Coinciding with the start of Koralm Railway operations, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Austrian Airlines (OS) on 14 December 2025 rolled out their newest AIRail route between Klagenfurt Central Station (KGV) and Vienna Airport (VIE). Seven Railjet Xpress trains per day now run every two hours, completing the 330-kilometre journey in just under four hours and feeding directly into OS’s global hub. Travellers book one multimodal ticket, collect or drop baggage at Vienna Airport and earn Miles & More points as if they had taken a feeder flight.
Why this matters: The service replaces two daily wet-lease flights and removes an estimated 450 tonnes of CO₂ per year, supporting corporate ESG targets and Austria’s aviation decarbonisation roadmap, which calls for shifting domestic traffic under five hours to rail by 2030. For mobility managers, Klagenfurt AIRail offers a predictable alternative during winter weather that often disrupts short-haul flights over the Alps.
Operational details: Trains depart Klagenfurt at 04:58 for the first morning wave of intercontinental departures and return from VIE at 08:02 after the North-Atlantic bank. Business-class, HON Circle and Senator passengers receive free ÖBB lounge access, while all AIRail travellers benefit from connection guarantees under EU261—ÖBB will rebook onto the next flight if the train is late. Check-in is available via austrian.com up to 24 hours before departure; seat reservations and on-board snacks are included.
![ÖBB and Austrian Airlines Launch AIRail Klagenfurt–Vienna Service, Offering Seamless Train-to-Plane Links]()
For passengers whose AIRail journey is just one leg of a longer international trip, confirming visa requirements in advance is essential. VisaHQ’s Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) lets travellers research entry rules, apply online and track processing in real time, sparing them additional trips to embassies and ensuring a smooth transfer from rail to air at Vienna.
Business implications: Companies in Carinthia’s electronics and timber sectors gain day-return access to Asia-bound flights without overnight stays in Vienna, trimming T&E costs. Travel-policy teams should update booking tools to include AIRail KLAG–VIE as a preferred option and brief travellers on the station-to-terminal way-finding process (five-minute walk to the main check-in hall).
Outlook: ÖBB confirms that AIRail volumes on existing routes (Linz, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck) grew 17 % year-on-year in 2025; Klagenfurt is expected to add another 200,000 rail-to-air passengers annually. Austrian Airlines has hinted that further AIRail routes—potentially to St Pölten once the Semmering Base Tunnel opens—are under evaluation.
Why this matters: The service replaces two daily wet-lease flights and removes an estimated 450 tonnes of CO₂ per year, supporting corporate ESG targets and Austria’s aviation decarbonisation roadmap, which calls for shifting domestic traffic under five hours to rail by 2030. For mobility managers, Klagenfurt AIRail offers a predictable alternative during winter weather that often disrupts short-haul flights over the Alps.
Operational details: Trains depart Klagenfurt at 04:58 for the first morning wave of intercontinental departures and return from VIE at 08:02 after the North-Atlantic bank. Business-class, HON Circle and Senator passengers receive free ÖBB lounge access, while all AIRail travellers benefit from connection guarantees under EU261—ÖBB will rebook onto the next flight if the train is late. Check-in is available via austrian.com up to 24 hours before departure; seat reservations and on-board snacks are included.
For passengers whose AIRail journey is just one leg of a longer international trip, confirming visa requirements in advance is essential. VisaHQ’s Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) lets travellers research entry rules, apply online and track processing in real time, sparing them additional trips to embassies and ensuring a smooth transfer from rail to air at Vienna.
Business implications: Companies in Carinthia’s electronics and timber sectors gain day-return access to Asia-bound flights without overnight stays in Vienna, trimming T&E costs. Travel-policy teams should update booking tools to include AIRail KLAG–VIE as a preferred option and brief travellers on the station-to-terminal way-finding process (five-minute walk to the main check-in hall).
Outlook: ÖBB confirms that AIRail volumes on existing routes (Linz, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck) grew 17 % year-on-year in 2025; Klagenfurt is expected to add another 200,000 rail-to-air passengers annually. Austrian Airlines has hinted that further AIRail routes—potentially to St Pölten once the Semmering Base Tunnel opens—are under evaluation.
