About this journey

The journey begins at Traiskirchen Aspangbahn station and heads toward Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof, a rail hub whose history stretches back to 20 June 1841, when the first line between Vienna and Wiener Neustadt opened and brought the station into operation. Reconstructed between 1997 and 2003 at a cost of 55.3 million euros, the station today handles over 700 trains and 25,000 passengers each day, making it the busiest in Lower Austria. Platform 2b is the departure point for the outer Aspangbahn, the line that carries this journey onward through Lower Austria and into Styria.

From Wiener Neustadt the route follows the Aspangbahn southeast, a lesser-travelled corridor that serves Aspang, Hartberg, Friedberg, and Fehring. The traction changes along the way, with an ÖBB 5047 — the Jenbacher diesel railcar — working the initial stages and an ÖBB 5022 Desiro continuing the run toward Hartberg. The contrast between the reconstructed main-line junction at Wiener Neustadt and the quieter, rural character of the Aspangbahn defines the journey: a brief encounter with one of Austria's major interchange stations, followed by a long run into a more sparsely served corner of the country.