With the completion of the Koralmbahn in 2026, Carinthia and Styria grow together. A whole new life will arise in the south of Austria – not only in terms of traffic, but also economically.
Many think that the Koralmbahn is just an extension of the Austrian railway network – but far from it. Because the connection opens up completely new dimensions for the south of Austria. “For us, it is the greatest opportunity and challenge of the century at the same time,” says Carinthia’s governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ), who met his Styrian counterpart Christopher Drexler (ÖVP) on Thursday morning in the Lavanttaler Economy House in Wolfsberg. Kaiser’s statement is based on a comprehensive location study carried out by Joanneum Research and the Institute for Economic and Location Development. 1 million inhabitants change from one day to the next,” says Eric Kirschner from Joanneum Research. Because the billion-euro project will not only bring about a change in traffic technology, the economic effects will also be unprecedented. Carinthia and Styria are becoming one huge metropolitan region. The south of Austria, after Vienna, Austria’s second-largest central area, will benefit. With the connection between Klagenfurt and Graz, the economy should also experience an immense upswing. The railway line should have a particularly profitable effect on the districts of Wolfsberg and Deutschlandsberg. There they are hoping for a whopping plus in terms of employees and production. Still tasks for politicians Despite all the optimism, there are still a few tasks waiting for the actors. A total of five recommendations for action emerge from the study; they are to be implemented jointly as quickly as possible. From securing strategically relevant areas to developing the individual regions. The recruitment of qualified workers also plays an important role. If this succeeds, then a new era will begin for southern Austria.
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