Stadler Austrian workshop opens near Vienna for Westbahn

Stadler Austrian workshop near Vienna has entered service as a new base for high-speed rolling stock work in Austria. The facility is expected to handle commissioning, certification and maintenance. It is already servicing private operator WestBahn’s Stadler KISS double-deck EMUs.

Stadler Austrian workshop starts with Westbahn fleet

The site in Obersiebenbrunn was formally opened on 10 April. Operations had already begun in March with maintenance work on Westbahn trains. The workshop was already in operation before its official inauguration. Stadler says the centre is intended to support trains already running in Austria. It is also meant to strengthen the company’s presence in that market.

“Austria is an important market for us,” said Peter Spuhler, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Stadler as the centre was formally launched. “That is why we are systematically expanding our presence. The new service centre is a key piece of the puzzle in this regard. With the new workshop, we are creating the conditions to maintain the high-speed trains efficiently. This is crucial for the stable and reliable operation of the trains.”

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Wider use for operators and new trains

In Austria, Stadler is active across several rail segments, including regional and commuter rolling stock. Westbahn remains its only customer in the high-speed or near-high-speed category. Westbahn mainly runs Stadler KISS units, while newly introduced CRRC-built trains have also joined the fleet. Meanwhile, Austria’s core high-speed services, including Railjet, still rely mainly on Siemens rolling stock.

Stadler says the Obersiebenbrunn service centre is also intended to support other operators using its vehicles. The company adds that the facility should streamline testing and commissioning in Austria. It should do so by standardising preparations for test runs. It should also speed up the entry into service of new trains.

“With this facility, we are responding to the increasing demands of an ever-more-congested and technologically sophisticated rail network,” said Christian Diewald, CEO of Stadler Austria. “In doing so, we are laying the foundations for maintaining trains efficiently, sustainably and to the highest technical standards.”

Seven-month construction in Obersiebenbrunn

The project was developed with Austrian construction firm STRABAG and completed in seven months. The facility was built as an extension of an existing railway siding at the AGRANA site in Obersiebenbrunn/Leopoldsdorf. It includes a hall about 225 metres long, covering around 4,600 square metres. It also includes offices and an additional marquee hall for storage.

The site is already directly connected to the rail network. It also has access to a 200 km/h line. That line is expected to receive ETCS in the future. Separately, Austrian federal and regional authorities presented the investment as part of a broader effort. They linked it to the rail sector and the country’s industrial base.

“Stadler’s new hall represents a targeted investment in this future – in modern infrastructure, expertise and competitiveness,” said Peter Hanke, Austria’s Minister for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure. “This project sends a strong signal for Lower Austria as a business location. It shows that, with our clear economic strategy and targeted location policy, we can attract and retain internationally active industrial companies in the long term.”

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