Vienna: City Airport Train waits and watches

The wheels of the City Airport Train, a joint venture between the Austrian Federal Railways and Flughafen Wien AG, have been stationary since March 2020. This will not change, at least in the short term, because the CAT company does not yet have a specific date for resuming operations.

The City Airport Train was established a few years ago as an express connection between the Wien-Mitte Landstrasse train station and the Vienna-Schwechat Airport. The special feature is that with some airlines, check-in or baggage drop-off can already be done in the CAT terminal at Wien-Mitte Landstrasse train station. The use of the train also has its price, because in direct comparison with the Vienna Airport Lines (bus) operated by the Österreichische Postbus AG and the rapid transit and regional express trains operated by the Austrian Federal Railways, the ticket prices are significantly higher.

According to a spokeswoman, the CAT was used evenly by tourists and business travelers in 2019. The ratio would have been about exactly the same. But this is exactly what causes the decision-makers to worry, because at the moment it is not foreseeable to what extent companies will continue to let their managers fly around the world. Due to the corona pandemic, many companies have inevitably got a taste for telephone and video conferences. Middle management, in particular, who previously loved to travel, are no longer allowed to travel as often in many companies, because Skype and Co are cheaper.

It is true that Vienna Airport expects the number of passengers to rise sharply during the summer holidays and possibly also put the capacity of Terminal 3 to the test, but what comes after that? Currently, the lion's share of demand is based on vacation flights, but willingness to travel generally decreases again from September onwards. The reason is simple: all parents with school-age children find it difficult to take a vacation outside of vacation.

With the City Airport Train, the further development of demand is observed and at least the option of activating the train at short notice is kept open. Nevertheless: “There is currently no date for the re-commissioning of the CAT. In any case, we are ready to drive again at short notice if the number of passengers at Vienna Airport increases steadily and sustainably, ”said a spokeswoman.