Traffic And Transportation In Linz

The main highways, including the Mühlkreis Autobahn A7 and the West Autobahn A1 Cross Linz, thus creating a major transport center with vital links with Vienna, Salzburg and the Czech Republic. The Welser Autobahn A25 separates and connects with the Innkreis Autobahn A8 in Ansfelden, southwest of Linz, which approaches the German border near Passau.

With the aim of facilitating traffic in Linz, preparatory work for the Westring A26 and a fourth bridge over the Danube began in 2017. Consisting of three phases, the Westring project is scheduled to be completed in December 2031. The first phase, which is expected to be completed by October 2024, concerns the construction of the new bridge over the Danube. As part of the second phase, which will begin in October 2024 and end in June 2029, the Freinberg tunnel and the Waldeggstraße underground route will be built. The final phase will consist of the construction of the west bridge and the closure of access to the A7 Mühlkreis motorway from June 2029 to December 2031.

Built from January 2018, the bypasses contribute to the renovation of the VÖEST bridge by 2020. Like the Prater Bridge successfully implemented in Vienna, these bypasses will remain in place after the renovation to to help reduce traffic jams on the A7 Mühlkreis motorway.

In 1998, a bus lane on Rohrbacher Straße from Puchenau to Pöstlingberg allowed vehicles carrying three or more passengers to pass to help reduce traffic jams. This measure aimed to reduce travel times and CO2 emissions, thus generating an annual saving of almost 270,000 euros.

Airport in Linz

The main airport serving the region of Upper Austria and the city of Linz is Linz-Hörsching Airport, sometimes called Linz Airport. It is located in Hörsching, about 12 kilometers southwest of the city center. With one runway 3,000 meters long and 45 meters wide, the airport can accommodate large aircraft, including Boeing 747 and Airbus A330. Located at the airport, the terminal consists of two parts: non-Schengen, which handles flights to and from other countries, and Schengen, which handles flights within the European Union.

Through regular and charter flights, the airport offers a number of domestic and foreign destinations. Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa frequently serve Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Vienna from the airport. Ryanair offers cheap flights from the airport to London. In addition, the airport offers seasonal and sporadic charter flights to popular holiday destinations including Egypt, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. The airport also serves as a hub for Welcome Air and InterSky among several regional airlines.

Considering that the airport handles a large amount of cargo every year, air cargo companies find great use here. Modern technology and facilities abound in the airport’s cargo terminal. Every day, cargo flights to the DHL hub in Leipzig connect Linz to the express delivery company’s global network. Austria’s only cargo airline, Amerer Air, was also based at the airport. Until 2016, this airline operated flights to Europe, Asia and Africa.

The outbreak of COVID-19, the economic crisis and competition from other airports have led, among other things, to changes in the airport’s cargo and passenger traffic in recent years. In 2014, the airport recorded the highest number of passengers: 44,414 tons of cargo and 561,000 passengers. In 2015, cargo traffic amounted to 45,985 tons, while passenger traffic fell to 529,785. Travel restrictions and lockdowns due to the epidemic reduced passenger traffic to 232,950 in 2023. Cargo traffic, however, remained constant at 44,342 tons despite growth in e-commerce and demand for medical supplies.

The airport has taken several measures to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the aviation sector and to improve its facilities and services. In 2017, the airport completed a major overhaul that included the construction of a new parking lot, the expansion and modernization of the terminal, and the installation of new security and baggage systems. The project cost 25 million euros; the capacity of the terminal was increased from 1.5 million to 2 million passengers per year. In 2019, the airport adopted a new brand identity including a new logo, slogan and website. The goal of the new brand was to highlight the facilities, reliability and quality of the airport.

Linz Road Traffic

Linz is the main transport hub in the region. Situated on the banks of the Danube, an international waterway offering tourism and leisure value, the city is characterized by modern public transport, a well-developed road network and several bridges connecting several parts of the city.

The main areas of concentration of road traffic in Linz are:

To the south of the city, the A 1 western highway connects it to Salzburg and Vienna.
Crossing the city and connecting it to the Czech Republic via the Mühlviertler highway S 10, the Mühlkreis highway A 7.
Branching off the A 1 in Ansfelden, southwest of Linz, the Welser A 25 motorway connects it with the Innkreis A 8 motorway, thus leading to the German border near Passau.
The main local and regional traffic arteries are the city center arteries Wiener Straße, Salzburger Straße, Freistädterstraße, Leonfeldner Straße, Waldeggstraße, Kremstal Straße, etc.

