Wolfurt opens 49.5 million euro accessible railway station

Wolfurt railway station reopened on Tuesday after about two years of construction, with step-free train access and new accessibility features. The project cost 49.5 million euros, ORF reports.

The platforms have been extended to 220 metres and raised to a uniform height of 55 centimetres, allowing passengers to board trains without steps. Three new lifts, tactile guidance systems and a wider pedestrian underpass are designed to help passengers use the station independently.

New waiting areas, updated passenger information and LED lighting have also been added. Platform roofs have been extended from 25 to 70 metres and fitted with solar panels, providing more covered space for passengers.

The station now has 244 bicycle parking spaces, including 68 lockable boxes, as well as 20 covered spaces for mopeds and motorcycles. A new park-and-ride facility has 16 car spaces.

Vorarlberg artist Marbod Fritsch created a work titled What moves us for the pedestrian underpass. It draws on 118 contributions from Wolfurt residents, including personal thoughts, memories and messages, displayed on a backlit glass installation covering about 80 square metres.

Mayor Angelika Moosbrugger said the station had long been seen as an unattractive place and was now a special one. She described it as an important part of the transport hub at the freight station and a step towards practical everyday transport in the Hohe Brücke commercial area.

The project was jointly funded by Austrian Federal Railways, the state and the municipality. Construction began in September 2024, and accessibility improvements were completed by the end of 2025, according to the railway operator. More than 3,000 metres of track were also relaid. During construction, only one track was available at times, causing train cancellations between Dornbirn and Bregenz-Hafen.