The infrastructure program of EUR 50 million foresees the modernisation of the railway in East Tyrol until 2020 – decided Gerald Klug, Minister of Infrastructure, Ingrid Felipe, vice federal governor, Elisabeth Blanik, major of Lienz and Andreas Matthä, CEO ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG on 26 February, and signed the agreement on a railway package for East Tyrol.
Together with the Tyrol government and the city of Lienz, the Ministry of Infrastructure (bmvit) will invest EUR 50 million into the development of the Lienz railway station into a modern mobility hub, and into the modernisation of the Drautal-railway route between Sillian and Nikolsdorf in the coming years.
Apart from this package, bmvit and ÖBB will invest EUR 22 million more to expand and renew the safety systems at the railway stations and along the tracks. In addition to automation of the junctions for cargo traffic, allowing more trains to use the route, also the switches at the Lienz station will be controlled electronically. Moreover, the modern systems at the railway crossings will shorten the closing times of the gates.
“Every single euro we are investing here, will be a benefit to the regional economy and to passengers. The development accelerates the trains, making travelling by train even more attractive and improving cargo traffic“, emphasised Klug, assuming about 80 percent of the order volume will be placed with companies in East Tyrol.
