New Railway Line Köstendorf – Salzburg

Project objectives

The four-track upgrade of the stretch between Köstendorf and Salzburg is a further milestone in the history of Austria’s main Western railway line. The new line in Flachgau will increase capacity and make it possible to expand the range of national and international passenger and freight services, reduce journey times and deliver a more efficient local timetable. The total length of the upgraded route is 21.3 km. 16.5 km of this alone is represented by the Flachgau Tunnel.

Project description

The project extends from the existing km 290.185 (Köstendorf) to the existing km 311.468 (Kasern). The central structure is the Flachgau Tunnel, which is divided into three sections:
•    Seekirchen section: 14.3 km
•    Fischach tunnel bridges: 0.2 km
•    Grafenholz section: 2 km 
Following the conclusion of the route selection process it became necessary to draw up an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Project data

New double-trackline, vmax = 250 km/h, length 21.3 km, Flachgau Tunnel mostly single-track/twin tube, in the vicinity of Grafenholz double-track/single tube.

Project specifics

Both the continuous and cyclical tunnelling methods were investigated for the construction of the tunnel.

Services

Expert contribution to the EIA on Air Quality and climate: monitoring of airborne pollutants; determination of current situation, measurement of airborne pollutants, nitrogen oxide and fine particles, measurement of dust precipitation including heavy metals in the dust precipitation, measurement with NO2 passive collectors