Tourist attraction at Reißeck is once more open as of Saturday

Due to the heavy rainfall in the previous week, the tracks of the high-altitude railway in Reißeck have been washed away. Health and safety reasons have meant that journeys can therefore not be undertaken and tourism has to be temporarily stopped. After the junction plates were put in place as a temporary solution on Monday, the Reißeck is once more open for public visitors as of Saturday, tomorrow. A provisional stop for the high-altitude train as well as a hiking trail to the mountain restaurant was created in record time.

Heavy rainfalls last week have washed away the tracks of the high-altitude railway, which connects the funicular mountain station of Schoberboden through a tunnel to the lake plateau. Owing to safety reasons, the high-altitude rail had to be closed and tourism temporarily stopped. Assessments carried out in the days following the rainfall have shown that the tracks have been washed away in many places and it is no longer safe to operate.

In order to be able to continue tourism in the area as quickly as possible, despite the damage, provisional solutions were immediately created. The necessary approval request by the State of Carinthia was already submitted on Monday. Starting tomorrow, Saturday, trips with the high-altitude railway from Schoberboden will end at the end of the tunnel. A provisional stop has been set up there. From here there is a 500 metre long hiking trail to the mountain restaurant, which was the past end station. This temporary measure is, however, only suitable for those with good walking shoes. Travelling with a children's buggy will unfortunately not be possible. These solutions mean that the Reißeck can, as planned, remain in operation until 7 September 2014.

From 2015 to 2017, routine maintenance work has been planned to take place on the dams of the large and small Mühldorfer lakes, with an investment volume of around 12 million euros. These will serve to uncompromisingly maintain and improve the existing high safety level. Valley dams from VERBUND are among the best monitored constructions in Austria and it is a matter of course that additional measures are undertaken in regular intervals in order to keep up with the most up-to-date technological developments. Additionally, the access road for the Reißeck II pump storage plant project running over Schoberboden to the dam, will be extended. The existing tunnel in which the railway currently runs will be deepened and made accessible to lorries. In the course of these works, the avalanche gallery will be renovated in the coming years.

In order to secure the connection to the mountain station for the funicular, different variations of bus transport through the tunnel have currently been tested. At the same time, VERBUND is taking pains to gain the necessary agreements and consent from land owners and proprietors in order to clear the obstacles standing in the way of tourists using the infrastructure through VERBUND and its partners in tourism.

Plans have been made to make tourist attractions available once more for visitors from Austria and abroad at the start of the summer season in 2015.