Shock on the Arlberg: Railjet with 200 passengers evacuated after overhead line damage!

Shock on the Arlberg: Railjet with 200 passengers evacuated after overhead line damage!

On June 12, 2025, an incident occurred on the Arlbergbahn near Landeck, which led to an unexpected interruption of their trip for everyone involved. Around 7:00 p.m., a railjet from the ÖBB, which was traveling towards Arlberg, was affected by a severe incident. An interpreter of the overhead line was damaged and partially demolished, which caused the train to stand up to a standstill about 600 meters after the damaged area. There were around 200 passengers on board who hoped for a quickest possible solution. The electricity failed on the train after the overhead line was switched off, which underlined the need for a rapid evacuation.

The fire brigade Landeck was immediately alarmed and coordinated the evacuation of the travelers. The emergency services were on site with several vehicles, including off -road vehicles, to provide the urgently needed support. The passengers were led over the track bed to the Tobadiller Landesstraße, where they were waiting for the rail replacement buses. The height of the train doors of about one meter was an additional challenge.

ordered evacuation under difficult conditions

The evacuation was very sorted according to the ÖBB. Of the fire brigade of the Landeck fire brigade, 72 emergency services and 8 vehicles were in use to safely look after and transport passengers. While in an earlier incident on April 13, 2025, in which a railjet with around 260 passengers came to a standstill, some travelers could not leave the vehicle at first, the current evacuation was much better coordinated. This shows how important preventive measures and quick reactions are in such emergencies.

The railway company had also grounded and released the track area before the evacuation began. As a result, the risk of passengers and the emergency services could be minimized. After the incident, all those affected were quickly on their way to their travel destination, and the rail replacement traffic was set up until the freedom of operation was restored.

The role of the fire brigade and the emergency coordination

Another important aspect of this emergency situation was the role of the fire brigade and emergency coordination. Without their quick action and coordination, the situation would have been much more difficult. The good cooperation between the Landeck fire brigade, the ÖBB as well as the emergency services and the police helped all passengers get out of the matter relatively unscathed. Such missions are not only a challenge, but also show the quality of the emergency services and the commitment to the safety of travelers.

The entire railway line between Landeck Zams and Langen am Arlberg was closed until midnight to carry out further security measures and repair the damaged overhead line. Such incidents illustrate the need for comprehensive security precautions and effective emergency plans that are indispensable in the present day.