AUSTRIAN infrastructure manager ÖBB Infrastructure has track-doubled a 5km section of the Vienna - Bratislava line, with planning now underway to rebuild and electrify the full line at 15kV ac between the Austrian and Slovakian capitals via Marchegg. The project will reduce travel times between Vienna - Bratislava by 15 minutes.

ÖBB Infrastructure says it used a rapid track renewal train to lay the second track from Schönfeld-Lassee station towards Siebenbrunn-Leopoldsdorf station in just a few days. As part of the programme, level crossings along the line are being replaced with over and underpasses. ÖBB Infrastructure expects to double track the entire Austrian section of the line by December 2025.

Modernisation and track-doubling of the Vienna - Marchegg section of the line began in 2016. The first fully modernised section from Vienna Stadlau to the newly built station at Vienna Aspern Nord opening in December 2018. The modernisation of Raasdorf station was completed in April 2020, followed by Untersiebenbrunn station in December 2020. Glinzendorf, Siebenbrunn-Leopoldsdorf and Breitensee stations are due to be completed in autumn 2021, followed by the completion of Schönfeld-Lassee station in September 2022.

Only a very short section of the line in Slovakia from Devínska Nová Ves to the bridge over the river Morava that forms the Slovakian-Austrian border is not currently electrified at 25kV ac. Slovakian infrastructure manager ŽSR signed a €477,600 contract for Bratislava engineering consultants Reming Consult to create planning documents for the reconstruction of the border bridge in early May 2021 with the aim of completing reconstruction work and electrification by December 2023. Adding a second track on the short 2.5km section in Slovakia is not currently planned although a feasibility study for this forms part of the planning work now underway.