Austria's Opportunity as a Gateway to the World

Vienna (ots) - International speakers from the fields of railway transport,
industry and politics are discussing the future of the global railway network at
the International Railway Congress

The International Railway Congress 2019 in Vienna, which takes place between
18th and 19th March 2019, offers the platform for the largest such industry
get-together. Delegates include top managers from the transport and logistics
sectors and suppliers and clients with an interest in long-distance freight
transport. The congress brings together stakeholders and creates a platform for
discussing the major global railway network of the future.

The current multinational broad-gauge railway project is creating an
environmentally-friendly global gateway for transporting goods from around the
world. And the project offers not only sustainable benefits to the environment
but also an economic boost to the entire Eurasia Region.

All these matters will be discussed with and in front of an international public
that will include delegates from over 100 companies and more than 20 countries.
Alongside representatives from many European countries the congress is also
looking forward to welcoming delegations from Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and
South Korea.

The Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology already concluded
a 'Silk Road Agreement' last April. According to General Secretary Andreas
Reichhardt, "the New Silk Road opens up new opportunities for companies from the
transport and infrastructure sectors and will create thousands of jobs. The
project establishes an important axis between Western and Eastern Europe and the
Far East on which Austria will play a central role."

Dr. Harald Mahrer, President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, sees the
New Silk Road as a major opportunity for the country: "This is a
once-in-a-century opportunity for Austria as an export location. And the project
is also an important push factor for the entire infrastructure sector. I am
delighted that the International Railway Congress 2019 is taking place in the
Austrian Economic Chambers because this will enable us to underline our function
as a hub in the face of international competition."

The CEO of ÖBB Holding, Mag. Andreas Matthä, who will also take part in the
congress, emphasises that "the New Silk Road is a huge opportunity for Europa
and Asia. We not only believe in but are also already part of it. The ÖBB Rail
Cargo Group is represented in 18 countries and, hence, a strong partner for
European industry as it exports to Russia and China. It is extremely important
for the New Silk Road that all partners are able to cooperate as equals and this
is one of the reasons why the International Railway Congress is so important."

As a contributing partner of the International Railway Congress, Oleg Belozerov,
General Director - Chairman of the Board of JSC "Russian Railways", emphasises
that "one of the key trends of the last few years has been the steady growth in
freight transportation across the entire Eurasian Region. I believe that
differences in national standards and railway gauges should not become barriers
to either a further increase in the capabilities of the East-West railway route
or the creation of the cutting-edge transportation product demanded by
customers. I am confident that the Congress will become an event that is
particularly significant for all its partners and participants who are
interested in qualitatively improving rail transit."

Mag. Hubert Jeneral, former top manager in the automotive and energy industry
and the initiator of the International Railway Congress, provides an outlook: "I
predict a golden future for rail-based long-distance transport. Over the course
of two days we will discuss the breaking down of geopolitical barriers, seek to
encourage more efficient international freight and passenger transport and shed
light on the growing role of digital technologies."

Press accreditation: https://rail-congress.com/press-center/

Further information about the program can be found here:
https://rail-congress.com

Location:

WKÖ

Wiedner Hauptstraße 63

1040 Vienna

Programme:

18th March - 1st day of the congress with opening and gala evening (Hofburg)

19th March - 2nd day of the congress

Kontakt:
Schütze. Positionierung & Public Performance
Michael Jayasekara
mj@schuetze.at
+43 (0)676 7460088

Original-Content von: International Railway Congress, übermittelt durch news aktuell