Austrian rail operator ÖBB has joined the Star Alliance airline partnership as the group's second intermodal partner.
The partnership will allow both ÖBB customers and passengers of Star Alliance member airlines, which include Austrian Airlines, to combine international flights with train travel across Austria.
This currently includes rail connections between Vienna International Airport and train stations in Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck via ÖBB’s high-speed Railjet service. At present, 16 Star Alliance member airlines operate at Vienna airport.
The initiative is founded on the long-standing intermodal partnership between ÖBB and Austrian Airlines, which includes integrated ticketing and check-in services. As well as a single combined ticket, travellers will also be able to earn airline loyalty points from their train journey, according to the alliance.
ÖBB is the second non-airline partner to join the alliance, after German rail operator Deutsche Bahn entered the group in 2022.
Star Alliance CEO Theo Panagiotoulias said: “Air and rail have complemented each other as transport modes for several years around the world, and we are proud to welcome ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways, to the Star Alliance family... I am confident that not only will this partnership offer more choice, but it will also enhance the seamlessness in customer journeys.”
Andreas Matthä, CEO of ÖBB, added: “This initiative allows us to offer our passengers an environmentally friendly way to travel to and from Vienna Airport – completely car-free – making the overall journey even more comfortable. This will make train journeys an even more flexible and seamless part of air travel – not just with one airline group, but across a global network of 25 airlines.”