On July 29, 2025, a rail with hydrogen-based deployment material was laid at the main station in Linz, Upper Austria. The goal was to produce it with net-zero CO₂ emissions.
In this way, the two Austrian companies ÖBB and Voestalpine aim to further reduce the railway's CO₂ emissions in the long term and to advance the path towards climate-neutral mobility, it is said.
"Every train journey begins with the first meter of rail. This journey into a sustainable mobility future has
gained further momentum today. Here, one future meets another: The hydrogen-based rail meets the important four-track expansion," said ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä.
Green Rail
Thus, a rail was manufactured using hydrogen-based technology, with green hydrogen intended to replace fossil fuels in the production process.
According to Voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner, the path to green steel production has already started and is being further advanced.
At the same time, research is being conducted on different technologies together with partners from industry and
science. The climate-neutral rail is also made entirely from recycled material and is intended to contribute to the circular economy.
Expanding Capacities
The rail laid in Linz was produced at the rail rolling mill in Donawitz, Styria, and delivered to Linz main station within a few hours.
The rail was laid as part of the construction work on the western exit of Linz main station. This section is one of the key points for the continuous four-track expansion of the western
route from Vienna to Wels.
The new and expansion project "Linz Hauptbahnhof Westseite" aims to create the necessary capacities for future rail traffic, according to the information provided.
"Four tracks open the bottleneck between Linz and Wels. This creates a better train service in the central Upper Austrian region," explains Infrastructure Councillor Günther Steinkellner.
The number of both passenger and freight trains is to be increased – and the necessary capacity is again provided by the four-track expansion from Linz towards
