AUSTRIA | Railways

[Bahnsteig4]

Until now Vienna has ONLY got terminal stations for international trains (West and South/East). In 2006, the plans for Vienna's first ever Central stations were finalized and only recently construction work has begun.

The site of the future station is today shared by the Ostbahnhof and the Südbahnhof... (Two terminal stations, right next to each other... )
Both of these old stations will be demolished and the site will be used for "urban development", whatever this means...

Today:

Südbahnhof to the left, Ostbahnhof to the right.







In 2013 (station in full operation):




This picture shows the planned "skyscraper" as well, don't know why it's missing in the other one.










A future map:


More information to come.

[erbse]

Is this thing made by Calatrava ore someone like that?
Didn't expect such an ugly old main station in Vienna... But the new on looks not bad, I'm excited about the progress in this project

[Insane alex]

The station looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!

[xlchris]

cool!

[Justme]

I didn't realize that Vienna had such an ugly central station. Are these two joining stations really the largest stations in the city?

And I like the new one. About time really ;O)

[GNU]

Looks awesome.

[Jean Luc]

Just wondering how this redevelopment will affect train capacity? I've never been to Vienna but judging by the images the two existing stations have a total of 16 platforms whereas the new one will have only ten (correct me if I'm wrong). Apparently through stations (which the new one will be) allow higher train throughput than terminals, so perhaps the new one will have as much, if not more, train capacity than the two present stations combined.

On the design side, why do architects like to go for odd, angular, irregular shaped structures (the roof of the new station) these days? Surely if they want a modern or futuristic design they can come up with something that uses more standard structures, which would probably be easier and cheaper to build. Here in Australia, Melbourne's Spencer Street Station (now called Southern Cross Station) was totally rebuilt from the ground up, complete with a new oddly shaped roof, and the projext went over time and over budget, though whether the roof had anything to do with that, I don't know.

[Yardmaster]

I'm interested too.

There's a thread here "World's Largest & Busiest Passenger Terminals" ... Vienna isn't listed yet because no-one has offered data.

[Trainman Dave]

This new station is being developed in step with the improvements of the mainlines to Hungary and Germany. The Euro Cities trains from Munich to Budapest used to stop at the Vienna West station and then change enngines for a very slow journey arround Vienna. The journey time penalty was more than an hour to traverse Vienna. With the new HSL to Sankt Polten, the Mainzer tunnel and the this new station trains will travel through Vienna at nearly 200km/h and only stop for two or three minutes at the new central station. This will radically speed up all the connectivity of the Balkan region to Western Europe.

Apparently through stations (which the new one will be) allow higher train throughput than terminals, so perhaps the new one will have as much, if not more, train capacity than the two present stations combined.

Comparing stubb terminal to through stations depends on the configuration of the terminal and dwell times for the type trains running. Using my experiences in Germany I believe that at through station can accomodate 12 to 15 intercity trains per hour. Maybe even 20 per hour if the signalling permitts such intensive operations. In a stubb terminal accomodating 6 trains per hour would appear to be very intensive usage.

[Bahnsteig4]

Lainzer tunnel, not Mainzer tunnel.

[Trainman Dave]

Originally Posted by davidkunz/VIE

Lainzer tunnel, not Mainzer tunnel.

Thank you for the correction

[MasonicStage™]

stunning!

[patroeski]

very nice! it looks like the roof is floating

[Bahnsteig4]

Vienna's railway system as it is today (applies to long distance trains only):



1: Westbahnhof (Western train station, trains to Western Europe =DE,CH,BE,NL,FR,... and some Eastern European cities as well, hence the pointed line between the Westbahn and the Südbahn)

2: Südbahnhof/Ostbahnhof (The western branch is the Südbahn = Southern line = IT,SI,HR,..., the two branches that curve towards the east are the Ostbahn tracks = HU,SK,CZ,...)

The concept for 2013+:


The red lines will be in use for IC/EC/EN trains, the blue one only for regional trains.
No international trains will terminate at the Westbahnhof from the time the new Central Station opens. Instead, the Westbahn will completely be "downgraded" to a regional line. In my view, this means lots of benefits for those who live along that line (like myself). Regional traffic will improve significantly as traffic restrictions due to IC/EC trains become obsolete. At the moment, only four regional trains leave Westbahnhof per hour.

The red line will be the ones that IC/EC traffic will use. The outlined tracks are tunnels, the one in the very NW is the Wienerwaldtunnel, part of the entirely new HSL between Vienna and St.Pölten, the next bigger town ("Neubaustrecke Westbahn", 42 km in total). After the short part shared with the (old) Westbahn the Lainzer Tunnel starts, a 12km tunnel under the city that provides the connection towards the Südbahn tracks.

[Trainman Dave]

I am a little puzzled, I think that the line to Hungary is missing. I am fairly sure that it goes straight towards the southeast on the south side of the Danube.

[ponscarme1104]

http://www.interpol.fr/missions/lien...d61XpZh8Te6Ws0

[Bahnsteig4]

Originally Posted by Trainman Dave

I am a little puzzled, I think that the line to Hungary is missing. I am fairly sure that it goes straight towards the southeast on the south side of the Danube.

You are right, of course. I just forgot to paint it.

[Trainman Dave]

Thankyou for the usefull maps

[Küsel]

Great project!

[skytrax]

wow, what a crazy station!