Market Monitoring: A Core Function of Schienen-Control

Market monitoring is one of the primary tasks of Schienen-Control, enabling comprehensive analyses of Austria’s rail transport market.

Passenger Transport: Record Service Levels

After several years of steady growth, the Austrian rail passenger market was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While a basic level of service was maintained throughout, demand temporarily plummeted. Since then, all performance indicators have developed positively, with substantial growth between 2021 and 2022. In 2023, the passenger transport sector once again achieved very satisfactory results.

Service offerings were significantly enhanced through frequency increases on existing routes and the introduction of new connections. In long-distance transport, WESTbahn expanded its services launched at the end of 2022 between Salzburg and Innsbruck, now operating five trains per day and direction between Vienna and Tyrol as of September 2023 (one of which was extended to Bregenz in December 2023). ÖBB-Personenverkehr also strengthened its long-distance services between Austrian metropolitan areas, reintroduced connections to neighboring countries (e.g., two daily train pairs on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn between Vienna and Prague via Gmünd), and expanded existing night train services (including the Nightjet Munich/Salzburg or Vienna – Milan to Genoa and La Spezia).

Simultaneously, improved connections between long-distance and regional services were established, along with direct connections to more remote regions. In regional transport, numerous improvements were made in almost all federal states, mainly involving increased train frequencies, extended operating hours, and additional services on weekends. Overall, these changes led to a record service volume of over 132 million train-kilometers nationwide (approximately three percent more than in 2022).

Demand Development

Demand also increased significantly, reaching an all-time high of 328.3 million rail passengers. The growth in passenger numbers, exceeding eleven percent, was driven by the revival of long-distance travel, a marked increase in tourist rail journeys, high fuel prices, and ongoing parking space management in metropolitan areas. These effects were further amplified by the introduction of the KlimaTicket in October 2021, which has gained popularity due to its often considerable price advantage over regional tariff networks. As of the end of 2023, around 272,000 individuals held a nationwide valid version of this ticket, according to the Ministry of Climate Protection.

Rail Freight Transport: Challenging Market Environment
The economic situation deteriorated in 2023 compared to the previous year, which subsequently impacted the main indicators of rail freight transport. Both transport performance (net tonne-kilometers, gross tonne-kilometers) and freight volume (net tonnes transported) declined by five and six percent, respectively, indicating a mid-single-digit decrease.

Unlike in previous years, there were few restrictions on international goods transport. However, the rail freight sector faced a range of other challenges. On the one hand, the demand for transport in Europe declined due to a slowdown in industrial production. On the other hand, the disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine in 2022 continued to affect energy markets, resulting in a significant increase in rail electricity prices, while fuel prices developed more favorably. This, combined with the high general price level, had an impact on traction costs and therefore on the competitiveness of companies. Furthermore, extensive infrastructure work, rerouting due to construction sites, and suboptimal operational quality in neighboring countries (particularly in Germany) affected the planning and execution of transport operations. Lastly, there was an ongoing shortage of qualified personnel and a Europe-wide scarcity of available rolling stock (locomotives and freight wagons). As a result of these circumstances, the pressure to shift transport to road networks increased further in 2023.

While Rail Cargo Austria reported declining figures compared to the previous year, the group of competitors registered growth. This enabled them to further increase their market share across all three indicators, surpassing the 40 percent mark.