Vienna Nordbahn

Vienna’s Northern Railway Bridge (Nordbahnbrücke) connects the two Viennese districts of Brigittenau and Floridsdorf. It spans the Danube, the New Danube (Neue Donau), the A22 motorway, and the Danube Island (Donauinsel). SWIETELSKY renewed Track 6 on the bridge in just two months. The schedule was tight and the work was carried out at full speed - no problem for the experienced railway construction team.

The Northern Railway Bridge in Vienna—more precisely, Track 6—was renewed by SWIETELSKY on behalf of ÖBB Infrastruktur AG. Among other things, 1,563 bridge timbers were replaced, 1,700 meters of rail were newly laid, and numerous steel and concrete components were modernized. A real achievement.

Work without a break

The work was carried out under intense time pressure in 24/7 operation. “The construction work on the bridge demanded a lot from our crew. The bridge’s structure is extremely complex. And above all, the constantly changing weather conditions were no easy matter. But we defied heat, rain, and wind and met all tight deadlines exactly—without any penalties,” says Stefan Birbaumer, construction manager (railway construction). The preparatory work in June was completed during nighttime line closures. In July, the SWIETELSKY team was renovating around the clock. “During the main construction period, we operated as an ‘island operation’ within the construction zone—the extensive track refurbishment required pinpoint logistics and coordination, as well as close alignment of all trades,” Stefan Birbaumer emphasizes.

A line of major importance

During the era of the monarchy, the Northern Railway was one of the most important rail routes of all, as it connected Vienna with Bohemia, Moravia, and Galicia. Even today, the Northern Railway Bridge is heavily used: train services on the Northern Railway, the Northwestern Railway, and Vienna’s rapid transit (S-Bahn) cross the Danube on it. That’s why it was essential to keep disruptions to rail traffic as low as possible, which was achieved. Cooperation with the client ÖBB also went smoothly.

What was renewed

Bridge timbers (1,563 pcs.), running rails and guard rails incl. fastenings
3 rail expansion devices
Installation and removal of the “Hecht” (Floridsdorf and Kaibrücke)
Edge and center decking, as well as the walk-through plates
Edge beam over the A22 together with SWIETELSKY civil engineering
Track 4: dismantling and reinstallation after corrosion protection measures, replacement of rib plates, and installation of new balises

Work without a break

A line of major importance

What was renewed

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