Austrian Federal Railways

"ÖBB" and "OEBB" redirect here. For other uses, see OBB.

Austrian Federal Railways

Type	Aktiengesellschaft
Industry	Transport
Predecessor	Imperial Royal Austrian State Railways Austrian Southern Railway
Founded	1923 (refounded 1947)
Headquarters	Vienna, Austria
Area served	Central Europe
Key people	Christian Kern
Products	Rail transport, Cargo transport, Services
Revenue	€ 5,239 million (2013)^[1]
Operating income	€ 103 million (2013)^[1]
Net income	€ 755 million (2013)^[1]
Number of employees	39,513 (2013)
Divisions	ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG Rail Cargo Austria AG ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG
Website	www.oebb.at

Railjet (RJ), the high-speed-train of ÖBB

Intercity-Express (ICE)

Map of the Intercity-Express (ICE) network in Austria

InterCity (IC) on the Semmering railway

A ÖBB EuroCity (EC) train in Bozen, South Tyrol

RegionalExpress train (REX) in Vienna

Regional train (R) in Styria

The Vienna S-Bahn is a suburban metro railway network in the Metropolitan area of Vienna

A freight train of Rail Cargo Austria

Shunting locomotive in Upper Austria

The ÖBB runs 9 classification yards in Austria

Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, a junction between local and long-distance transport routes

The current main hall of Linz Hauptbahnhof

Regional train station in Krems, Lower Austria

Typical commuter rail station south of Vienna

The Austrian Federal Railways (German: Österreichische Bundesbahnen or ÖBB, formerly the Bundesbahn Österreich or BBÖ) is the national railway system of Austria, and the administrator of Liechtenstein's railways. The ÖBB group is owned entirely by the Republic of Austria and is divided into several separate businesses that manage the infrastructure and operate passenger and freight services.

The Austrian Federal Railways has had two discrete periods of existence. It was first formed in 1923, using the Bundesbahn Österreich name, as a successor to the Imperial Royal Austrian State Railways (kkStB), but was incorporated into the Deutsche Reichsbahn during the 1938-1945 Anschluss. It was reformed in 1947, using the slightly different Österreichische Bundesbahnen name, and remains in existence in this form.

Major changes currently being made to the Austrian railway network are the construction of the Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna main station), the Koralm Railway, the Semmering Base Tunnel and the Brenner Base Tunnel connection with Italy.

History

1882 – Gradual nationalisation of the railway network of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into the Imperial Royal Austrian State Railways (Kaiserlich-königliche österreichische Staatsbahnen, kkStB). By the outbreak of the first world war, the only major railway in Austria to remain in private hands was the Austrian Southern Railway (Südbahn).
1918 – After the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following the first world war, the Austrian rump of kkStB remained in state control under the name Deutschösterreichische Staatsbahnen (DÖStB), which was renamed the Österreichische Staatsbahnen (ÖStB) in 1919.
1923 – Foundation of the independent, commercial enterprise, the Bundesbahn Österreich (which used the abbreviation BBÖ, because ÖBB was already taken by the Swiss Oensingen-Balsthal-Bahn). This company took over the assets of the ÖStB and the Südbahn, together with other minor railways.
1938 – The Anschluss of Austria into the German Empire. The BBÖ was taken over by the Deutsche Reichsbahn. During the Second World War about 41% of the Austrian railway network was destroyed.
1947 – The company was reformed using the slightly different name of Österreichische Bundesbahnen and the abbreviation ÖBB (by that time the Swiss private railway used the abbreviation SP for its goods wagons in international traffic, so its abbreviation ÖBB could now be appropriated) as a state-owned company. Their infrastructure was rebuilt and electrification was accelerated.
1969 – A new federal railway law was enacted. The ÖBB became a non-independent, economic entity, that was run as a branch of the government's industrial programme and remained entirely within the Federal budget.
1992 – The ÖBB were broken out of the federal budget and turned into company with its own legal status (a cross between a GmbH and an AG in Austrian commercial terms). The company is 100% owned by the Republic of Austria. This change had two primary aims: 1. It had to conform to EU rules on the admission of Austria into the European Union. 2. The financial demand on the public purse was to be reduced as a result of improvements in efficiency and the pressure of competition.
2004 – The ÖBB were reorganised into ÖBB Holding AG and a number of operating subsidiaries. The holding company was to oversee the operations of the companies assigned to it, coordinate a coherent strategic approach and allocate tasks for the whole enterprise.^[2]
1 January 2005 – The subsidiaries of ÖBB-Holding AG became autonomous and independent operationally. See below.

The Austrian rail system is largely electrified. Electrification of the system began in 1912 but did not reach an advanced state until the 1950s. The last steam locomotive in regular service on the standard gauge network was retired in 1978.

