Austria Transport Forecast 2050

Client

Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI)

Year

ongoing

Partner

PLANUM Fallast & Partner, SSP Consult, Herry Consult


The 2050 Transport Forecast provides the data foundation for strategic transport planning in Austria. It offers a well-founded assessment of future trends in passenger and freight transport, thereby forming the basis for long-term infrastructure decisions and transport policy strategies.

The transport forecast aims to:

  • identify capacity bottlenecks and the need for infrastructure action at an early stage
  • evaluate and validate infrastructure measures and investment decisions
  • harmonise long-term infrastructure development
  • make policy objectives quantifiable

The baseline forecast is supplemented by several scenarios that illustrate the range of future developments and are thus intended to highlight conflicting objectives as well as the scope for political action.

How is mobility developing in Austria?

To forecast the future development of passenger and freight transport, numerous supply and demand data are extrapolated for the years 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045 and 2050, based on established and emerging trends as well as the relevant legal framework.

Our approach

Prognos bears responsibility for the conceptual and substantive aspects of all project phases – from research to the interpretation of results. The calculation of the forecast and the additional scenarios is carried out using the VMÖ (Austrian Transport Model) by our partners PLANUM Fallast & Partner and SSP Consult.

In an initial step, all relevant input data for Austria and abroad is systematically researched, processed and updated. This is followed by integration into the models and the actual calculations across several iteration loops.

The relevant input data includes:

  • spatial structural data
  • political and technological trends
  • economic developments
  • changes in infrastructure provision
  • external influencing factors

Scenario development takes place in parallel with the calculation of the reference forecast, in coordination with the revision of the Mobility Strategy 2040+.

Links and downloads

More information on the BMIMI webseite (in German)

Project team: Alex Auf der Maur, Jens Hobohm, Marie-Luise Zwicker

Content management: BMIMI, ASFINAG and ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG | Project support: AustriaTech

Last update: 14.04.2026

Do you have questions?

Your contact at Prognos

Jens Hobohm

Partner, Director

View profile

More studies & projects on this topic

The potential for decarbonisation in thermal waste treatment through CO₂ capture technologies

ongoing
| Project

Prognos is assessing the potential for decarbonising thermal waste treatment through the use of resource-saving and energy-efficient CO₂ capture and processing technologies.

Evaluation of the Climate Protection Programme

2026
| Project

How effective are the measures proposed by Germany’s federal ministries for the upcoming climate protection programme? Prognos and its partners examined the feasibility of the planned climate protection measures and analysed their impact on the climate.

Network Klimaanpassung & Unternehmen.NRW (NKU)

ongoing
| Project

The network Klimaanpassung&Unternehmen.NRW (NKU) offers exchange, knowledge and market information on climate adaptation in North Rhine-Westphalia. Prognos is leading the network together with partners.

Annual Energy Transition Monitoring

ongoing
| Project

What is the status of the energy transition in Germany? Since 2012, Prognos has been monitoring the energy transition in Bavaria and Germany on behalf of the vbw.

14th Energy Transition Monitoring

2026
| Project

Energy prices remain high, and the expansion of renewable energies continues to fall short of targets: this is shown by our 14th Energy Transition Monitoring report, which we compiled on behalf of the vbw.

Evaluation of the Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings (BEG)

ongoing
| Project

On behalf of the BMWE, we evaluate the impact of the BEG in the funding period 2021 – 2025 together with ifeu, ITG, and FIW.

Policy scenarios for the 2025-2027 greenhouse gas projections

ongoing
| Project

Prognos and its partners support the preparation of the German government's 2025 to 2027 greenhouse gas projection reports.

Analyses of Swiss energy use

ongoing
| Project

On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), we conduct an annual analysis of the development of energy consumption in Switzerland.

Ex-post analysis of Swiss energy consumption in 2024

2025
| Project update

The analysis for the Federal Office of Energy shows that final energy consumption has fallen significantly since 2000, mainly thanks to savings in space and process heating. At the same time, demand has risen in areas such as electrical appliances and building services. Consumption has not changed significantly since 2020.

CO₂ sinks – greenhouse gas neutrality in the EU and Germany

2026
| Project

How far have systems for storing and extracting CO2 developed in Europe? Our study for the German Environment Agency evaluated planned and ongoing CO2 capture projects in Europe, focusing on BECCUS and DACCUS projects.

About us

We combine economic research and strategy consulting for sustainable decisions in politics, business and society. Our robust data, precise analyses and scientifically based findings enable fact-based progress – financially independent, politically neutral. 

Learn more