Topics related to the mechanisms for improving the capacity of the East-West corridor will be the key aspects of the International Rail Business Forum “1520 Strategic Partnership: Central Europe” to be held on February 20-22, 2018 in Vienna.
The forum’s agenda will address the possibilities for reducing the investment deficit in the field of infrastructure development, container terminals construction, as well as the prospects for lowering the cost of overland freight and through rates formation, harmonization of the transport documentation used in transportation between the “wide” and “narrow” gauge countries, and reducing customs barriers.
Considerable attention will be paid to the development of a logistics cluster
within the Vienna-Bratislava TWIN City perimeter, the prospects for extension of the western branch of the East-West route and the increase of route entry points – such as, through the Košice-Bratislava-Vienna “broad” gauge construction.
Russian-Austrian cooperation in the field of transport engineering, development of high-tech and energy-efficient industries and innovations exchange will be the major topic of discussions.
The top officials from the national railway operators of “broad” and “narrow” gauge countries, as well as executives from the European Commission’s transport sector and international industry organizations will speak at the forum. Representatives from transport and logistics, engineering and construction companies of the EU and CIS countries will also participate actively in the event.
The organizer is Business Dialogue, the key partners are ÖBB Holding AG and Russian Railways.
1520 Strategic Partnership is the international business forum aimed at coordination of the efforts of players in the Eurasia transport market in order to create a coherent infrastructure of international transportation corridors and the most comfortable passenger and cargo transportation environment.

For detailed information on the forum, please visit: www.forum1520.ru