Austria's Murtalbahn 760mm Railway Secures Electrification, Joint Fleet Order

Austria's Land of Steiermark has approved in principle an extensive modernisation of the 760 mm gauge Murtalbahn, including electrification of most of the line and a joint rolling stock procurement with two other narrow gauge operators.

The decision ends years of debate over the railway's future, during which closure, bus replacement and hydrogen traction were considered as alternatives. The modernisation will include infrastructure enhancements alongside the electrification work, though specific investment values have not been disclosed. The joint procurement partners are the Zillertalbahn and Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, both of which also operate 760 mm gauge networks.

The Murtalbahn operates as a narrow gauge railway in the Murtal region of Styria. The electrification will cover most of the route, with detailed technical specifications and fleet quantities to be determined through the joint procurement process. Coordinating orders across three operators is expected to deliver economies of scale for the specialised 760 mm gauge equipment.

Austria maintains several narrow gauge railways serving both tourist and public transport functions. The Murtalbahn decision follows a period of uncertainty over the line's viability, during which regional authorities evaluated multiple options including complete closure or conversion to bus services. The selection of electrification over hydrogen traction represents a conventional infrastructure approach for the narrow gauge network, aligning the route with European decarbonisation objectives while maintaining rail operations.