Austria is heading into a heavy rail construction year in 2026, with some projects cutting journey times and boosting frequencies, and others requiring weeks or even months of replacement buses and detours.
Austria’s rail company ÖBB has already flagged multiple infrastructure programmes by province for 2026, plus a passenger-facing works portal that lists the biggest service impacts.
Some works have fixed date ranges and replacement transport statements, while others are clearly signposted but still awaiting final “baustellenfahrplan” detail.
For travellers, the key is knowing the biggest pinch points in advance, and then checking the live timetable closer to departure.
READ ALSO: What Vienna residents need to know about transport works in 2026
The biggest nationwide pinch points to plan around
The most disruptive works in 2026 are concentrated on corridors that carry both local commuters and long-distance rail, which means delays and missed connections can ripple beyond the closure zone.
In western Austria, the West line around Innsbruck is the standout early-year disruption. ÖBB is closing the Weststrecke between Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof and Rum from January 7th to 29th 2026 for the renewal of the Rauchmühlbrücke. ÖBB has confirmed timetable changes, diversions, and rail replacement buses (SEV), and has also published passenger information outlining how some long-distance services are handled during the closure.
Further north-west, Vorarlberg has a major cross-border closure that will affect travel towards Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
The Feldkirch–Buchs (SG) line is set to be fully closed from June 14th to October 14th, 2026, which is a long disruption window in peak travel season.
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In eastern Austria, one of the biggest commuter belt disruptions is the phased closure of the Pottendorfer Linie. ÖBB has published two phases for 2026, from January 26th to September 7th (Wampersdorf–Ebenfurth) and from September 7th to December 12th (Wampersdorf–Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof).
READ ALSO: Austria’s ÖBB introduces ‘miles’ system for train travel – here’s how it works
Tyrol: Weststrecke closure near Innsbruck in January
For Tyrol, the January closure on the West line is the most immediate issue for anyone commuting or travelling through Innsbruck.
Later in the year, ÖBB has also published a works window on the Brenner axis from July 11th to August 1st 2026. ÖBB said diversions and replacement services are expected, and it notes that local trains Innsbruck–Brenner and onwards to South Tyrol are affected only from July 18th to August 1st. However, ÖBB also said the construction timetables are still being worked out, which means passengers should expect the detailed replacement-bus pattern to be published later.
Upper Austria: West line works around Linz and multiple regional closures
Upper Austria has a mix of short, high-impact West line works and longer regional line closures.
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ÖBB has confirmed intensive works on the Weststrecke between St Valentin and Linz Hauptbahnhof from March 15th to 22nd 2026. The company said trains will be routed via the two-track line via Enns, with Vienna–Linz long-distance timetables adjusted and travel time up to 10 minutes longer. ÖBB also warned of timetable changes and train cancellations on the S1 (St Valentin–Linz Hauptbahnhof) and says connections cannot be guaranteed at hubs, including Linz Hauptbahnhof and St Pölten Hauptbahnhof.
The same Upper Austria programme lists longer closures on regional corridors, including the Innkreisbahn (Neumarkt-Kallham–Ried, March 28th to April 24th 2026), the Almtalbahn (Wels–Grünau, July 11th to August 30th 2026), and the Mattigtalbahn (Friedburg–Braunau, July 11th to September 4th 2026).
These kinds of works can be especially disruptive for residents who rely on a regional line to reach larger interchanges like Linz or Wels.
READ ALSO: What is Austria’s ÖBB Vorteilscard and is the travel card worth it?
Vorarlberg: Feldkirch–Buchs closure and Arlberg shutdowns
Vorarlberg’s long closure on the Feldkirch–Buchs route is one of the most consequential 2026 items for cross-border travel to Liechtenstein and Switzerland. ÖBB listed the route as fully closed from June 14th to October 14th, 2026.
Separately, the company has published full closure windows for the Arlberg route, a key west-east rail link. In its Vorarlberg programme, ÖBB lists total closures on the Ötztal–Bludenz section on April 25th to 26th 2026 and again in November 2026.
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Burgenland: long closure on the Mattersburger Bahn and late-year Pannoniabahn works
Burgenland has a major long-term disruption in 2026 on the Mattersburger Bahn. ÖBB said the line will be closed as part of electrification and upgrade works from February 9th to December 12th, 2026, with rail replacement buses between Wiener Neustadt Hauptbahnhof and Sopron.
ÖBB also lists works on the Pannoniabahn section Wulkaprodersdorf–Neusiedl from November 2nd to December 4th 2026, and it says replacement buses are planned between Eisenstadt and Wulkaprodersdorf.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: The big changes for train travel in Austria in 2026
Cross-border works: Germany’s “DB corridor” and knock-on effects
Several disruptions in 2026 are driven by German rail works that affect services in Austria, especially in the west and around Salzburg. ÖBB has published a “DB corridor” works window with single-track operation from January 7th to February 6th 2026.
The operator said trains run on their regular route but with shifted departure times and some stops removed, and it also notes that night trains are rerouted via the Allgäu route through Bregenz, Dornbirn and Feldkirch to Zürich.
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Key vocabulary
die Baustelle – construction site, works zone.
die Streckensperre – line closure.
die Sperre – closure, shutdown.
der Schienenersatzverkehr (SEV) – rail replacement buses.
der Ersatzbus – replacement bus.
die Fahrplanänderung – timetable change.
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die Umleitung – diversion, rerouting.
die Stammstrecke – core trunk line.
die Weststrecke – West line corridor.
die Brennerstrecke – Brenner line corridor.
die Verbindung – connection, interchange connection.
der Bahnhof – railway station.
These are the latest updates and information at time of publishing, always check ÖBB’s schedule, apps and websites for any changes before travelling.