Historic setting of the course for the Ybbstalbahn mountain route
- muveum
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Full steam ahead through the homeland – saving the cultural jewel decided
St. Pölten: "The Ybbstalbahn is more than just a railway—it's a journey through time through the heart of our homeland. By renovating it, we are giving new life to old tracks and preserving a vibrant piece of Lower Austria's soul for future generations. Today marks a turning point in the preservation of the cultural and infrastructural heritage in our homeland," says Lower Austria's Minister of Transport and Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer.
At the Lower Austrian provincial government meeting on July 1, 2025, the decision to renovate the historic Ybbstalbahn mountain line was made. "Over the next three years, the renovation, which will be carried out by the operators of the heritage railway, will receive approximately €750,000 in funding from the state of Lower Austria," Landbauer explains.
"The Ötscherland Express and the Ybbstalbahn mountain line are unique in Austria and Europe due to their high mountain character and their engineering structures, such as the two trestlework bridges. The renovation of this picturesque railway line is therefore not only good news for railway nostalgics, but also for culture and nature lovers," the deputy governor said today, formally launching the renovation and revitalization of the historic route, which will once again transport families, tourists, hikers, and railway enthusiasts to the natural jewel of Lake Lunz.
Since 2012, there had been discussions about preserving the Ybbstalbahn mountain line, but no solution for the necessary funding for renovation had been found by 2023. In 2024, the Pfaffenschlag – Lunz am See section had to be closed to heritage railway traffic.
"When I took over the transport agenda in Lower Austria, I said that the train is far from over for the Ötscherland Express. I am therefore all the more pleased that we have now been able to meet all contractual requirements and can begin the renovation work in autumn 2025. In 2026, the historic trains will then run at least twice a day in both directions between Lunz and Kienberg-Gaming from May to October and in December on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays as a seasonal museum service," said Landbauer, who emphasized that the line will remain the property of NÖVOG.
"We will not only renovate the line, but also redesign the heritage railway operation to provide an attractive tourist attraction for the region. To this end, we will enter into partnerships with the municipalities and tourism businesses in the region," announced Albert Malli, representative of the heritage railway.
For its maintenance, a funding agreement will be concluded between NÖLB-NÖ Lokalbahnen Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, which operates the Kienberg-Gaming to Lunz am See railway line as a heritage railway, and the State of Lower Austria. The rail infrastructure will be available to the funding recipient under a lease agreement concluded with Niederösterreichische Verkehrsorganisationsges.mbH (NÖVOG).
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