Austria’s southern heartland pulsed with excitement on December 14, 2025, as the long-awaited Koralm Railway—also known as the Koralmbahn—officially opened to all traffic. This 130-kilometer high-speed line, connecting Graz and Klagenfurt, has been hailed as a transformative project for the country, with its first day alone seeing a staggering 10,000 passengers eager to experience the new route. The railway’s launch follows decades of planning, engineering feats, and anticipation, culminating in a moment that many in Austria are calling a "historic milestone."
The journey from Graz to Klagenfurt, two of southern Austria’s most important cities, now takes as little as 41 minutes. That’s a dramatic improvement over previous travel times, and, as the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) CEO Andreas Matthä put it, "We are experiencing enormous interest in the new line." He went even further during the inauguration ceremony, declaring, "With the launch of the Koralmbahn, we are not only inaugurating a new line, but also writing a new chapter in the history of Austrian railways. The 130 kilometers connect not only places, but also people, ideas, and markets. This project of the century turns distances into opportunities – for people, for the economy, and for an entire region. Today marks the beginning of an era in which southern Austria is closer than ever before." According to Railway Pro, the festive opening ceremony on December 12 drew thousands to Graz and Klagenfurt central stations, underscoring the public’s enthusiasm.
It’s not just the speed that’s impressive. The Koralm Railway is Austria’s largest newly built rail line in more than a century, a point of national pride. Construction began in phases back in 2002, with major works—including the mammoth 33-kilometer Koralm Tunnel—starting in 2008. The tunnel, now the sixth longest railway tunnel in the world, stands as the centerpiece of the project. In total, the line boasts around 50 kilometers of tunnels, 12 in all, alongside more than 100 bridges and 23 modern stations and stops. The project’s price tag reached €6.1 billion, a testament to the sheer scale and ambition of the endeavor, as reported by the International Railway Journal (IRJ).
But what does this mean for Austria and, indeed, for Europe? The Koralm Railway is more than just a domestic achievement. It’s a critical link in the European Union’s Baltic-Adriatic corridor, one of nine key TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network) corridors designed to connect ports in Poland to the north with those in Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia to the south. In this way, the new line doesn’t just bring Graz and Klagenfurt closer together—it strengthens Austria’s role as a pivotal hub for transit freight and international travel. According to IRJ, the line is electrified throughout at Austria’s standard 15kV AC and supports speeds up to 250 km/h, aligning with the highest European standards for high-speed rail.
Test trains began operating earlier in 2025, and the line was opened to freight traffic in November, prior to the full passenger service launch. This phased rollout allowed engineers and operators to fine-tune the system, ensuring that both safety and efficiency were up to scratch before opening the doors to the public. The new line is also equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS), which enables continuous monitoring and control of trains from outside, further enhancing safety and operational reliability. As Railway Pro notes, this technology represents the cutting edge of modern railway management.
The opening day was not just a technical milestone but a deeply symbolic one. The Austrian Chancellor, speaking at the launch, called it "a milestone in the history of infrastructure projects in Austria." He emphasized that the new southern main line "brings the two central areas around the cities of Graz and Klagenfurt closer together and creates a new, high-performance economic area." The President of Austria echoed these sentiments, placing the Koralm Railway in a long tradition of rail-driven progress. "The railway revolutionized Europe in the 19th century: it accelerated freight transport, stimulated trade and industry, and enabled the development of cities such as Linz, Graz, and Villach. It created jobs, connected regions, and made travel accessible—a symbol of progress and social advancement. And today, the railway connects rural areas with urban centers and provides access to education, work, and medical services. With the Koralmbahn, we are continuing this success story – with optimism for a bright future."
Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure Peter Hanke was similarly enthusiastic, stating, "The Koralmbahn is undoubtedly a project of the century. It ensures faster, more frequent, and better train travel—Graz and Klagenfurt will be connected in just 41 minutes in the future." For many locals, this isn’t just a matter of shaving time off their commute; it’s about new possibilities for work, study, and leisure, as well as a boost for businesses and tourism throughout the region.
The story of the Koralm Railway is also a tale of persistence. It has taken 30 years from the earliest groundwork to the jubilant ribbon-cutting in December 2025. The project has weathered changes in government, economic ups and downs, and the technical challenges inherent in tunneling through the rugged Koralm mountains. Yet, as the crowds at Graz and Klagenfurt stations demonstrated, the payoff is clear: a modern, efficient, and sustainable transport link that promises to redefine southern Austria’s future.
On the ground, the impact was immediate. Within just a few hours of passenger trains beginning service, 10,000 people had already boarded the new trains, eager to see what all the fuss was about. Special trains ran every hour during the inauguration festivities, ferrying guests between events at the two central stations. The excitement was palpable, with families, railway enthusiasts, and local officials mingling on platforms and snapping photos to mark the occasion.
Looking ahead, the Koralm Railway is expected to play a vital role in Austria’s—and Europe’s—transportation landscape for decades to come. Its integration into the TEN-T corridors means that not only will domestic travel be transformed, but international freight and passenger services will also benefit, potentially shifting more cargo from road to rail and helping to reduce emissions. In the words of Andreas Matthä, "The full opening of the Koralm Railway is a historic milestone."
As the first trains speed through the Koralm Tunnel and over the new bridges, it’s clear that Austria has made a bold investment in its future—one that’s already paying dividends in connectivity, economic opportunity, and national pride.
