Salzburg-Tyrol Railway

Railway line in Austria

Salzburg-Tyrol Railway

EC 163 Transalpin passes the Kaiser Mountains.

Overview
Native name| Salzburg-Tiroler-Bahn
Status| Operational
Owner| Austrian Federal Railways
Line number| 101 03
Locale|  Salzburg
Tyrol
Termini|

* Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
* Wörgl Hauptbahnhof

Stations| 55
Service
Type| Heavy rail, Passenger/Freight rail
Intercity rail, Regional rail, Commuter rail
Route number| 200 (Freilassing – Saalfelden)
201 (Saalfelden - Innsbruck Hbf)
Operator(s)| Austrian Federal Railways
History
Opened| Stages between 1873–1875
Technical
Line length| 191.730 km (119.135 mi)
Number of tracks| Double track
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius| 200 m
Electrification| 15 kV/16.7 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed| 140 km/h (87 mph)
Maximum incline| 2.6%

Route map

Legend

|  |  |

|  |

from Rosenheim

|
|
|
|

|  |

0,000

| Salzburg Hauptbahnhof

|  |

|  | Transition to the

426 m (AA)

|  |

|  |

(junction with Lokalbahn to Lamprechtshausen)

|  |

|  |

Western Railway to Vienna West

|  |

|  |

link line to the Western Railway after branch-off to Hallwang-E.

|  |

2.100

| Salzburg Sam

since 2004

|  |

2.401

| Salzburg Gnigl Vbf
|  |

2.975

| Salzburg Gnigl

since 2003

|  |

3.495

| Salzburg Gnigl Vbf Einfahrgruppe
|  |

4.490

| Salzburg Parsch

since 2003

|  |

5.756

| Salzburg Aigen

|  |

7.927

| Salzburg Süd

|  |

8.092

| Hellbrunn-Glasenbach

28.05.1978 closed

|  |

8.988

| Elsbethen

429 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

12.203

Salzburg Aigen 5 crossover

|  |

|  |

| A 10

Tauern-Autobahn

|  |

13.200

| Puch Urstein

since 2005

|  |

| 15.255

15.300

Break in kilometrage (-45 m)

|  |

14.524

| Puch bei Hallein

|  |

15.970

| Oberalm

since end of 2006

|  |

17.808

| Hallein

445 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

19.350

| Hallein Burgfried

since 2005

|  |

20.923

| Bad Vigaun

|  |

22.380

| Kuchl Garnei

since 2005

|  |

22.875

Hallein 3 crossover

|  |

|  |

| A 10

Tauern-Autobahn

|  |

25.167

| Kuchl Lst

(passing loop)

|  |

25.580

| Kuchl

|  |

28.764

| Golling-Abtenau

468 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

31.529

siding (passing loop)

|  |

31.556

siding (passing loop)

|  |

34.464

Golling-Abtenau 2 crossover

|  |

|  |

Ofenau Tunnel (940 m)

|  |

|  |

scree protection gallery

|  |

|  |

| A 10

Tauern-Autobahn

|  |

38.565

Golling-Abtenau 4 crossover

|  |

38.673

| Sulzau Lst

(passing loop)

|  |

| 41.699

41.723

break in kilometrage (-24 m)

|  |

42.236

| Tenneck

519 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

(Konkordia Hut to 26 September 1971)

|  |

45.212

| Werfen

526 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

46.604

| Pfarrwerfen

528 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Rupertus Tunnel (327 m)

|  |

| 51.735

52.000

break in kilometrage (-265 m)

|  |

|  |

Enns Valley Railway to Selzthal

|  |

52.305

| Bischofshofen

544 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

55.272

| Mitterberghütten

550 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

55.386

siding (passing loop)

|  |

56.882

Bischofshofen 2 crossover

|  |

|  |

B 311

|  |

61.266

| St. Johann im Pongau

565 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

66.546

| Schwarzach-St. Veit

590 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Tauern Railway to Spittal-Millstättersee

|  |

|  |

Schwarzach Tunnel (190 m)

|  |

|  |

Thumesbach Tunnel (380 m)

|  |

|  |

Blaue Wand Tunnel (370 m)

