Full speed ahead for freight transport on the new Koralm Railway
- Climate-friendly mobility: 30% more freight capacity on the southern route
- New line: Shorter transport routes, lower energy consumption thanks to gentler gradients
- Koralm Railway strengthens Austria's position as a European logistics hub
(Villach, November 4, 2025) – Even before the first passenger trains roll across the Koralm Railway in December 2025, the first freight trains are already running on the new line as of early November. The Koralm Railway is thus making railway history – in keeping with tradition, as the history of the railway began 200 years ago also with freight transport.
A historic moment for rail freight transport
The first rail connections were established 200 years ago to efficiently move heavy goods – from coal and salt to raw materials and agricultural products. Now, the journey continues: with the commissioning of the Koralm Railway, freight transport is once again taking a major step forward. Since early November 2025, the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group has been using the new connection between Carinthia and Styria – and is now transporting goods along the 130-kilometre-long new line. ÖBB Rail Cargo Group CEO Clemens Först is enthusiastic about the opening of the new line for freight trains: “The start of freight transport on the Koralm Railway marks a new chapter for rail freight transport in Austria. Thanks to the new Koralm Railway, we can offer our customers shorter transport times and increased capacity for climate-friendly logistics.”
Faster, more efficient, more powerful: the benefits of the new connection
The Koralm Railway is a milestone for freight transport in Austria and across Europe. Trains between Villach South and Graz will no longer need to detour via Knittelfeld, Leoben and Frohnleiten and will reach their destination faster. This is especially relevant for single wagon transport, where wagons carrying goods from different customers are efficiently consolidated for transport. The new flat route allows trains to carry higher loads of an additional 250 to 280 tonnes per train. This means that in total, up to 300,000 train kilometres per year can be saved thanks to shorter journey times and more efficient rotations. The gentler gradient on the Koralm Railway (10 instead of 16 per mille) also reduces energy consumption, further improving efficiency.
Omya relies on the new Koralm Railway for sustainable transport
On Tuesday, 4 November, a single wagonload train operated by the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group was among the first freight trains to run on the new line. In a single wagonload train, wagons from various origins are assembled at the Villach South shunting yard and then transported on the new line to Graz, where they are separated at the shunting yard and distributed to their final destinations. ÖBB Rail Cargo Group customer Omya has been relying on environmentally friendly rail transport for years and sees the use of the new Koralm Railway as a further step towards making the company's logistics processes more efficient and climate-friendly. In future, mineral fillers for paper production will increasingly be transported by rail within Austria. “The new line allows us to carry out transport even more sustainably and resource-efficiently. In this way, we are making a further contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions and strengthening rail freight transport,” says Omya.
The Koralm Railway as part of the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor
The Koralm Railway integrates the southern axis into the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor, which connects Europe from north to south and is one of Europe's most important freight transport routes. The corridor connects economic areas from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea, strengthens Austria's position as a logistics hub and offers customers of the ÖBB Rail Cargo Group faster, more efficient connections to ports and industrial centres. The full potential of the Koralm Railway will be further enhanced by other major projects such as the Semmering Base Tunnel.
More capacity on the new southern route
Together with the existing line over the Neumarkter Saddle the new Koralm Railway creates a four-track southern axis. This provides up to 30 % additional capacity for freight transport and means even more space for climate-friendly rail transport. Every kilometre shifted from road to rail on the Koralm Railway in future helps save CO₂ and energy – strengthening ÖBB's role as the backbone of climate-friendly logistics in Europe.
Passenger services begin on 14 December
The Koralm Railway is one of Europe’s most important infrastructure projects: 130 kilometres of new track, around 50 kilometres of tunnels, more than 100 bridges and 23 modern stations and stops connect Graz and Klagenfurt – making the southern route a centrepiece of European rail infrastructure. At its centre: the 33-kilometre-long Koralm Tunnel – one of the longest railway tunnels in the world. Following the start of freight transport, the next big step will follow on 14 December 2025: on the day of the international timetable change, the first passenger trains will start operating on the Koralm Railway. This will improve connections between western Styria and southern Carinthia with shorter journey times and more frequent services. ÖBB trains will not only be faster and more comfortable, but also more frequent between the east and the south. The biggest change: travel time on the RJX from Graz to Klagenfurt will drop from over two hours to just 41 minutes. With the further expansion of the southern route – especially through the Semmering Base Tunnel – this connection will continue to grow in importance as the backbone for mobility, the economy and climate protection in Austria and Europe.
Rail Cargo Group: the freight transport division of the ÖBB
As a leading rail logistics provider in Europe, we are shaping the industry. 365 days a year – 24 hours a day. Across Europe and beyond into Asia. With our presence in 18 countries – and our own traction in 13 of them – we connect people, businesses and markets from the first to the last mile. It’s thanks to our 6,014 logistics professionals that 418,114 trains a year, respectively 1,150 a day, reach their destinations safe and sound. With our efficient end-to-end logistics services, we transport 79,9 million net tonnes of freight each year.
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ÖBB Hofmann
ÖBB start freight transport on the new Koralm Railway
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ÖBB Hofmann
2 560 x 1 707
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ÖBB Hofmann
ÖBB start freight transport on the new Koralm Railway
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ÖBB Hofmann
2 560 x 1 707
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ÖBB Hofmann
ÖBB start freight transport on the new Koralm Railway
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ÖBB Hofmann
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ÖBB has been shaping mobility in Austria for more than 100 years. As a comprehensive mobility and logistics service provider, ÖBB transported 511 million passengers and about 80 million tons of goods to their destinations in a climate-friendly and environmentally friendly manner in 2024. This is because 100 % of the electricity for trains and stations comes from renewable energies. With a punctuality rate of 94 %, ÖBB is one of Europe’s most punctual railways. ÖBB is building the rail system of tomorrow with investments of more than 5.4 billion euros annually in the rail infrastructure and fleet. Across the Group, more than 45,500 bus and rail employees and an additional 2,000 apprentices ensure that more than 1.4 million passengers reach their destinations safely every day. ÖBB is the backbone of public transport and, as Austria’s largest climate protection company in the mobility and logistics sector, gets people and goods to their destinations safely and in an environmentally conscious manner. ÖBB-Holding AG is the Group’s strategic lead company.