A man with a knife has stabbed two people aboard a train in Austria today- the third such train attack in Europe within a month.

The incident happened at 6.30am on a regional Austrian Railways train heading towards Bregenz from Bludenz when the 60-year-old German, believed to be mentally ill, stabbed two passengers with a knife, causing them 'considerable injuries', according to police.

Fellow passengers and police on board the train subdued the man and held him until it stopped at Sulz-Röthis station.

Fellow passengers and police subdue a man and arrest him after he allegedly attacked two train passenger with a knife in Austria

The 60-year-old German stabbed two passengers with a knife, causing them 'considerable injuries', according to police

Police used pepper spray on the attacker and one 22-year-old who helped the officers sustained a light cut to his hand.

The victims, aged 19 and 17, reportedly did nothing to provoke their attacker.

Both are in hospital with serious injuries - the elder of the two with back and stomach wounds, the younger with a slash to the throat.

The arrested man is led into a police car. The victims, aged 19 and 17, reportedly did nothing to provoke their attacker

Passengers aboard the train had to leave at the station and continue their journey with a replacement one.

Last month in Germany, an Afghan refugee attacked a family of five from Hong Kong with an axe and a knife aboard a train heading to the city of Würzburg.

The attacker was shot dead by police moments after fleeing the train.

One of the victims who was knifed is pushed away in a wheelchair towards a waiting ambulance at Sulz Rothis station in Austria

Two of his victims are still in hospital with serious head injuries.

While at the weekend in neighbouring Switzerland, near Salez, a woman was killed aboard a train by a man who set himself on fire and also died.