Just before the Nibelungen Bridge in Urfahr, Hinsenkampplatz in Linz is one of the most important intersections where pedestrian, bicycle, car and tram traffic concentrates. Below flows the Danube and the paths that run along its banks.

Traffic jams regularly influence road traffic in Linz, particularly on the A 7, one of the busiest motorways in Austria, especially during rush hours. With an annual average of 18 hours per driver in traffic jams, Linz ranks fourth among the most congested cities in Austria, according to a study by traffic information service Inrix.

The federal government and the city of Linz have launched several initiatives to expand and improve road infrastructure as well as encourage alternative modes of transport, including public transport, cycling and walking, in order to meet demand increasing traffic and reducing environmental impact. and the social impact of road traffic.

Some of the most notable road projects underway or planned in Linz include:

The new Westring A 26 motorway will connect the A 1 to the A 7, bypassing the city center to the west. The Westring will also include the fourth Danube bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Austria. The Westring is expected to be completed by 2031 after starting construction in 2017. Currently, with the main routes running through the city from north to south, the Westring will relieve pressure on the Römerberg tunnel and Kapuzinerstraße/Hopfengasse/Sandgasse/Kellergasse /Waldeggstraße. . The Westring will also help the western districts of Linz, including Kleinmünchen, Pichling and Ebelsberg, to become more accessible and attractive.
While the current bridge will be rebuilt and reserved for through traffic, the VÖEST bridge bypasses, two parallel bridges which will allow traffic from the city center on the A 7, will be maintained. As of 2018, the bypasses are expected to be completed by 2020. The bypasses will ease the traffic load on Austria’s second busiest bridge, the VÖEST Bridge, which follows the Prater Bridge in Vienna, thereby improving safety and driver comfort. and bikers.
To ease traffic jams and promote carpooling, the bus lane on Rohrbacher Straße, opened to vehicles with three or more passengers in 1998, was leased to cars. Effective in saving travel time and reducing CO 2 emissions, the bus route connects Puchenau to Pöstlingberg. A Linz study estimates that the bus lane saves almost 270,000 euros per year thanks to the 60,000 person-hours of travel time saved and the 300 tonnes of CO 2 emissions avoided.

Motorways and expressways

Linz Road Traffic

Located at the junction of two main motorways, the A1 West motorway from Vienna to Salzburg and the A7 Mühlkreis motorway from Linz to the Czech border, Linz has four exits: Linz-Zentrum, Linz-Dornach, Linz-Bindermichl and Linz-Hummelhof—the A1 passes through the southern part of the city. Six exits line the A7, which crosses the city to the east: Linz-Hafenstraße, Linz-Prinz-Eugen-Straße, Linz-Urfahr, Linz-Dornach, Linz-Knoten Franzosenhausweg, and Linz-Knoten Linz.

In addition to motorways, Linz is connected by several motorways and federal roads. Among all the most crucial ones are:

B1 Wiener Straße: Parallel to the A1, the B1 Wiener Straße is the main road connecting Linz and Vienna. It crosses other roads several times and passes through the city center.
B127 Rohrbacher Straße: The main road connecting Linz to the Mühlviertel region and Rohrbach is the B127 Rohrbacher Straße. It crosses the Steyregg railway bridge and runs along the north bank of the Danube.
B129 Eferdinger Straße: The main road connecting Linz to Eferdinger Straße and Passau is the B 129 Eferdinger Straße. It crosses the railway bridge and follows the south bank of the Danube.
B139 Kremstal Straße: Mainly used to connect Linz with Steyr and Kirchdorf a der Krems, the B139 Kremstal Straße crosses the A1 and heads west through the city.
B145 Gmundner Straße: The main road connecting Linz to Gmunden and the Salzkammergut region is the B145 Gmundner Straße. It crosses the A7 and winds east through the city.

Ring road

Linz Road Traffic

For through traffic, the Linz ring road circles the city center and serves as a bypass. There are four sections to the ring road:

Westring: Stretching from the A1 Linz-Zentrum exit to the B139 Linz-Kleinmünchen exit, the Westring is the western part of the ring road. It has four lanes and a median strip.
Südring: Stretching from the B139 Linz-Kleinmünchen exit to the A7 Linz-Hafenstraße exit, Südring is the southern part of the ring road. It has four lanes and a median strip.
Ostring: From the A7 Linz-Hafenstraße exit to the B127 Linz-Urfahr exit, the Ostring constitutes the eastern part of the ring road. It has four lanes and a median strip.
Nordring: Stretching from the B127 Linz-Urfahr exit to the A1 Linz-Zentrum exit, this is the northern part of the ring road. It has two lanes and a central barrier.

