In 2012, Austrian Railways celebrated 175 years of existence, a period marked by the construction, reconstruction, modernisation and development of the railway system, efforts to make it one of the most efficient transport networks in Europe and the present rewarding success of the national railway transport as a whole. At the end of 2012, Austria commissioned several railway projects with a total length of over 100 km: Lainzer Tunnel, Vienna-St. Pölten high-speed line, Lower inn Valley line and part of the new railway stations (Main Station). Investments will continue and by 2014, Austria wants to eliminate all significant speed restrictions in order to increase the quality of services. Also, by 2016, OBB plans to invest over EUR 2 Billion/year into national and international projects.
In real terms, the quality and efficiency of the transport infrastructure in Austria are criteria closely related to economic development. In this context, the West Line is not just a vital transport axis in this transport, but it is also prioritized by the EU due to its position: the development of the line is very important here because of UE’s extension to the east and because it has a major contribution to the improvement of traffic and to the increase of passenger and cargo transport demand.
Since 2004, the West Line has become part of the European railway axis Paris-Strasbourg-Stuttgart-Vienna-Bratislava (Priority Project No. 17) and EU’s additional contribution to the Austrian section will amount to EUR 102.3 Million by 2015, EUR 9.4 Million of which come from the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP). Austria has covered for most of the costs of construction projects by investing EUR 5 Billion in Priority Project 17 (on its territory). By 2017, the development of all constructions proposed will significantly increase railway freight and passenger traffic and reduce the travel time.
The extension of the West Line with two double lines on the same route, Vienna-Wels, creates the premises for the urgent capacity growth and efficiency of the railway freight and passenger transport. Highly performing, the route will significantly reduce travel times over long distances and will aim to cover the distance between Vienna and Salzburg in two hours.
As part of the West Line, a new double line will be built on the route Vienna- St. Pölten, a line designed in conformity with the performance criteria for speeds of 250 km/h. The line is connected to Lainzer Tunnel to the east (connected, in turn, to the South and West lines and to Donaulände), while, to the west, the line will be connected to the existing West line at Wagram Junction, next to St. Pölten. The line stretches on 44 km, more than half its length passing through 8 tunnels.
The selection of the route has been set starting with 1990. Works on the report to assess the environmental impact were launched in 1995. An important part in the elaboration of the project was played by the citizens, the working groups and the political factor. As of February 2003, the authorities have initiated construction works on the established functions. Funds for the construction of the line have amounted to EUR 2.8 Billion, financed by the Railways and the EU (EUR 40 Million).
The new construction section Vienna – St. Pölten is one of the first infrastructure projects in Austria to be submitted to an environmental impact assessment pursuant to the Austrian EIA Act.
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