The wanderlust is back and the ÖBB have arrived in the post-corona era. At the same time, there is a new climate ticket and fuel prices have exploded, which is causing more commuters to travel by train. In April and May, for the first time since Corona, more passengers were counted than in the same period of 2019, the strongest so far ÖBB-Year of travel ever.
Video: The Austrian Federal Railways have recently had to ask passengers from overcrowded wagons despite a valid ticket. In Linz, the police even had to intervene on Sunday:
However, due to the recently very full trains and individual evictions, there is no obligation to reserve. Just over a week ago it was said that mandatory reservations could not be ruled out – the OÖN reported. This hint, which caused a lot of trouble, is now apparently off the table. Overall, they want to continuously improve, expand digital support systems and improve steering and forecasting.
In April there were ten percent more long-distance passengers, and in May the increase is likely to be even greater. Other co-reasons are the meanwhile nationwide parking sticker in Vienna and also loud every day ÖBB 2,000 passengers from Ukraine who, as displaced persons, travel for free on the train.
“We drive every vehicle we have”
However, the rush to the railways did not only cause joy in the end. Complaints about trains that were too full were piling up, and time and again passengers had to leave the train of their choice on particularly busy travel days. “We’ll get better at forecasting, we’ll get better at steering,” promised Sabine Stock, im ÖBB– Board member responsible for long-distance, local and regional transport, among other things. “Capacities are also constantly being expanded,” added Klaus Garstenauer during a background discussion with journalists. On the Deutsche Bahn board of directors, he is responsible for fleet management, among other things.
“Overall, there are absolute record numbers,” said Stock on the number of passengers. “We drive every single vehicle we have,” says Garstenauer. On the western route, the increase in April was 14 percent compared to April 2019. They call absolute numbers ÖBB only for the full year. 13,000 additional places will be made available at short notice at Pentecost.
Video: In the ORF program “Aktuell nach eins”, ÖBB spokesman Bernhard Rieder explains how the federal railways want to solve the problem with full trains
Rise expected, but not so early
Fleet manager Garstenauer said the increase was expected, but not quite so early this year. In principle, overcrowded trains are not a capacity problem but a steering problem, he affirmed. Since the ÖBB expect further increases in passenger numbers, 4.1 billion euros will therefore be invested in new trains and the renewal of existing ones by 2030. the ÖBB have to orchestrate the mobility turnaround in passenger and freight transport while the overall system remains fit, Garstenauer described the challenge with reference to the general conditions with high energy and raw material prices and the search for personnel.
They are currently driving ÖBB 111 million train kilometers per year, that is 2,800 times per year or 7.5 times a day around the world. According to Garstenauer, by 2028 it will increase by 12.5 percent to 125 million train kilometers. The integrated timetable will be expanded for this purpose.
Digital expansion planned
However, the days of heavy travel in recent years and in the future will remain challenging, the board members admitted. “We understand frustration when you have to get off the train,” Stock said. But: “If we design the capacities in such a way that everyone can always drive at the same time, then trains are often standing around and that is not representable for the taxpayer.” For the future, in addition to further continuous development, further development of the ÖBBapp and an expansion of the digital tools for booking and maybe also for checking into the train.
Last Sunday, 16 additional trains were put on the routes, existing trains were lengthened and buses were kept ready to transport them further if necessary. For this purpose, staff are provided on the platforms to better distribute people on the trains. But if a train attendant can no longer get to his seat quickly to make safety announcements, then he has to make the difficult decision to expel people from the train. These are mostly people near the doors. That this is the responsibility of the companion is good and right.
Traffic control is to secure travel chains
However, the board members emphasized several times that people who have to go out would not be left in the lurch. In regional traffic, trains would be almost as fast from Vienna to St. Pölten or Wiener Neustadt as the Railjets. Last Wednesday, passengers at the train station in Salzburg had to be asked to get off the train because of a big concert in Klagenfurt. And these were brought to the concert by bus.
“The central traffic control coordinates that planned travel chains can be ensured,” said Stock. “Even if the originally planned connection does not work, we will ensure that the entire travel chain is secured for the passengers.”
Last week from Wednesday at 2 p.m. to Sunday evening the ÖBB 3.6 million long-distance passengers counted on 1,500 trains. 700 passengers from eleven trains had to leave their desired train and were asked to use another means of transport with the same ticket. “No one was left behind,” says Stock, who says of the evictions: “It’s not something the train conductor does voluntarily.”
“There is no obligation, but making a reservation helps”
A reservation obligation close the ÖBB now out. They want to stay with the “unique combination”, maintain an open system with reservation options without an obligation (except for night trains), according to Stock. It’s about ÖBB-Tickets also a pure route booking system.
So you can use the same ticket to board a Railjet or a regional train – in Germany, an ICE journey with a local transport ticket is not possible. In France, the ticket is like a reservation: if you don’t make the journey, you’re not like them ÖBB “Only” lose the 3 euros if you have reserved, but the ticket is valid. “We don’t want to simply give up this flexibility. It’s not mandatory, but reserving helps.” Reportedly, reservations never exceed 70 percent of seats.
Route between Vienna and Wiener Neustadt at the limit
What excludes the railways is that trains are fully reserved. There must always be room for people with network tickets, spontaneous travelers and climate ticket holders. The route between Vienna and Wiener Neustadt is actually at the limit. It is hoped that there will be a remedy from the end of 2023, when long-distance trains are to use the Pottendorf line.
With the winter timetable change on the second Sunday in December, ticket prices are likely to rise again this year after this was last suspended. However, this was not officially confirmed during the interview.
Source: Nachrichten
