Noise level on Lake Wörthersee: Noise reduced thanks to quiet trains!

Noise level on Lake Wörthersee: Noise reduced thanks to quiet trains!

The ÖBB today published its fifth measurement report on noise emissions on the Wörthersee railway line. This report, published on the ÖBB press page, provides valuable data on the effectiveness of measures to reduce noise along the popular railway line.

The measuring point was set up in autumn 2020 in collaboration between the ÖBB and the state of Carinthia to document the noise level along the route. What is particularly noteworthy is the fact that the assessment level was reduced by 3 dB at night. The average passing level of freight trains also fell by 2.7 dB compared to 2020, indicating the successful noise reduction measures.

Results of the measurements

The report shows that the passing level of individual trains remained unchanged in 2024 compared to 2023, but the proportion of noisy trains decreased. This is particularly relevant as an increase in freight train journeys has been recorded due to the closure of the Tauern Tunnel. The project is scientifically supported by external experts and ÖBB-Infrastructure AG, which publishes a detailed report on the results every year.

The measurements collected provide comprehensive data on the pass levels, speeds and vehicle data of each train pass. The assessment level for a building 30 meters away is 44 dB during the day (2020: 46 dB) and 45 dB at night (2020: 48 dB). At a height of 5 meters, the assessment level is 49 dB during the day (2020: 52 dB) and 51 dB at night (2020: 54 dB).

Factors and future developments

A decrease of 2.7 dB in the passing level of a single freight train from 88.2 dB to 85.5 dB since 2020 was also recorded. The proportion of quiet freight wagons increased from 64% in 2020 to 94% in 2024. This is important because the EU TSI Noise regulation has only allowed the use of quiet freight trains on the EU's main railway lines since December 2024.

The switch to 100% quiet freight wagons could reduce the passing level per train by around 10 dB. It was found that noise emissions are influenced by various factors such as vehicle types, operating programs and weather conditions. Future increases in noise emissions can be ruled out, and further investments in railway systems, wagon material and noise barriers are planned.

An overarching goal of the EU and ÖBB is to shift freight transport from road to rail, as every kilometer of freight transport on the road causes 30 times higher CO2 emissions than transport by rail. The EU aims to achieve an optimal level of harmonization of noise emissions from rail vehicles across the European Union with the Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI) in order to limit noise emissions from the rail system, as stated in the Website of the European Union Agency for Railways can be seen.