Koralmbahn slashes rail travel times and transforms Southern Austria’s mobility

A new chapter in Austria’s railway history begins on December 14, 2025, when the national rail operator ÖBB introduces its new timetable. The timetable also officially launches the Koralmbahn, Austria’s first newly built high-performance rail line in decades.

The 130-kilometer line, anchored by the 33-kilometer Koralmtunnel, represents one of Europe’s most ambitious infrastructure projects. It will also transform travel across the country’s southern regions. And particularly between Graz, Austria’s second largest city with over 300,000 inhabitants, and Klagenfurt, the regional capital of Carinthia.

Enhancing connectivity within Southern Austria and to Vienna

With the inauguration of the Koralmbahn, ÖBB will operate 29 daily connections between the two provincial capitals, cutting journey times to as little as 41 minutes on the fastest Railjet Xpress services. Compared to over two hours today!

Between Klagenfurt and Vienna, 26 daily trains will also be offered, reducing travel time to just 3 hours and 10 minutes for the fastest trains. The quickest trains currently link both cities in 3 hours and 55 minutes.

New Interregio lines will further strengthen links within the Alpine region, while faster direct services to Trieste and Venice will enhance international connectivity.

ÖBB expects exceptionally high passenger demand on the opening day. On December 14, travel between Graz and Klagenfurt is only guaranteed with a seat reservation or a valid Sparschiene tariff ticket. The company strongly recommends booking early or choosing travel dates after the initial launch rush, when discounted tickets will remain available.

The fanfare surrounding the opening reflects the scale of the achievement. Nearly three decades passed from the initial vision to December 12, 2025, the date chosen for the official opening ceremony by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.

Festivities in Graz and Klagenfurt drew thousands of visitors, with official ceremonies, a premiere train journey, and a day-long cultural program featuring artists. Special hourly shuttle trains allowed guests to move between events at both stations.

Austria’s biggest rail construction project in a century

The Koralmbahn’s technical specifications underscore its status as a generational project. With 12 tunnels totaling 50 kilometers, more than 100 bridges, and 23 newly built or modernized stations, the line is Austria’s largest rail construction effort in more than a century.

The Koralmtunnel alone ranks as the sixth-longest railway tunnel in the world. Designed for speeds of up to 250 km/h and equipped with the state-of-the-art European Train Control System (ETCS), the route sets new standards for safety and efficiency.

The economic impact is equally significant. Around €5.9 billion were invested in the project, generating thousands of jobs and substantial regional value creation. The line is set to fuse the metropolitan areas of Graz and Klagenfurt into what will be Austria’s second-largest urban region, home to roughly 1.1 million people.

As part of the trans-European “Baltic–Adriatic Corridor,” the Koralmbahn will also strengthen ties between northern and southern Europe and improve freight links to major Adriatic ports.

Austria’s President Van der Bellen hailed the Koralmbahn as a continuation of the railway’s historic role in shaping Europe’s development. While Chancellor Christian Stocker called the opening a milestone that will boost regional growth and reinforce Austria’s economic competitiveness.