In spite of challenging circumstances, the Province of Tyrol and OBB are pursuing their shared goal of shifting more freight traffic to the environmentally friendly railways. Starting in April, OBB will be increasing its ROLA services on the Worgl - Trento route again. This will mean more trucks travelling CO2 neutral over the Brenner Pass by rail.
OBB has always been a reliable partner of the Province of Tyrol when it comes to relieving the vulnerable Alpine region of transit traffic. The Rolling Road (ROLA) is an plays a key role in the rapid, efficient and, above all, environmentally friendly shift from road to rail. The Rail Cargo Group (RCG), an OBB freight transport subsidiary, operates the cross-border connection between Worgl and Trento from the terminal in Worgl, in addition to the connection to the Brenner Pass. Due to the Corona pandemic, services on this route had to be greatly reduced last year and, as a result of official regulations, completely suspended from 11th March to 21st June 2020 and from 4th December 2020 to 17th January 2021. Now the ROLA between Worgl and Trento is picking up speed again.
One twinset a day between Worgl and Trento with quiet low-floor wagons
Starting on 6th April 2021, the service on the Brenner route between Worgl and Trento will operate with one twinset a day again. This means that six round trips per week are available for the transport industry on this route, which is double the current offer. If demand increases, the offer can also be increased further.
The ROLA offers many benefits
The transport industry can spend the legal driving and rest time in motion on the train while the ROLA is running. Another advantage for the people who live along the railway line: all ROLA low-floor wagons are equipped with disc brakes, which make them quiet. The rest of the OBB Rail Cargo Group freight wagon fleet in operation in Austria will also be running entirely with silent brake pads by the end of this year. Moreover, the "Quieter Routes", which will be introduced across the EU from 2024, will bring about a significant change for Tyrol. From 2024, all freight wagons running on these lines must be "quiet". The Kufstein-Brenner railway line in Tyrol will become a "Quiet Route", which effectively amounts to a ban on "noisy" freight wagons in Tyrol. The required measures will approximately halve the perceived noise level in freight traffic.
Worgl - Brenner route well used
The majority of truck transport on the ROLA is still primarily concentrated on the Worgl -Brenner route in both directions. The transport industry can avail of up to 24 round trips a day here. With the exception of 2020, that was marked by COVID-19, for example, the number of trucks transported in the month of February 2021 is +30% compared to 2019. In spite of this rising trend, sufficient capacities are available. The RCG recommends booking in advance at (Request & Book) to avoid waiting times. Another incentive for switching to ROLA is the new pricing system, which came into force on 1st October 2020 and has remained constant since then. The base price for all trucks < 40.5 tonnes, for example, was reduced by EUR 9 for one trip per direction. All ROLA customers also receive a round-trip discount for as few as eight round trips per calendar month made by one company.
COVID-19: Health and safety are paramount
To ensure that there is sufficient space on the train, the occupancy level in the escort wagon is constantly monitored to ensure that the distance between the truck drivers is maintained and thus minimise the risk of infection. The number of trucks with two drivers is monitored particularly closely and, if necessary, they are distributed across several trains. Wearing FFP2 masks is mandatory. Increased protective and disinfection measures also continue to apply. For example, the most important points of contact in the accompanying carriage such as toilet facilities, cabins, tables, door handles, guiderails, surfaces and cushions are disinfected every time the trains turn around. The escort staff themselves are regularly tested for COVID-19.
Rail Cargo Group: Freight traffic of the OBB
The Rail Cargo Group is one of the leading rail logistics companies in Europe with annual sales of 2.3 billion euros and 9,340 employees. Together with strong partners, the Rail Cargo Group offers a comprehensive network of end-to-end-logistics in Europe and far beyond to Asia. It connects European conurbations and ports with prosperous economic centers in Russia, Turkey and all the way to China. The Rail Cargo Group's lead operating company is Rail Cargo Austria AG.
OBB: Austria's largest mobility service provider
As a comprehensive mobility service provider, the OBB group takes 477 million passengers and 105 million tons of goods to their destinations annually in an environmentally friendly manner. Rail passengers travel in a way that is especially good for the environment, since 100 percent of our traction current comes from renewable energy sources. In 2019, OBB was one of the most punctual rail companies in Europe with around 96 percent punctuality. Group-wide, 41,904 employees in rail and bus and around 2,000 trainees ensure that around 1.3 million passengers arrive safely at their destination each day. OBB-Holding AG is the strategic parent company of the Group.
