A positive interim report following six weeks of work on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn line, with track replacement and drainage system works now complete over a 7 km stretch.
Work on installing cable ducts and constructing a 420-metre-long noise barrier at St. Andrä-Wördern station is also proceeding according to schedule.
The intensive phase of the works between Kritzendorf and St. Andrä-Wördern is therefore entering its final stages. With the start of the new school year on 7 September, full rail services will resume without any timetable restrictions.
The B14 bypass will reopen to traffic from 15 August 2026, following the completion of refurbishment works on the Johannatunnel. As part of the extensive modernisation work carried out by the Lower Austria Road Authority, the tunnel’s operational and safety installations, as well as its control and command systems, have been completely replaced and brought up to the latest technical standards.
Modern noise barriers have also been erected to significantly improve noise protection in the tunnel area.
The reopening of the Klosterneuburg bypass allows for the optimisation of the rail replacement bus service.
The additional stops for regional trains remain in place
The alternative transport plan already in place also remains in force: during railway infrastructure works, the line will operate on a single track between 4 July 2026 at 02:00 and 7 September 2026 at 02:00. In addition, there will be complete line closures during the night.
REX trains (REX4/41) – regional express trains – will pass through the works area on a single track whilst work is being carried out on the other. Consequently, all trains on the REX4 and REX41 lines will stop at Klosterneuburg-Kierling and St. Andrä-Wördern stations. This ensures that commuters travelling to and from St. Andrä-Wördern and Klosterneuburg-Kierling will continue to have a direct and efficient connection to and from Vienna.
During the works, trains on the S40 line will run only between Vienna Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof and Klosterneuburg-Weidling, and again from Tulln/Donau onwards. The R40 line will be completely suspended during this period.
In addition, certain REX trains will stop at the stations Klosterneuburg-Kierling, St. Andrä-Wördern, Zeiselmauer-Königstetten, Muckendorf-Wipfing and Langenlebarn.
The 163 km Franz-Josefs-Bahn line starts in Vienna, at Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof station, and runs north-west through the Tulln and Waldviertel regions to Gmünd, on the border with the Czech Republic. From there, the line continues to České Velenice in the Czech Republic. For the 2026 ÖBB timetable, the route is officially designated as Vienna Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof – Tulln – Sigmundsherberg – Gmünd – České Velenice.
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