The line heading westward from Vienna all the way across Austria is called “Westbahn” and so to say my “home road”. Living in Linz, some 120 miles from the capital, I traveled that route numerous times and, until recently, Vienna Western Station or “Wien Westbahnhof” was the terminal of the trip. This changed in December 2015 when all long distance trains got rerouted towards the brand new Vienna Main Station (Wien Hbf.). Beside of being a hub for ÖBB commuter trains, hourly dual-level MU sets of the privately operated “WESTbahn” service keep this station still a bustling place, especially during rush hour.

Some history…

Built for the western railway (originally called the k.k. privilegierte Kaiserin-Elisabeth-Bahn), the station was  opened in 1858. The facility was made up of four sections built in a historical style. At the end of WWII, the area was hit by bombs and burnt down in the course of battles; the roof of the gallery collapsed. After wards, the buildings were repaired for the needs of rail travel, but a complete reconstruction was decided upon, so the station was torn down and reconstruction began in 1949.

The new station became a symbol for the will to recover from the dark years of war. The huge hall flooded with daylight through large windows is a monument on its own and received the status of a protected architecture. When it became clear that renovation is eminent in the late 2000s, remodeling began which gave the whole area a modern feel while maintaining the classic look. Today numerous shops as well as (fast food) restaurants attract commuters and locals alike. Time will tell if the loss of international travelers will have a negative effect on business.

What to see…

“Everything was better in the good old days!” Well, that might be true for this station but there is no need to whine about because there are still a lot of trains to be encountered by the avid railfan or “Ferrosexuals” as local train folks call them. We already talked about the hourly WESTbahn service with its slick MUs made by Stadler. But ÖBB also operates brand new class 4746 MU for rapid suburban trains as well as bi-level pull-push compositions powered by the trusty class 1144 heavy electrics.

ÖBB operates a ton of Taurus class locomotives with their distinctive rounded ends and there are always some at work handling trains at Wien Westbahnhof. Beside the trend of utilizing MUs and pull-push sets for commuter traffic there is still a decent amount of “classic” locomotive led trains to be seen. Diesel swichters replaced the electric shunting engines quite a while ago and nowadays usually two breeds of class 2070 are on duty shuffling cars silently back and forward.

I visit Vienna on a regular base and try to include some sort of train spotting whenever there is a chance and decent weather. Given the awesome spring weather I headed for Wien Westbahnhof on the evening of Friday, March 31st 2017 to catch the last leg of rush hour traffic. The ends of platform 6/7 as well as 8/9 are my favorites where the narrow tip of the latter gets you even deeper into the maze of double switches and cross overs.

When you head to Wien West…

So this station is still a must-see when you are a rail-fan listing the Austrian capital.

• Austrian train stations are in general a pretty safe place to hang out and watch trains. As always in great crowds, use common sense and watch your belongings. Lots of security and police patrols the area. They are fine with rail-faning as long as there is no trespassing involved. 
• When out on the platforms BEWARE OF THE TRAINS. Electric locos, MUs and even the Diesels sneak up on you, preferably from the back. Take extra care on the small tip of platform 8/9! Wave to the engineers! Its a nice gesture and they know that you are aware of their moving train.
• There is a wide selection of shops, restaurants and facilities. No need to pack provisions or leave early ins search for restrooms (50 ct fee!). There are even lockers for rent, somehow hidden on the main floor next to the rest rooms.
• Hike a block or two down Feleberstraße and watch the action from the Bridge across the yard throat – Schmelzbrücke or the pedestrian overpass “Rustensteg”.
• No need to take the train to Westbahnhof. Subway lines U3 and U6 stop here as well as several tram lines. Tram #6 gets you all the way to Simmering and the huge cemeteries – but this is another story.
• The Pulkautaler Wein & Bierhaus is just to the left across the street when exiting the main hall and my favorite place to repelntish after an intense train watching experience. Try the house beer on draft – the “Kaltenhausener” is one of the best thirst quenchers around! The menu lists the full range of Austrian cuisine! Go for it!
• During remodeling of the Westbahnhof area a hotel was added to the compound. Motel One Vienna-Westbahnhof provides modern, clean but simple rooms at affordable prices. Ask for one on the upper floor facing the tracks! I never let them up-sell their breakfast as there are numerous options nearby e.g. the old school type Cafe Westend or the more bobo/hipster-ish 7Stern.