'I was always of the opinion that a partner should be sought for the OeBB cargo unit, if possible,' Faymann was quoted as saying in daily newspaper WirtschaftsBlatt. The paper said he declined to say how much or when he would like to sell.

'You have to act pragmatically and consider the economic environment and the options that exist on the market,' he said.

Rail Cargo Austria, which earlier this month closed the purchase of Hungary's state railway MAV's cargo unit, says it is Europe's third biggest rail cargo operator, trailing only the cargo units of the German and the French state railways.

It carried 97 million tonnes of cargo last year and generated operating earnings of 25 million euros ($34 million) on revenue of 2.4 billion euros.