Art and culture on track

The launch of the Westbahn's southern route was celebrated with a very special inaugural journey from Vienna to Villach: Under the motto "Art and Culture on Rails in Carinthia/Koroška," the maiden voyage combined modern mobility with the diversity of Carinthia's cultural landscape. The journey itself became an event.

During the approximately three-and-a-half-hour inaugural journey, Carinthian artists presented a diverse onboard program, transforming the train into a unique stage. The guests remained in their seats; art and culture came to them.
The overall coordination was the responsibility of our artistic director. Nadja Kayali, with the participation of Florian Eisner (Ensemble Porcia), Andreas Ickelsheimer (Heunburg Theatre) and Arthur Ottowitz (Werner Berg Museum Bleiburg/Pliberk).

“Carinthia is one of Austria’s most culturally rich federal states with a great tradition in literature, painting, dance and sculpture. Carinthia is far more than just a backdrop of lakes or mountains. If we make these strengths visible, the federal state will become even more attractive as a cultural region,” said Westbahn’s main shareholder, Hans Peter Haselsteiner.