Regardless of the German train drivers' strike, which will take place from Wednesday, January 10, 2024 to Friday, January 12, 2024, the private Westbahn trains will also run to/from Munich. However, tickets from ÖBB and DB will not be accepted, although this is exactly what was brought to the attention of the two competitors. As a private railway company, Westbahn is not affected by the strike called for by the German union GDL. However, ÖBB is, because at the border stations (for example Salzburg) the employees of the Austrian Federal Railways get off and are replaced by their colleagues from Deutsche Bahn AG. This procedure has been common practice for decades. Since Westbahn also has an EVU license in Germany, it is able to operate the Vienna-Munich route and, from December 2024, also further to Stuttgart with its own employees without any changes in personnel at the border station. This is an advantage for passengers due to the strike, which primarily affects Deutsche Bahn. On Monday, Westbahn approached the Austrian Federal Railways with an offer: They agreed to accept tickets issued by ÖBB and/or DB during the German train drivers' strike. The Austrian Federal Railways forwarded this to Deutsche Bahn AG, which declined. In other words: DB has no interest in its passengers affected by the strike being able to use trains operated by its competitor Westbahn as a replacement. The tickets of those affected will therefore not be accepted. If the booked connection is cancelled due to the strike, the train operator will have to pay for the alternative.