Austrian Rail Cargo Group (RCG) and Slovenian SŽ-Tovorni promet are working together to maintain raw-material deliveries from the port of Koper to voestalpine’s steelworks in Linz and Donawitz. Extensive infrastructure works on the route are currently restricting capacity, jeopardising rail freight services.
The two operators transported 3.1 million tonnes through Koper in 2025, as part of around 8.5 million tonnes of raw materials that RCG moves annually for voestalpine. Traffic includes iron ore, metallurgical coal and hot-briquetted iron.
Currently, there are works along various sections, including the Divača–Koper, Brezovica–Preserje and Borovnica–Verd sections and between Ljubljana and Jesenice. The modernisation of the Jesenice border crossing, scheduled to continue until September 2027, is also reducing the number of available tracks. RCG and SŽ are coordinating capacity, locomotive and crew deployment and alternative routes.
Alternative routes are being closed too
Alternative routes, including the route through Maribor and Spielfeld-Straß, have been prepared for longer closures of Jesenice station. Such closure was announced on 4 September by the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure. The Ljubljana–Villach stretch would be completely closed between Lesce Bled, Jesenice and Roseenbach from 25 September to 12 November.
In addition, the line Nova Gorica–Jesenice line will be closed between Vintgar and Jesenice from September 5 to November 12. The Linz and Donawitz steelworks consume around 40,000 tonnes of raw materials per day. Voestalpine says reliable rail logistics will become increasingly important as it begins implementing its greentec steel decarbonisation programme from 2027.