Overhead line damage near Pichling brings West rail line between Linz and St. Valentin to a standstill

Stranded train and rescue operation

The affected passengers were then taken to their destinations by bus. A rail replacement service was set up for travelers. "Ein Schienenersatzverkehr wird zwischen Linz Hbf und St. Valentin eingerichtet," announced the ÖBB. Local traffic between Linz Hauptbahnhof and St. Valentin was temporarily suspended entirely.

On Thursday evening, the ÖBB had to completely halt rail traffic on the affected section. In addition to the damage to the overhead line, a fault at a signal box is likely to have contributed to the problems and been responsible for the interruption of rail services. According to ÖBB spokesperson Klaus Baumgartner, only one of four tracks can currently be used.

Restricted operations on Friday morning

As a result, long-distance trains can only pass through the affected section individually. "Sowohl der Fern- als auch der Nahverkehr sind von erheblichen Einschränkungen betroffen," the ÖBB summarized the situation. According to its own statements, the ÖBB is working at full speed to repair the damage.

On Friday morning, long-distance services on the route were able to resume on a limited basis. On Friday morning (as of 6:00 a.m.), the ÖBB reported that train journeys between Linz/Donau Hbf and St. Valentin station were only possible to a limited extent. "Planen Sie bis zu 60 Minuten mehr Reisezeit ein," the notice said.

According to media reports, local services between St. Valentin and Linz, however, continue to experience a complete failure of trains. The repair of the overhead line is expected to continue into the morning. "Es sei damit zu rechnen, dass die Einschränkungen noch bis in den Freitagvormittag andauern," the ÖBB stated.

Information for travelers

Passengers are asked to check their connections before starting their journey. The ÖBB published the notice on Thursday at around 9 p.m. on its disruption platform. The affected section between Linz Hauptbahnhof and St. Valentin can currently only be used to a limited extent.

The West rail line is one of the most important east-west connections in the Austrian rail network. The incident near Pichling highlights the route's vulnerability to technical defects in overhead lines and signal boxes. Travelers must continue to expect delays and altered connections.