Murtalbahn electrification approved in Styria

Murtalbahn electrification and the acquisition of electric multiple units have been approved by Styria for the 760 mm narrow-gauge line. The Murtalbahn narrow-gauge railway runs through the Austrian state between Unzmarkt and Tamsweg and is known as a scenic route.

Murtalbahn electrification and EMU procurement

The decision is tied to the condition of the existing fleet. Although the rolling stock has undergone extensive refurbishment, it is expected to reach the end of its technical service life by the mid-2030s. For this reason, the project provides for the purchase of five new railcars⁠ for the Murtalbahn.

A separate procurement of new or second-hand vehicles is currently considered unfeasible because of the unusual 760-mm gauge and the limited number of units required. To address this, the operators of the Zillertalbahn, Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, and Murtalbahn, all of which run 760 mm-gauge lines, have decided to jointly purchase 17 EMUs. Claudia Holzer, regional councilor for transportation and infrastructure in Styria, said this “creates a market, reduces the price per unit, and generates future synergies” and announced that the working group is currently finalizing the tender documentation.

The joint vehicle procurement⁠ also depends on infrastructure work for the Murtalbahn. Expansion and electrification of the line are required before the tender can move forward, and the project needs co-financing commitments from both the federal government and the state of Salzburg.

Styria funding approval and project scope

To provide the investment needed for the scheme, the Styrian government will continue talks with the federal government and Salzburg. These negotiations cover the electrification of the Murtalbahn, the procurement of EMUs, and the financing of Styria’s share of the project, which totals EUR 169 million.

Styria funding approval is conditional only on co-financing from the federal government and the state of Salzburg under the existing funding rules. Alongside the new vehicles, the planned expenditure includes electrification, adjustments to depots and workshops, and modernization of the route.

Service contract and 760-mm gauge context

The infrastructure works are expected to support an Unzmarkt–Murau travel time reduction from 36 minutes to 24 minutes. The Murtalbahn is currently covered by a ten-year public transport service contract with Steiermarkbahn und Bus GmbH. The contract applies to services between Unzmarkt, Murau, Predlitz, and Tamsweg, remains valid until 2030, and is expected to continue in the future.

The Murtalbahn is one of the few Austrian railways still operating on a 760 mm narrow gauge. Other examples include the Zillertalbahn and the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn.

Beyond fleet renewal and electrification, the project also has a regional public-transport dimension. The Styrian government says⁠ the planned measures would strengthen the Murtalbahn as the backbone of public transport in the Murau district. It also links the project to benefits for the local population and tourism, which it describes as a significant economic factor in Murau. This keeps the project’s relevance tied to the line’s local transport function rather than only to the joint EMU procurement.