The Murtalbahn is to be modernized by 2023 at the latest.
 
The managing director of the Styrian state railways presented concrete plans for the first time.
 
If he has his way, the Murtalbahn will be reorganized in the next eight years.
 
Since October 1894 the Murtalbahn has been running daily as a narrow gauge railway between Unzmarkt and Tamsweg.
 
Around 600,000 passengers, mainly school children and commuters, use it every year.
 
Conversion to Standard Gauge
 
But the Murtalbahn could come to an end with the planned completion of the Koralmbahn in 2023 at the latest.
 
(The Koralmbahn is an Austrian 127 kilometre long double-track, electrified, high-speed railway currently under construction. It will connect the cities of Graz and Klagenfurt. Construction started in 2001 with the entire railway line expected to be operational by 2025.) That is why the Chamber of Commerce has long been demanding that the narrow gauge railway to Murau be converted into a standard gauge.
 
Then a continuous journey to Bruck would be possible without changing trains.
 
Backed by Traffic Experts
 
The Chamber of Commerce is backed by the transport expert Helmut Adelsberger.
 
He sees gauging and electrification as the only chance for the Murtalbahn.
 
"This is the only variant that allows the city and the Murau district to be brought directly to the Bruck an der Mur junction, and thus with a single transfer point from Murau to Vienna, or to come from Murau to Graz."
 
Financing is Still a Problem at the Moment
 
The modernization of the Murtalbahn could partly compensate for the poor accessibility of the upper Murtal.
 
This view is also shared by the managing director of the state railways, Helmut Wittmann, the only problem is the financing.
 
"The contribution of the Styrian state railways is very limited, the financing is the biggest problem, the biggest issue that we have to solve. Here it is not only important to acquire and raise funds from the state, federal funds, and possibly also from the EU, that will also be decisive as to whether we can carry out these modernizations on a large scale."
 
The state railways are currently carrying out a potential study, initial results speak of an increase in passenger numbers as a result of modernization.
 
A corresponding fundamental decision is to be made this year.
 
If this happens the administrative procedures and detailed planning should be completed by 2018.
 
In 2023 a modernized Murtalbahn is to be opened at the same time as the Koralmbahn.
 
Author unknown.