Vienna Faces Deep Budget Cuts Amid Mounting Debt

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Vienna is facing the need for massive budget cuts, which is why the red pencil is now being applied more frequently. The city’s debt is reportedly approaching 2 billion euros, meaning residents will have to brace for significant belt-tightening in the coming years.

According to a recent statement by Mayor Michael Ludwig, “It has not yet been decided whether the annual pass, which costs 365 euros in Vienna, will become more expensive in the future as part of the planned savings package.” This suggests that public transport could soon see price increases. But it’s not just buses, trams, and trains that may become more expensive—car drivers could also be hit hard.
“In 2024, revenue from the parking meter levy alone amounted to almost 180 million euros,” stated Elisabeth Olischar, a member of the Vienna City Council and State Parliament, in April. Price hikes in both public and private transportation could therefore bring several hundred million euros into the city’s coffers.

Fewer Parking Spaces, Higher Fees

According to Ulrich Leth of the Traffic Planning and Traffic Engineering Research Department at the Vienna University of Technology, parking sticker zones should be reduced and fees increased. The reason? Cars are taking up too much public space in Vienna. According to a report in the Kurier newspaper, there are currently around 480,000 public parking spaces in the federal capital. The official website of the City of Vienna also states that “128 parking garages are integrated into the parking guidance system, offering a total of approximately 53,200 parking spaces.”

Leth notes that garage parking spaces are up to ten times more expensive than designated street parking. “We currently have just under 300 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in Vienna. The city has set a target of 250,” Leth told Kurier. It remains to be seen how much a price increase for parking stickers will contribute to achieving this goal.

In international comparison, Vienna’s parking fees are still lower than those in cities like Stockholm or Copenhagen. However, in Berlin and Budapest, residents pay significantly less than in Vienna.