City Airport Train (CAT) has been transporting passengers between the Vienna Airport and Vienna Mitte stations for 20 years. With 4,000 passengers daily, it offers a quick (16-minute) ecological airport transfer to the Austrian capital, a privilege many cities worldwide lack.
The number of passengers at Vienna Airport and onboard CAT trains is rising, and the company, co-owned by Vienna Airport (50.1%) and ÖBB (49.9%), has decided to invest in a new rolling stock fleet.
Its three new Stadler KISS double-deck electric multiple units will replace currently-used push-pull double-deck trainsets. Each currently-used set comprises Class 1016 locomotives and three Siemens Viaggio twin-passenger cars. The new EMUs will have five cars and an extended capacity of 300 seats, reaching a maximum speed of 200 km/h. New CAT KISS units will be specifically adjusted to the needs of air travellers: more luggage spaces, wider aisles, and extra wide seats in the first class. They will enter operation in 2027.