ÖBB Annual Report 2023

Group Management Report 84 Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 39 Public transport is the trend At the same time, public transport is experiencing a boom and is on a trend. This is also reflected in the passenger numbers on public transport. Demand recovered quickly and significantly following the lifting of the coronavirus measures and the introduction of the climate ticket. An enormous increase in the number of travellers on local, long-distance and night- time services is also expected in the coming years. Capacity and quality Increasing system capacity and efficiency are therefore key elements in sustainably overcoming the crises and utilising the opportunities arising from the boom in sustainable mobility. The prerequisite for this is an increase in productivity by increasing system efficiency as well as the cost-effectiveness of the system and the products. Mobility as the mainstay of the economy Austria needs a reliable guarantor of mobility. The coronavirus crisis also revealed this and impressively demonstrated its importance as the backbone of the economy. However, not only the economy but also the climate is heavily dependent on a functioning public transport system. Digitalisation also shows how quickly products and services can and must change in order to meet the growing needs of customers. Recognising and “tackling” these changes in good time requires a detailed view into the future. Challenges persist in the ÖBB Group in 2024 Quality and reliability of public transport All elements of the transport system are a basic prerequisite for the value creation processes of the economy and for people’s participation in essential and desired activities and quality of life. The most important quality of the transport system is to be available to road users and industrial companies at all times with the expected quality. The reliability of the transport system needs to be a fundamental objective of mobility providers and the management of all subsystems involved. The industry’s increasing dependence on technology means that the risk of cyber attacks on railway systems is growing. New technologies, especially digitalisation, therefore not only offer opportunities, but also pose risks to the reliability of the public transport system. Capacity as a central challenge Infrastructure, rolling stock and staff all need to be ready for the demands of the future. Problems such as the pandemic, the war in Europe, but also inflation and the energy crisis as well as the generation change have not made it easier to ensure the balance between personnel, quality and costs. Public transport thrives on a functioning infrastructure and appropriate infrastructure management. This is certainly the case in Austria, though in the interface with neighbouring countries and especially with eastern parts of Europe, this remains a challenge. Price increases in the energy and construction sectors as well as supply bottlenecks affect existing projects. Economy, efficiency and competitiveness as a prerequisite for the shift to rail Economy, efficiency and competitiveness are important levers for a shift towards public transport. Firstly, there is a need to look at supply levers, i.e. which additional services promote a modal shift from the point of view of infrastructure and railway companies. On the other hand, the productivity and profitability of rail-based forms of production also need to be increased so that more attractively priced rail transport can be offered on the market. Sustainability as an engine for growth The topic of “climate change“ continues to be a great opportunity for the ÖBB Group to position itself as a nationwide logistics and mobility service provider with sustainable services. Particularly the complete coverage of the first and last mile will become a central issue in order to bring more travellers into public transport and more tonnes from road to rail. Actively driving ahead with the issue of sustainability is the prerequisite for realising this success factor in the future. The switch to alternative drive systems is an important cornerstone for the energy transition in the transport sector. The technological and economic implications of a changeover need to be taken into account. | MR39