With immediate effect, there is a new direct train from Vienna via Graz and Ljubljana to Trieste with the EC 151/134. With this connection, passengers can now travel directly from Vienna and Graz to the Adriatic coast every day without changing trains and be inspired by the beautiful landscape during the journey. This also marks the return of a popular direct connection from imperial times - the EC travels on the same route of the former "k.u.k. Privileged Southern Railway". Representatives of ÖBB, SŽ and Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia took the occasion of the train's premiere journey to celebrate its resumption.
"We are constantly working to ensure that our passengers can travel throughout Europe in a climate-friendly and comfortable manner. This means also with few or no changes, both on day trains and night trains. I am pleased that 164 years after the first train, we can now revive this long-awaited direct connection from Vienna via Ljubljana to Trieste. We are thus connecting three great European cities that await our passengers with such a diverse range of cultural offerings," says ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä.
Darja Kocjan, MSc, Director of SŽ-Passenger Transport: “With today's first train ride on the Vienna – Ljubljana – Trieste route, we have taken the first step towards reviving traffic flows, which are very important not only for the three neighbouring railway administrations but also for the wider geographical area. With the agreement on the establishment of a new railway connection, we have further upgraded the already active and good cooperation with ÖBB and Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. It is up to us as the »creators« of this railway connection and service to offer passengers a safe, friendly and comprehensive transport service from home to the chosen destination, along with attractive and affordable commercial offers – also through joint promotion in our three countries. With its unspoiled nature, countless beautiful places, sea and mountains, Slovenia is perfect to be discovered by train. After all, we want to make passengers aware that their decision to travel by train also has a significant impact on environmental protection and sustainable development.”
“The fight against Covid has left wounds on our society and has damaged our economies, but it has also reduced our freedom for a long time. Today, not only the inauguration of a railway service is important, but it is also a concrete signal of the return to normality: now Trieste, Vienna and Ljubljana are ideally closer with a rail connection which, rediscovering the route of the Ferrovia Meridionale active since 1857. We can look to the future with renewed optimism: the initiative carried out by ÖBB reinvigorates the partnership between Friuli Venezia Giulia, Austria and Slovenia. The new train service will strengthen our commercial relationship and bring our territories back to the center of Europe through a path founded on development of sustainable mobility. Friuli Venezia Giulia is an ideal tourist destination for its numerous tourist-naturalistic, historical-architectural, gastronomic and cultural attractions”, so Graziano Pizzimenti - Regionalassessor for infrastructure, Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Timetable:
The Eurocity 151/134 and Eurocity 135/150 operate daily between Vienna Hbf and Trieste Centrale and are operated in cooperation with Slovenske železnice and Rail Cargo Carrier Italy.
EC 151/134 Wien Hbf – Trieste Centrale
EC 151 to Ljubljana,
EC 134 toTrieste Centrale
Duration: 8:54
EC 135/150 Trieste Centrale – Wien Hbf
EC 135 to Ljubljana,
EC 150 to Wien Hbf
Duration: 8:59
