ÖBB cancel planned closure of Außerfern railway

ÖBB has cancelled the planned full closure of the Außerfern railway from August 28 to September 7 for renovation work, ORF Tirol reported on Monday. The railway operator said it had found other ways to carry out the maintenance.

ÖBB will instead combine maintenance, inspection and preservation work on the line into what it calls work packages. This means a complete closure is no longer necessary and disruptions to rail services can be reduced.

Short closures will take place on individual days outside peak commuting hours. According to ÖBB, commuters will still be able to use their morning and afternoon connections. Replacement bus services will operate during the work, and the disruptions have been included in the timetables well in advance.

Not all maintenance measures can be carried out this way, however. Larger closures may still be needed in individual cases later on. ÖBB said these would be announced early and accompanied by suitable replacement transport plans.