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

74.978

| Lend |

634 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

79.040

| Eschenau  |

673 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

81.9

| Kitzlochklamm

(closed)

|  |

|  |

Taxenbach Tunnel (277 m)

|  |

84.328

| Taxenbach-Rauris |

718 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

86.371

siding (passing loop of former saw mill)

|  |

88.875

| Gries im Pinzgau  |

744 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

93.734

| Bruck-Fusch |

757 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

former siding to Kaprun hydropower plant

|  |

|  |

Salzach

|  |

approx.96.6

| Zell am See Süd

(planned)

|  |

|  |

Pinzgauer Lokalbahn to Krimml (760mm gauge)

|  |

|  | Tischlerhäusl
|  |

99.414

| Zell am See |

752 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |
|  |

102.139

siding (passing loop for Hagleitner company)

|  |

103.944

crossover Zell am See 2

|  |

104.000

| Maishofen-Saalbach |

765 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

104.041

| Lst Maishofen-Saalbach

(passing loop)

|  |

| 106.750

106.823

break in kilometrage (-73 m)

|  |

108.004

| Gerling im Pinzgau  |

748 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

| 110.950

111.050

break in kilometrage (-100 m)

|  |

approx.112.000

former siding (600mm) for Strabag diabase works

|  |

112.335

| Saalfelden

728 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

approx.113.000

siding (passing loop) for Strabag diabase works

|  |

118.150

| Leogang-Steinberge

796 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

120.483

| Leogang

840 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

120.825

Saalfelden 2 crossover

|  |

123.076

| Hütten

closed 14.12.2008

885 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

126.312

| Berg Grießen

closed 28.05.1995

946 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

sidingen (passing loop)

|  |

130.141

| Hochfilzen

970 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

134.400

| Pfaffenschwendt

888 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

139.357

| Fieberbrunn

783 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

| 141.970

142.050

break in kilometrage (-80 m)

|  |

144.475

| Grieswirt

687 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

147.675

| St. Johann in Tirol

663 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

150.295

siding (passing loop) for the firm of Egger

|  |

151.959

| Oberndorf in Tirol

688 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

153.783

siding (passing loop) Hartsteinwerke Kitzbühel

|  |

153.783

siding (passing loop) Unterwerk Kitzbühel

|  |

157.077

| Kitzbühel

773 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

159.541

| Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm

773 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

161.442

| Schwarzsee

772 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

164.175

| Klausen

closed on 31.03.1951

|  |

166.385

| Kirchberg in Tirol

820 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

170.065

| Brixen im Thale

806 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

173.097

| Westendorf

762 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

173.591

| Kitzbühel 2 branch-off

(old Westendorf station)

|  |

176.447

| Windau

723 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Au Tunnel (210 m)

|  |

|  |

Leidegg Tunnel (327 m)

|  |

182.280

|  | Hopfgarten Berglift S6

(to 28 May 1961:  Hohe Salve mountain lift)
|  |

183.447

| Hopfgarten

589 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

former Itter Tunnel (45 m, dismantled in summer 2009)

|  |

188.504

| Wörgl Süd - Bruckhäusl

523 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

(to 14 December 2008: Bruckhäusl)

|  |

188.975

Hopfgarten 1 crossover

|  |

|  |

Lower Inn Valley Railway from Kufstein

|  |

192.405

| Wörgl Hauptbahnhof

S1 S2 S6

505 m above sea level (AA)

|  |

|  |

Lower Inn Valley Railway to Innsbruck

|  |  |  |  |  |

The Salzburg-Tyrol Railway (German: Salzburg-Tiroler-Bahn) is a main line railway in Austria. It runs through the states of Salzburg and Tyrol (North Tyrol) from the city of Salzburg to Wörgl and belongs to the core network (Kernnetz) of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The section between Salzburg and Schwarzach-Sankt Veit is part of the Salzburg S-Bahn urban railway network.

## Course

[edit]

The standard gauge line runs along the Salzach valley, the Bischofshofen hub being of particular importance as the junction with the Enns Valley Railway to Selzthal in Styria. At the Wörgl terminus, the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway meets the Lower Inn Valley Railway running from the Tyrolean capital Innsbruck to the German border at Kufstein and the Deutsches Eck transport link.

The line has been upgraded to double track throughout and both tracks may be worked in bi-directional running. The entire route is electrified and is powered by 15,000 Volt alternating current and a frequency of 16.7 Hertz. In particular the S-train section from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to the southern branch-off of the Tauern Railway line at Schwarzach-St. Veit was given a major upgrade and, in places, entirely rebuilt and re-routed.

