Vorarlberg transport sector shows signs of recovery

Vorarlberg’s transport sector is showing signs of recovery after several difficult years, with freight volumes rising in the first half of 2026, ORF Vorarlberg reports.

The sector is an indicator of broader economic conditions: when industrial companies receive fewer orders, transport firms have less work. Despite economic challenges and rising insolvencies across the economy, Vorarlberg’s transport companies have weathered recent crises relatively well.

Insolvencies in the sector have remained comparatively steady. There were 13 three years ago, close to pre-pandemic levels, and 10 last year. The number could fall to single digits this year, Nathaniel Heinritz of the Kreditschutzverband 1870, a credit protection association in Feldkirch, told ORF Vorarlberg.

Small transport operators, including courier and express services and postal providers, have been hit hardest. They accounted for nearly half of the sector’s insolvency cases over the past four to five years, Heinritz said.

Transport volumes fell for four years, including by 1.1 percent in 2024 and 1.9 percent in 2025. The first two quarters of 2026 have brought signs of a rebound.

Michael Tagwerker of the Chamber of Commerce said local companies were flexible, but high energy prices and higher costs than those faced by foreign competitors remained serious challenges. Foreign vehicles carry out two-thirds of transport activity within the country.

Employment in Vorarlberg’s transport sector has also declined, from 3,000 workers to 2,750 over three years. The sector remains an important measure of economic conditions, and the recent improvement points to possible further stabilisation.