Commuters in St. Pölten complain: train journeys are now 30 minutes longer!

Commuters in St. Pölten complain: train journeys are now 30 minutes longer!

Anyone who has been commuting by train from Vienna to St. Pölten in the last few weeks has probably been quite annoyed. A daily journey time that is four minutes longer means that many commuters miss an important connection. According to a report from crown vomited about the fact that their train now arrives in Vienna-Meidling at 7:33 a.m., while the connecting train to St. Pölten leaves just two minutes later, at 7:35 a.m. The result? Half an hour more on the way to work every day.

ÖBB also noticed the travelers' complaints and apologized for the inconvenience. The reason for the delays are diversion measures via the Pottendorf line, which are expected to last until the end of August. According to figures from the Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ), almost all commuters from Lower Austria have a problem with late trains. A whopping 43 percent of those surveyed see the railway's punctuality as having deteriorated.

Punctuality in rail transport – a vexing topic

The inadequate punctuality in Austrian rail transport is not an isolated case. An investigation of the APF shows that ÖBB punctuality in 2023 is only 80.3 percent, which corresponds to a decline compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the local trains perform comparatively well with a punctuality rate of 94.2 percent. Although Lower Austrians often suffer the most from delays, ÖBB passenger transport is in the best comparison when it comes to interfaces and connections to international trains.

Punctuality has consequences for commuters. In the event of train delays of 60 minutes or more, passengers can, according to the regulations of ÖBB claim compensation of 25 percent of the fare. If the delay is more than 120 minutes, it is even 50 percent. These regulations make it clear that poor travel times can also have monetary consequences - as long as the compensation limits are above 4 euros.

Lower Austria in focus

When it comes to connections and coordination between buses and trains, 32 percent of passengers also see a need for improvement. At a time when many people rely on environmentally friendly means of transport, this is frustrating. After all, 29 percent of passengers from Lower Austria have used the train more frequently in the last twelve months, even though they have to worry about their punctuality. This shows that the demand for environmentally friendly alternatives is growing and that transport providers are required to take this into account in their planning.

The diversions and delays remind us that even the best technology and logistics cannot always ensure smooth traffic. Commuters in Vienna and the surrounding area can only hope that the delays will soon be a thing of the past and rail traffic will be back on the proverbial fast lane.