Austria to resume rail services to Germany

Vienna: Austrian state-owned rail operator the Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) will resume long-distance rail services across the German border on Friday following a freeze in services of over two months due to massive overcrowding as a result of the migrant crisis.

The OeBB said on Wednesday that following the earlier resumption of regional cross-border services, its Railjet services as well as certain German-operated services to destinations such as Munich and beyond are now also to be reinstated, Xinhua news agency reported.

Passengers will, however, be required to step off trains at the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof train station, the last major stop before the trains cross the German border, in order for German police to be able to check travel documents.

The OeBB said passengers must bring necessary documents in order to be granted passage on the trains as they then travel onward into Germany, with checks conducted on the train platforms themselves.

Passengers on trains travelling in the opposite direction however, from Germany into Austria or onward to Hungary, will not be subject to having to exit trains prior to border crossings.