The ÖBB has confirmed that the 18-kilometre stretch between Feldkirch (Vorarlberg) and Buchs SG will be completely closed from 14 June to 14 October 2026. The shutdown is part of a €300-million modernisation that includes bridge replacements, new signalling and the construction of a barrier-free halt at Feldkirch-Tosters. During the works all regional trains will be replaced by buses, while international services—including Nightjet sleepers and Railjet Vienna–Zurich expresses—will divert via St. Margrethen and St. Gallen.
![Four-month closure of Feldkirch–Buchs rail link to hit Austria–Switzerland commuters]()
If the diversion or an unexpected overnight stay means you suddenly need updated travel documents, VisaHQ can streamline the process of securing or renewing visas for Austria, Switzerland or neighbouring Liechtenstein. Their online portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) offers clear guidance, electronic forms and courier support, helping commuters and tourists keep cross-border plans on track despite the rail disruption.
Passengers should expect journey-time increases of up to 60 minutes between Vienna and Zurich and about 40 minutes between Innsbruck and Zurich. For the many cross-border commuters who live in Vorarlberg and work in Liechtenstein or eastern Switzerland, the detour means earlier departures and disrupted last-mile connections. Companies in the Rhine Valley industrial corridor are advising staff to apply for temporary remote-work arrangements during the first weeks of the closure. ÖBB has published a detailed replacement timetable and urged travellers to check connections before departure. The railway promises that the overhaul will raise line speed to 140 km/h and lift axle-load limits, paving the way for heavier freight trains once the corridor reopens.
If the diversion or an unexpected overnight stay means you suddenly need updated travel documents, VisaHQ can streamline the process of securing or renewing visas for Austria, Switzerland or neighbouring Liechtenstein. Their online portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) offers clear guidance, electronic forms and courier support, helping commuters and tourists keep cross-border plans on track despite the rail disruption.
Passengers should expect journey-time increases of up to 60 minutes between Vienna and Zurich and about 40 minutes between Innsbruck and Zurich. For the many cross-border commuters who live in Vorarlberg and work in Liechtenstein or eastern Switzerland, the detour means earlier departures and disrupted last-mile connections. Companies in the Rhine Valley industrial corridor are advising staff to apply for temporary remote-work arrangements during the first weeks of the closure. ÖBB has published a detailed replacement timetable and urged travellers to check connections before departure. The railway promises that the overhaul will raise line speed to 140 km/h and lift axle-load limits, paving the way for heavier freight trains once the corridor reopens.
