Rail freight traffic in the Austrian railway network will be reduced to the “absolute minimum,” with operations possibly affected throughout the weekend. Extreme weather phenomena, including storms, heavy rain, and snowfall, have forced the national railway company ÖBB to shut down several routes.
Earlier in the morning of Friday, 13 September, ÖBB went out with a travel warning and warned of possible traffic interruptions. In the meantime, rain and snowfall made operational conditions increasingly challenging.
In anticipation of worsening conditions and to ensure operational safety, considering a landslide between Aspang and Friedberg, ÖBB has shut down several routes. Freight branch Rail Cargo group also confirmed that freight traffic will be reduced to the absolute minimum abiding by the preventive measures.
The Austrian National Railway Company announced that the closures and preventive measures will probably stay in place until late Sunday evening (15 September) or until Monday, 16 September.