Looking for tenants

Brand-new major train station, but stores remain empty

Still empty: No restaurant or shop has yet opened at Weststeiermark Station.(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

Even four months after the opening, not a single bidder has come forward for the retail spaces at Weststeiermark Station. ÖBB reports “constructive discussions,” while commuters are growing increasingly frustrated. 

Monday, 7:30 a.m.: The parking lot in front of Weststeiermark Station is full. Parents are bringing their children, who are gathering for a school field trip, into the station concourse. Teenagers are waiting together for their train to Graz.

Weststeiermark Station opened in mid-December with the launch of the Koralm Railway. Now, four months later, “For Rent” signs still hang prominently on the empty retail spaces. “It would also be helpful for those waiting if a train were to be canceled, so they could grab a coffee,” says Renate from Deutschlandsberg, for example. Student Felina Freydl, on the other hand, would like to see a supermarket so she can quickly pick up something on her way.

The parking lot in front of the new station in Groß St. Florian is well-filled(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

What do commuters think of the Weststeiermark station? The “Krone” asked around.

I travel from Deutschlandsberg via the Weststeiermark station to Graz to attend the TU. It’s new and modern, but a café would be handy.

Franz-Peter

Bild: Jürgen Fuchs

I commute every day via the Weststeiermark station. A bakery or maybe a supermarket would be nice. The parking lot is completely full of cars.

Felina Freydl

Bild: Jürgen Fuchs

This isn’t a tourist hotspot, but we’d really like to have a café here. That would be nice for those waiting. Overall, the building feels cold and uninviting.

Renate

Bild: Jürgen Fuchs

A café on the upper level with a view would be nice. Also, so you can grab something to go. I don’t think a supermarket that sells alcohol is a good idea.

Karl Tiran

Bild: Jürgen Fuchs

“Constructive Discussions”
“The available retail spaces at Weststeiermark Station are still listed for rent, but we are currently engaged in very constructive discussions with interested parties,” the ÖBB stated in response to an inquiry. While many people on the ground complain about high rent prices, the national railways have observed a shift in passenger habits in recent years.

“These days, train stations are primarily transportation hubs for boarding, alighting, or transferring. Thanks in part to optimized schedules, this has resulted in passengers spending less time at the station.” However, they are working on finding tenants.