Relief for cities and municipalities: ÖBB-Infrastruktur to take over maintenance and care of railway stations from 2027 onwards Future joint financing by federal and state governments for cleaning, winter services, grass cutting, and maintenance of elevators and customer sanitary facilities at ÖBB transport stations
Starting January 1, 2027, the federal and state governments will take over the financing for the maintenance and care of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) railway stations, significantly relieving municipalities and cities. Until now, the responsibility for tasks such as cleaning, winter services, grass cutting, and maintenance of elevator and customer sanitary facilities lay with the respective cities and municipalities where an ÖBB transport station was located. From next year, this responsibility will be transferred to ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. This is made possible by an agreement within the framework of § 44 Federal Railways Act, which the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) developed in collaboration with the states and ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.
"The agreement will noticeably relieve municipalities and cities and creates clear responsibilities. Together with the states and ÖBB-Infrastruktur, we have created a comprehensible and sustainable allocation of responsibility that will bring simpler processes and more financial leeway in the future. We are investing over 100 million euros for this. This is lived solidarity between federal, state and municipal governments," affirms Federal Minister Peter Hanke.
Clear responsibilities and less burden for cities and municipalities
In the past, after the construction or modernization of railway stations, cities and municipalities had to independently handle the financing for the ongoing maintenance and care tasks. Since January 1, 2025, a nationwide new regulation has been in place, transferring the responsibility of new projects to ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. Following a resolution by the State Transport Referents Conference 2025, a unified solution has now been implemented throughout Austria, which also relieves cities and municipalities with existing contracts.
The current chairman of the State Governors Conference, Vorarlberg's Governor Markus Wallner emphasizes: "Relief for our cities and municipalities is important. With this agreement, we are creating clear responsibilities throughout Austria, reducing administrative effort, and giving municipalities a bit more financial leeway. This is also a good example of how cooperation between the federal, state, and municipal governments should work: clearly regulate tasks and responsibilities, eliminate duplications, and find pragmatic solutions together."
City Association Secretary General Thomas Weninger explains: "Even if the relevant interpretation guide does not have direct binding effect in public law and rights and obligations for cities only arise from individual contracts, cities have often significantly co-financed transport stations in the past. From the perspective of cities as mobility hubs, the new cost-bearing rules represent a noticeable financial relief."
"We are pleased that the federal and state governments have implemented a long-standing demand from the Municipal Association and will take over future financing for the maintenance and care of ÖBB railway stations. For all municipalities with ÖBB transport stations, this agreement eliminates the winter services, grass cutting, cleaning, and also the maintenance of any elevators. For cities and municipalities, this Austria-wide unified solution is a great relief, which not only relieves us financially but also gives us more room for our core tasks in the municipalities," says Municipal Association President Johannes Pressl.
As of January 1, 2027, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG will also take over maintenance and care work for already existing railway stations. This results in a financial requirement of about 100 million euros. For cities and municipalities, this means less administrative effort and more financial leeway for other municipal tasks.
The agreement is the result of close cooperation between BMIMI, the states, and ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG and was coordinated within the framework of the State Transport Referents Conference. It stands as an exemplary model for sustainable balance of interests between federal, state, and municipal governments.