Austrians Cut Train Travel Time by Two Hours

The train journey from Graz to Klagenfurt has been cut by two hours thanks to the new rail line and the Koralm Tunnel, as reported by Net.hr in an article dated August 19, 2026. The distance between Graz and Klagenfurt is approximately 140 kilometers, and until recently, the train ride took nearly three hours. Now, thanks to the new line, the journey takes just 41 minutes.

The exact travel time is 41 minutes and 35 seconds, and the same train reaches Venice in just three hours. Reporters started a stopwatch and embarked on the trip, noting that you wouldn't even have time to watch a full episode of Game of Thrones.

Railjet with over 400 seats and three classes

The Railjet they traveled on has seven carriages, more than 400 seats, and three classes. It includes a restaurant, a family area, and a children's corner. The Austrian Railjet stretches over 200 meters and can reach speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour.

About halfway through the journey, the train finds itself deep underground, beneath the Koralpe mountain range. There, it passes through the Koralm Tunnel, which is nearly 33 kilometers long, at speeds of around 230 kilometers per hour.

Key tunnel and Austrian railways spokesperson

It is precisely this tunnel that is one of the key reasons the journey between Graz and Klagenfurt has been shortened by more than two hours. The nearly 33-kilometer tunnel is traversed in just eight to nine minutes.

At the station in Klagenfurt, journalists were greeted by Rosanna Zernatto-Peschel, spokesperson for the Austrian railways, who has spent nearly her entire career on the Koralmbahn project.

The article directly compares the Austrian example with Croatia, highlighting the hope that something similar will happen here. As noted, the journey is so short that it would be hard to drive by car from Zagreb's Dubrava to Trešnjevka in that time.