Linz Public Transport

The public transport system in Linz consists of:

Four tram lines from the city center to the Urfahr suburbs of Pöstlingberg, Ebelsberg and Leonding. With 64 stops, the tram system covers a total of 32 km. Depending on the line and the time of day, trams run at a frequency of five to fifteen minutes. A subsidiary of the municipal utility company Linz AG, the trams are managed by Linz AG Linien.
26 bus lines covering areas not covered by the tram network as well as some surrounding towns including Ansfelden, Traun, Leonding, Pasching and others. Made up of 403 stops, the bus network extends over 262 km in total. Depending on the line and the time of day, buses run at intervals of ten to thirty minutes. Buses are also operated by Linz AG Linien.
The main railway station in Linz and one of the most important railway hubs in Austria is the Linz Hauptbahnhof. Serving both regional and long-distance trains, the station is located in the southern part of the city center. In addition to the city bicycle system and the car sharing program, the station is connected to the tram and bus networks. Welcoming nearly 30,000 passengers and 500 trains daily, the station has 11 platforms and 21 tracks. The station is operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
The third largest airport in the country and regional airport in Upper Austria, Linz Airport About 12 km southwest of Linz, the airport is located in Hörsching. Apart from a few seasonal charter flights, the airport mainly serves domestic and European destinations. Welcoming nearly 400,000 passengers and 10,000 flights per year, the airport has a runway and a terminal. In addition to the S-Bahn train and regional bus network, the airport is connected to the city center by a shuttle service. A joint venture of the State of Upper Austria, the city of Linz and Linz AG manages the airport under the management of Blue Danube Airport Linz GmbH.

The Verkehrsverbund Linz (VVL), the transport association of the city and neighboring districts, coordinates and integrates the public transport system in Linz. In addition to the pricing and ticketing system, the VVL is responsible for the planning, financing and marketing of public transport services. Valuable for all types of transportation within the VVL zone, the VVL offers single tickets, daily tickets, weekly tickets, monthly tickets, annual tickets and others. VVL also offers discounts and subsidies for certain passenger groups, such as students, seniors, children and others.

City dwellers and visitors to Linz enjoy and widely use the public transportation system. A survey conducted by the city of Linz indicates that the public transport system has a satisfaction rate of 86% and a modal share of 28% of all trips made in the city. The public transportation system is also considered reliable, safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly.

Some of the most notable public transport initiatives under development or execution in Linz include:

The extension of tram line 3 to Traun will add 4.7 km and 8 stops to the current line, thus connecting Linz to the second largest city in the district. In addition to recreational and cultural facilities, including the PlusCity shopping center and the Voestalpine Stahlwelt museum, the extension will improve the accessibility and attractiveness of industrial and commercial areas along the route. Construction of the extension will begin in 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2023. The extension will reduce the travel time between Linz and Traun by ten minutes and increase the number of passengers on Line 3 by 25%. of the tram.
The replacement of old and obsolete trams with new, energy-efficient trams as part of the modernization of the tram fleet. A low-floor design, increased capacity, improved comfort and accessibility, as well as reduced noise and emissions will define the new trams. Modern technologies including LED lighting, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and information screens will also be features of the new trams. The modernization of the tram fleet, which will begin in 2018, is expected to be completed by 2026. The European Union and the federal government will co-complete the modernization, which will cost around 100 million euros.
The renovation of the Linz Hauptbahnhof will help the station become a contemporary and attractive mobility hub. The renovation will include the extension and redesign of the station building, improvement of platforms and tracks, construction of new commercial and service spaces and integration of the station into neighboring urban growth. The renovation of the station began in 2016 and is expected to be completed by 2024. The European Union and the federal government will co-complete the renovation work, which will cost around 250 million euros.
The development of Linz Airport will increase the capacity and quality of airport services provided. The expansion will include the construction of a new cargo center, the expansion and modernization of the terminal, improvements to the runway and apron, and the installation of a new security system and navigation. The airport is planned to be expanded until 2025 from 2020. The state of Upper Austria, the city of Linz and Linz AG will co-finance the almost 80 million euros needed for the expansion.