The post-war laws related to the Austrian railways were the:

Eisenbahngesetz (EisbG 1957),
Schieneninfrastrukturfinanzierungsgesetz (SCHIG 1999),
Eisenbahnhochleistungsstreckengesetz (HIG 1999) and
Bundesbahngesetz (1992).

The various logos of the ÖBB over time

Starting with the oldest, which is a classic "flying wheel" as used in different variants by many railway companies around the world...
...a more modern one introduced in the 1970s...
... to the latest one, where the shape of the initial Ö is suggestive of the power/on/off symbol now used on many electronic devices.

Current structure

By a law of August 2009, the organisational structure dating from 2005 was further modified; the railways are under the control of ÖBB-Holding AG, a holding company wholly owned by the Austrian state, under the Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie.^[3]

The holding company has (2014) a number of subsidiaries^[4]

Operating subsidiary:

ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG (Passenger transport)
- ÖBB-Postbus GmbH, 100% subsidiary
- ÖBB-Produktion GmbH, 50% subsidiary
- ÖBB-Technische Services GmbH, 49% subsidiary
- ÖBB Rail Tours|Rail Tours Touristik GmbH, 100% subsidiary
Rail Cargo Austria AG (RCA) (Freight transport)
- Rail Cargo Hungaria Zrt., 100% subsidiary
- ÖBB-Produktion GmbH, 50% subsidiary
- ÖBB-Technische Services GmbH, 51% subsidiary
- Rail Cargo Logistics - Austria GmbH
ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG (Infrastructure planning, management, and construction)
- ÖBB-Immobilienmanagement GmbH, 100% subsidiary
- Mungos Sicher & Sauber GmbH, 100% subsidiary
- Rail Equipment GmbH, 100% subsidiary

Subsidiary companies of ÖBB-Holding AG:

ÖBB-Shared Service Center GmbH 100% subsidiary
ÖBB-IKT GmbH 100% subsidiary
ÖBB-Werbung GmbH 100% subsidiary
European Contract Logistics - Austria GmbH 100% subsidiary

Subsidiary companies of ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG and Rail Cargo Austria AG are:

ÖBB-Produktion GmbH (provision of locomotives)
ÖBB-Technische Services GmbH (technical services)

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of the state-owned Austrian network is managed by ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, which was formed from former infrastructure-related units including Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH. It now manages 9,740 km of track, 788 signal boxes, 247 tunnels, 6,207 bridges and eight hydro-electric power (hep) stations for the 16.7 Hz electrification system, and two hep stations for 50 Hz power generation.

At the end of 2009 it employed 17,612 staff.^[3]

Österreichische Bundesbahnen
Sales	Infrastructure
Passenger transport	Network
Freight transport	Tracks
Traction	Signal-/System technology
Technical services	Telekom
Power plants	Energy network
Facility management	Planning/Engineering
	Facility management

Statistics

According to the Annual Report 2013, the company employs 39,513, there of 13,599 employees, 24,251 tenured employees and 1,663 apprentices. In 2013, ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG carried 469 million passengers of which 235 million were bus passengers.^[5] The ÖBB has

4,859 km (3,020 route miles); 72% electrified
1,128 train stations
1,093 locomotives.
2,799 passenger vehicles
26,518 freight wagons
2,200 busses
ÖBB's bus services travel 52,500,000 km (32,621,988 mi) per year.

Principal Lines

Western Railway from Wien Westbahnhof via St. Pölten Hauptbahnhof and Linz Hauptbahnhof to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, including a parallel high-speed rail section ("New Western Railway") from Wien Meidling railway station to Linz
Southern Railway from Wien Hauptbahnhof (under construction)/Wien Meidling to Graz Hauptbahnhof, including the Semmering railway section - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- continuation to Klagenfurt by the Koralm Railway (under construction)
Northern Railway from Wien Praterstern railway station to Břeclav, Czech Republic
Eastern Railway from Vienna Hauptbahnhof (under construction) to Hegyeshalom, Hungary and Budapest Keleti railway station
Emperor Franz Joseph Railway from Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof to Gmünd, Lower Austria and České Velenice, Czech Republic
Salzburg-Tyrol Railway from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Wörgl Hauptbahnhof
Enns Valley Railway from the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway at Bischofshofen to Selzthal
Tauern Railway from the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway at Schwarzach/Sankt Veit to Spittal an der Drau via the Tauern Railway Tunnel
Lower Inn Valley Railway from the German border near Kufstein railway station via Wörgl Hauptbahnhof to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof; to be relieved by the New Lower Inn Valley railway line (under construction), part of the Trans-European Berlin–Palermo railway axis
- western continuation by the Arlberg Railway to Bludenz railway station via the Arlberg Railway Tunnel
- northwestern continuation by the Mittenwald Railway to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany and the Ausserfern Railway to Kempten Hauptbahnhof
- southern continuation by the Brenner Railway to Bolzano, Italy and Verona via the Innsbruck bypass and the Brenner Pass, to be replaced by the Brenner Base Tunnel (planned)

Rail links to adjacent countries

All neighbouring railways have the same gauge.

