Federal Railways (ÖBB) tickets could be more expensive later this year. ÖBB CEO Christian Kern refused to rule out price hikes yesterday (Thurs). Kern pointed out that ÖBB did not up passenger tickets in the past four years. “We are not a charity organisation,” he said. Kern underlined that a further improvement of services was […]
Decision-makers have defended the construction of the Semmering tunnel. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Traffic Minister Doris Bures praised the agreement between the provinces of Lower Austria and Styria, Federal Railways (ÖBB) and the state as an “important signal for future generations”. ÖBB boss Christian Kern pointed out that a train journey from Vienna to Graz would […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) works council chief Roman Hebenstreit has called on company bosses to show more honesty regarding the firm’s workforce level and staff salaries. Hebenstreit said on Saturday ÖBB continued cooperating with external enterprises about various services such as security at railroad construction sites while planning to lower the number of ÖBB staff by […]
The head of one of Europe’s most successful railroad companies has said he is convinced that Austria’s Federal Railways (ÖBB) has a future. Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) chief Andreas Meyer told Die Presse today (Fri) that “there might be synergies (in the next 20 years), but SBB and ÖBB will stay independent companies.” SBB is […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) works council boss Wilhelm Haberzettl has decided to retire. The Social Democrat (SPÖ) announced on Saturday it was “time for a change. Younger talents should come forward.” Haberzettl said he would quit as head of the ÖBB staff representation on 22 November. The 56-year-old left-winger added he had no plans to retire […]
Three months ago ÖVP Finance Minister Fekter wanted to sell the Federal Railways (ÖBB), now the ÖVP is pedalling back. The Wirtschaftsblatt newspaper cited ÖVP spokesperson for traffic affairs, Martin Bartenstein, today (Fri) as saying: “The ÖBB and privatisation is like the devil and the holy water.” He added that privatisation could not even be […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) boss Christian Kern has revealed that his firm will begin training the train drivers of a rival company.Businessman Hans Peter Haselsteiner and former ÖBB manager Stefan Wehinger’s Westbahn project will start offering around daily connections between Vienna and Salzburg this December. Wehinger recently told Die Presse newspaper: “We expect to achieve operative […]
Bosses of struggling Federal Railways (ÖBB) have appointed two new heads for loss-making affiliated firm Rail Cargo Austria (RCA).ÖBB CEO Christian Kern decided in November to remove RCA co-chiefs Friedrich Macher and Günther Riessland from executive power as the companys debts stopped soaring.Kern explained at that time that Macher and Riessland will keep working for […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) is in hot water after it emerged the company drastically reduced the validity period of return tickets.Austrian newspapers report today (Thurs) that return tickets are valid for just two days as of now instead of one month. Some dailies claim ÖBB did not inform its customers about the change at stations or […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) boss Christian Kern has ruled out tickets becoming more expensive.”Ticket prices should not rise this year. We can save money in passenger services and our infrastructure elsewhere,” he told weekly magazine profil.Asked why he recently called for a 400-million-Euro injection by the state for the debt-ridden company, Kern explained he wanted to […]