## Names

[edit]

It is (and was[1]) also known as the Gisela Railway (Giselabahn), after Archduchess Gisela of Austria, the second daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife Elisabeth. Today it is frequently considered to be a continuation of the Western Railway from Vienna to Salzburg; the whole railway line from Wien Westbahnhof to Salzburg and Wörgl is also referred to as Empress Elisabeth Railway (Kaiserin-Elisabeth-Bahn). The westernmost Zell am See–Wörgl section in Tyrol is also called Brixental Railway.

## History

[edit]

Wörgl Station, about 1900

The Salzburg-Tyrol Railway was built from 1873 to 1875 on the basis of the "Concession Authority dated 10 November 1872 for the Limited Company of the Privileged Empress Elisabeth Railway for the Construction and Operation of a Locomotive Railway Running from Upper Styria to Salzburg and North Tyrol".[2][3] It runs from Salzburg via Hallein, Bischofshofen, St. Johann im Pongau, Schwarzach-St. Veit, Zell am See, Hochfilzen, St. Johann in Tirol and Kitzbühel to Wörgl.

The north ramp of the Tauern Railway, from Schwarzach-Sankt Veit station on the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway up to Bad Gastein, opened on 20 September 1905. The southern continuation across the main chain of the Alps to Spittal in the Drava Valley, including the Tauern Railway Tunnel, was inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph on 5 July 1909. By 1915 the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway was upgraded to double track and, in 1925, electrification of the line began, finished in 1930. Towards the end of World War II, the railway became a target for Allied bombing due to its strategic importance.

## Operation

[edit]

ÖBB EuroCity train near Pfarrwerfen. ÖBB Railjet train near Pfarrwerfen. Bombardier Talent railcar near Brixen im Thale

Up to today, the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway is the only east–west railway link to Tyrol that runs entirely on Austrian territory. The fact that there is no parallel motorway link on national territory gave the line great importance, especially before Austria's accession to the EU in 1995. However, its significance is increasingly on the wane, partly because it has the characteristics of an Alpine railway with steep hills and tight curves, hence high-speed rail transport is not possible. Austrian east-west trains therefore usually use the route from Salzburg via Rosenheim station in Germany to Innsbruck, transiting the Deutsches Eck link.

The line is important, though, especially for regional services, as part of the connection from Innsbruck to the state capitals Klagenfurt and Graz as well as part of the line from Salzburg to Graz (via the Enns Valley Railway). In addition, the only Austrian coach transport service from North Tyrol to Lienz in East Tyrol leaves from Kitzbühel station on the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway. The line is also fairly important as an alternative route for international rail traffic on the east–west axis, but it is more significant as a feeder for the Tauern Railway crossing the Hohe Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps from north to south. The Salzburg-Tyrol Railway is also used by sleeping car trains. The night train from Bregenz to Vienna used to run on this line until December 2008, in order to achieve journey times that enabled passengers to spend enough time in the sleepers and to save the rail tolls charged by German Deutsche Bahn railway company for using the Deutsches Eck transport link.

The railway is also important for local services in the central region of Salzburg and in North Tyrol. Between Salzburg Hauptbahnhof and Golling-Abtenau the line is served every half-an-hour and from Golling to Schwarzach every hour by the S3 line of the Salzburg S-Bahn network. The section from Wörgl to Saalfelden is served by the S6 line of Tyrol S-Bahn system.

## See also

[edit]

* Rail transport in Austria

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Volkswirthschaftliche Zeitung. (Giselabahn.) Das Vaterland, 15. November 1872 [1]
2. ^ R. G. Bl. No. 170/1872
3. ^ Volkswirthschaftliche Zeitung. (Giselabahn.) Das Vaterland, 31 December 1872 [2]

## Literature

[edit]

* Alfred Horn: Die Eisenbahnen in Austria: Offizielles Jubiläumsbuch zum 150jährigen Bestehen, Bohmann Verlag 1986, ISBN 3-700206-43-7
* Eisenbahnatlas Austria, Verlag Schweers + Wall, S. 63, ISBN 978-3894941284
* Alfred Horn: ÖBB Handbuch 1993, Bohmann Verlag, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-7002-0824-3

47°29′30″N 12°03′40″E﻿ / ﻿47.49167°N 12.06111°E﻿ / 47.49167; 12.06111