Linz railway

At the beginning of the 19th century, the railway line drawn on horseback from Gmunden via Wels and Linz in Budweis was built in 1825 and opened in 1832, then starting the history of Linz railways. After the Stockton and Darlington Railway in England, it was the second railway line built in the world and the first in continental Europe. By connecting the Danube to the Vltava, this railway line made Linz an important shopping and commercial center.

Following connections with the Kaiserin Elisabeth Railway in 1852, Linz became a major traffic center for Salzburg and Bavaria. Apart from the main station of what was then the southern end of the city, 1880 saw the construction of the central goods and the marshal for the circulation of cargoes. Designed by the eminent architect Otto Wagner, the main station had a neoclassical facade and a large glass roof.

After destruction during the Second World War, the main Linz main station was rebuilt between 1945 and 1950. It was replaced between 2000 and 2004 by a new building of the station with better local transport links within the framework of the offensive of the ÖBB station. Completed in 2004, the Lilo, the local railway from Linz, was integrated and the local station closed in 2005. The secondly voting results show that Linz station is now the most often used station in Austria . Seven times in a race (2005 to 2011) and once again in 2014 by the Austrian transport club, the building was appointed the most popular station and the most beautiful station in Austria due to short transfer roads, Spacious design and shiny atmosphere.

Linz has several train stations that serve different purposes and destinations. The most important ones are:

Linz main station: The main station for long -distance and regional trains as well as the tram and local bus system is Linz. It provides links to Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck, Munich, Prague and other cities and has eleven platforms. It has a hotel, a shopping center and a parking lot.
Linz Franckstrasse: Near the city center, this Linz Franckstrasse station acts as a stop for regional trains towards Wels, Steyr and Enns. He has two platforms and a pedestrian tunnel at the end of the adjacent tramway.
Linz-Urfahr: Mühlkreisbahnhof, another name for this station, is the terminus of the narrow caliber of Mühlkreisbahn crossing the mountainous region of Mühlviertel. Built in 1888, it has a classic construction with a clock tower. It has four platforms and a tram stop.
Linz Wegscheid: Located in the northern section of the city, this station stops for regional trains for Rohrbach, Aigen-Schlägl and Summerau. His two platforms and bus stops reflect this.
Pöstlingbergbahn: Pöstlingbergbahn is a historic tram line connecting the main square to the hill of Pöstlingberg overlooking the city and with a well -known pilgrimage church; It is not a station. The 900 mm gauge of the open line in 1898 is renovated and modernized in 2009, it is today a tourist attraction.

Linz also offers a number of stations mainly for local traffic and commuters. These include:

Linz Ebelsberg: Located in the south point of the city, Linz Ebelsberg is a stop for regional trains heading for Wels, Eferding, Passau. His two platforms and bus stops reflect this.
Linz Oed: Located in the western side of the city, Linz Oed is a stop for regional trains towards Wels, Marchtrenk and Lambach. His two platforms and bus stops reflect this.
Linz Pichling: Located in the south-east of the city, Linz Pichling is a stop for regional trains towards Wels, Eferding, Passau. His two platforms and bus stops reflect this.

Two Linz railway bridges extend to the Danube to connect the city to the north shore. They understand:

Railway bridge: Opened in 1900, this bridge was the first railway bridge crossing the Danube in Austria. He had a unique line and a steel arc construction. Summer 2016 saw its demolition; A new railway bridge opened in 2021 instead. Although it is currently only a road bridge, the new bridge is supposed to be used for the planned tram. Its route is two -way and its design is in relief.
Steyregg railway bridge: Built in 1873, the Steyregg railway bridge is the second through the Danube in Austria. Its single track line and its construction of farms defined rebuilding it in 1925, it spread to adapt to a double -track line. Always used, it transports the Mühlkreisbahn to Urfahr and beyond. On the side is a pedestrian and bicycle road.

Bicycle network

Covering the whole city, Linz’s bicycle network provides a safe and practical means of mobility. There are 250km of bike paths, 50km of bike lanes and 200km of bike routes in the network. The regional and national bike paths—the Römerradweg, the Donauradweg, and the Salzkammergutradweg—are linked to the bicycle network. Additionally included in the bicycle network are several bike stations, bike parking lots, and bike rentals. The city government sponsors the bicycle network, so encouraging cycling as a green and healthy means of mobility.