Czech Republic — voltage and frequency change to 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Germany — same voltage and frequency 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC
Hungary — voltage and frequency change to 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Italy — voltage and frequency change to 3 kV DC
Liechtenstein — same voltage and frequency 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC
Slovakia — voltage and frequency change to 25 kV 50 Hz AC
Slovenia — voltage and frequency change to 3 kV DC
Switzerland — same voltage and frequency 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC

Active Rolling Stock

Electric Locomotives

Diesel Locomotives

Electrical multiple units

Diesel Railcars

ÖBB Class 5022 Desiro
ÖBB Class 5047

Maintenance of way equipment

References

1 2 3 "(untitled)" (PDF). ÖBB. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2014.
↑ ÖBB-Holding AG. "Aufgaben".
1 2 Richter, Karl Arne, ed. (2010). Europäische Bahnen '11. Hamburg: Eurailpress. ISBN 978-3-7771-0413-3.
↑ "Organigramm". ÖBB. 3 March 2014.
↑ "Daten & Fakten". ÖBB.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Österreichische Bundesbahnen.

Austrian Federal Railways website
International relations UIC
International relations CER
report of audit court 2006
modification of railroad law 2004
passenger traffic tariffs of ÖBB in 2008
Winchester, Clarence, ed. (1936), "Austria's rail transport", Railway Wonders of the World, pp. 971–977 , illustrated account of Austrian railways in the 1930s.

Austrian Federal Railways

Current departments (post 2008)	ÖBB Personenverkehr Rail Cargo Austria ÖBB Infrastruktur Betrieb ÖBB Infrastruktur Bau ÖBB Dienstleistungs

Current subsidiaries (post 2008)	ÖBB Traktion ÖBB Technische Services ÖBB Postbus Speditions Holding ÖBB Immobilien Management Brenner Eisenbahn (for the Brenner Base Tunnel)

Services	Intercity-Express Intercity Regional-Express Regionalzug S-Bahn Erlebniszug Regionalschnellbahn Schnellbahn

International Services	Railjet EuroCity CityNightLine EuroNight

History	Imperial Royal Austrian State Railways Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) Rail transport in Austria

Rail transport in Austria

Rolling stock of Austria

Locomotives

Diesel	ÖBB Class 2016 ÖBB Class 2048 ÖBB Class 2070

Electric	ÖBB Class 1016 (Taurus) ÖBB Class 1018 ÖBB Class 1042 ÖBB Class 1043 ÖBB Class 1044 ÖBB Class 1089 (crocodile) ÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus) ÖBB Class 1144 ÖBB Class 1189 (crocodile) ÖBB Class 1216 (Taurus)

High speed trains

Multiple units

Diesel	ÖBB Class 5022 ÖBB Class 5047

Electric	ÖBB Class 4011 ÖBB Class 4020 ÖBB Class 4023 (Talent) ÖBB Class 4024 (Talent) ÖBB Class 4030 ÖBB Class 4124 (Talent)

See also: Category:Rolling stock of Austria
ÖBB rolling stock
Rail transport in Austria

Rail transport in Liechtenstein

Line and Company	Feldkirch–Buchs railway Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)

Railway stations	Forst Hilti Nendeln Schaan-Vaduz Schaanwald

National railway companies of Europe

List of railway companies Rail transport by country Railway companies by country

Albania HSH Armenia SKZD¹ Austria ÖBB Azerbaijan ADY Belarus BŽD/BČ Belgium SNCB/NMBS Bosnia ŽFBH² and ŽRS³ Bulgaria BDŽ Croatia HŽ Czech Republic ČD Denmark DSB Estonia EVR Finland VR France SNCF Georgia SR¹ Germany DB Greece TrainOSE Hungary MÁV Ireland IÉ Italy FS Kazakhstan KTŽ¹ Kosovo HK/KŽ⁴ Latvia LDZ Lithuania LG Luxembourg CFL Macedonia MŽ Moldova CFM Montenegro ŽPCG Netherlands NS Norway NSB Poland PKP Portugal CP Romania CFR Russia RŽD¹ Serbia ŽS Slovakia ŽSSK Slovenia SŽ Spain Renfe Operadora Sweden SJAB Switzerland SBB/CFF/FFS Turkey TCDD¹ Ukraine UZ United Kingdom NR⁵ / NIR⁶

¹Country partly in Asia ²For the Federation BH ³For Srpska ⁴State with limited recognition ⁵For Great Britain ⁶For Northern Ireland

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