Section Control on the S6 Semmering will be extended until 2026

The Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure has reorganized the section-based speed monitoring on the S 6 Semmering Expressway, thereby extending the existing section control measurement stretch. The ordinance was promulgated on September 16, 2026, in the Federal Law Gazette for the Republic of Austria, Part II, as BGBl. II No. 277/2026. It enters into force upon the repeal of the predecessor ordinance from 2025.

Legal Basis and Background

The ordinance is based on § 98a Para. 1 StVO 1960, BGBl. No. 159/1960, most recently amended by BGBl. I No. 62/2026. It defines those stretches of road on which compliance with the maximum permitted speed is monitored using an imaging technical device that measures the average driving speed of a vehicle.

The S 6 Semmering Expressway is one of the most important transit connections to Styria. The Semmering tunnel chain is a critical section where average speed measurement (Section Control) has been used for years to increase road safety. The new ordinance replaces the previous Section Control Measurement Stretch Ordinance S 6 Semmering Tunnel Chain 2025, BGBl. II No. 96/2025, which will be repealed upon the entry into force of the new regulation.

The Monitored Measurement Stretches

The measurement stretches are located on the directional carriageway St. Michael of the S 6 Semmering Expressway, which is traveled in opposing traffic. Specifically, the following sections are designated:

• in the direction of St. Michael: the section from km 32.14 to km 41.32
• in the direction of Seebenstein: the section from km 41.34 to km 32.13

Thus, average speed measurement is maintained over a distance of approximately nine kilometers in both directions of travel. The measurement stretch includes the Semmering tunnel chain and its access areas.

Notification Requirement and Validity

According to § 2 of the ordinance, the beginning and end of the monitored measurement stretch must be announced. Labeling is carried out via the corresponding information signs, which alert drivers to the start of the measurement stretch in a timely manner.

The ordinance was signed by the competent Federal Minister and issued with an official signature on September 16, 2026. It replaces the previous regulation from 2025 and ensures the legal basis for the ongoing operation of the section control system on the S 6.

Significance for Road Users

For the many commuters and transit drivers on the S 6, the extension means continuity: speed monitoring in the Semmering tunnel chain remains in place and is being placed on a new, current legal basis. Those driving the section between St. Michael and Seebenstein must continue to expect average speed measurement and adhere to the maximum permitted speed over the entire measurement section.

Source: Federal Law Gazette for the Republic of Austria, Part II, No. 277/2026, issued on September 16, 2026 (official reference: BGBl. II Nr. 277/2026).