Montafonerbahn

The Montafonerbahn is a narrow-gauge electric railway in Vorarlberg, Austria. It runs for 12.8 kilometres from Schruns station in Schruns to Bludenz station in Bludenz. The line connects at Bludenz to the Arlberg railway and the Vorarlberg Railway, forming part of the main east–west route. Local passenger services are run as the S4 on the Vorarlberg S-Bahn. The railway company also handles freight traffic along the line. The railway has a history dating back to 1905, when it opened as Austria’s westernmost private railway and the first electric local railway in Austria-Hungary. It was originally operated by the KkStB, the Austro-Hungarian national railways. The line was electrified at 650 V direct current and later converted to 15 kV 16.7 Hz alternating current in 1972. In the 1970s and 1980s, a long-distance service ran from Schruns to Dortmund under the Fern-Express label. The Montafonerbahn serves several stations along its route, including Bludenz-Moos, which opened in 1965. The line runs through the Montafon Valley, offering views of the surrounding Alps. Trains run every 30 minutes during the day, combining local and express services. The railway connects the valley to the wider rail network, making it a practical way to reach ski areas like Silvretta Montafon.