some were worried, but after about half an hour a few people got upset about the delays and cancellations and started shouting," the Lower Austrian told krone.at. 

"Nothing was found"
After an hour and a half, the emergency services were able to give the all-clear. "Nothing was found," said the regional police directorate.

The investigation to clarify the identity of the caller is ongoing. The background to the incident is still completely unclear.