Austrian Eastern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Austrian Eastern Railway (German
Ostbahn) was the name of a former railway company during the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy
. Today, the term is still used to describe certain railway lines (East railway
) which were formerly operated by that company.
The Ostbahn was founded as the private Raaber Bahn. The line from Vienna
to Bruck an der Leitha
was constructed between 1840 and 1846. It was extended to Győr
(German Raab) in 1855 and later to Budapest
. Later it merged with another private railway company, the Staatseisenbahngesellschaft, which operated the line from Vienna to Pressburg (now Bratislava
), and the line via Mistelbach
and Laa an der Thaya
to Brno
.
The company was nationalized in 1909. After 1945, the service between Laa and Brno was disconnected. The Vienna East Station from which the lines operated had been destroyed in World War II
and was merged with the nearby Vienna South Station during reconstruction.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Ostbahn) was the name of a former railway company during the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. Today, the term is still used to describe certain railway lines (East railway
East railway (Austria)
The Eastern Railway is a two-track, electrified railway line that runs from Vienna towards Hungary. The name Eastern Railway refers to several branches of the line as well. At present the western terminus of the railway line in Vienna, Wien Südbahnhof, is being replaced by the new Hauptbahnhof...
) which were formerly operated by that company.
The Ostbahn was founded as the private Raaber Bahn. The line from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to Bruck an der Leitha
Bruck an der Leitha
Bruck an der Leitha is a city located in Lower Austria, Austria at the border to the Burgenland, which is marked by the Leitha river....
was constructed between 1840 and 1846. It was extended to Győr
Gyor
-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
(German Raab) in 1855 and later to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Later it merged with another private railway company, the Staatseisenbahngesellschaft, which operated the line from Vienna to Pressburg (now Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
), and the line via Mistelbach
Mistelbach
For the town in Germany, see Mistelbach, Bavaria.Mistelbach an der Zaya is a town in the northeast of Austria in so called Lower Austria, one of Austria's nine Federal States. It is located roughly 40 km northeast of Austria's capital Vienna...
and Laa an der Thaya
Laa an der Thaya
Laa an der Thaya is a town in Lower Austria, Austria near the Czech border. The population in 2001 was 6137.In June 2005, about 250 townspeople and 80 visitors from the US, Israel and Europe with historical family links to former Jewish citizens of Laa an der Thaya assembledwith Mayor Fass to...
to Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
.
The company was nationalized in 1909. After 1945, the service between Laa and Brno was disconnected. The Vienna East Station from which the lines operated had been destroyed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was merged with the nearby Vienna South Station during reconstruction.
External links
- Wien-Südbahnhof: Photogallery and documentation about the Vienna Southern Railway Station (Wien-Südbahnhof) by Martin Frey and Philipp Graf