How to avoid high mobile phone costs while on vacation

The days when people would switch off their mobile phones in neighboring countries to avoid high charges for incoming calls are long gone. For many people, making phone calls and, above all, using mobile Internet are now ubiquitous and indispensable, even when traveling. However, depending on your location, surfing the web, sending emails and messages, and navigating via apps can still be associated with high costs. Additional charges may also apply for calls and text messages. “Roam like you’re at home”Since 2017, the “roam like at home” principle has been…

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Extreme weather across the country: Here’s what to expect next

Only a few clouds are moving across western Austria. In Vorarlberg and Tyrol in particular, there is an increased risk of short but heavy showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. These conditions may be accompanied by heavy rain, hail, and strong gusts of wind. Thunderstorms may also occur from Pinzgau (Salzburg) to the Salzkammergut (Upper Austria). The current severe weather warning map from the Severe Weather Center. The Austrian Severe Weather Center has therefore issued advance warnings – currently affecting Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia, Upper Austria, and Styria. The warnings…

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Global Deep Dive: The World’s Longest Street Tunnels

In the realm of modern civil engineering, tunnel construction has become a testament to human ingenuity, overcoming natural barriers with sprawling underground passages. Here’s a spotlight on the longest street (road) tunnels in operation around the world today: 1. Lærdal Tunnel – Norway (24.51 km / 15.2 mi) Overview: Running beneath the Norwegian mountains to link Lærdal and Aurland on the E16, this tunnel, completed in 2000, is the world’s longest road tunnel. Safety & Comfort: To combat fatigue and claustrophobia during its 20-minute traverse, innovative features include cave-like rest zones every…

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Prescription fee, transport etc. for patients increase starting July 1

The government’s austerity measures will result in numerous fee increases starting July 1. For example, it will become more expensive to issue passports and driver’s licenses, and the service fee for the e-card will also increase. Citizens will notice that the Austrian Health Insurance Fund is also suffering from austerity measures in the form of deductibles for patient transport. Deductibles for patient transport will therefore be reintroduced in July. For patient transport, i.e., trips without paramedics, by taxi or transport service, this will be equal to the prescription fee, currently…

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AMS: These new rules apply to unemployed persons starting in July

Anyone who is unemployed and has deregistered with the AMS due to illness, a stay abroad, training, or parental leave must re-register with the AMS on the first day after the interruption ends, starting July 1. Re-registration can be done by telephone, in person, or via the eAMS account. In the case of illness-related interruptions, a doctor’s note is still required, even for illnesses lasting only one day. Kopf: “More clarity, more efficiency” Re-registration can only take place after the interruption has ended, even if it is known earlier. In…

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Starting in July: Changes for drivers and others in Austria

Starting on July 1, 2025, there will be more changes for drivers and others in Austria. Specifically, certain things will cost more. Starting today, Tuesday, motorists will once again be asked to pay more. Issuing a driver’s license will cost €29.50 more in the future, bringing the total to €90. The fee for issuing a registration certificate will also increase significantly: in the future, registering a car will cost around €265. The reason is a tax increase “These fee increases are already the fifth and sixth tax and levy adjustments…

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Heatwave brings temperatures of up to 38 degrees to eastern Austria

With large parts of Europe already groaning under the heat, Austria is also set to experience hot weather in the coming week. Experts at Geosphere Austria are forecasting temperatures of up to 38 degrees in eastern Austria on Thursday. There is no sign of any cooling off for the time being. A heat warning is in effect from Wednesday for Vienna, Burgenland, large parts of Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Styria, as well as the central region of Carinthia, the Tyrolean lowlands, and the Rhine Valley in Vorarlberg. Due to…

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New rules for bank transfers – what’s changing

The European Parliament has decided that real-time transfers in euros will be mandatory throughout the European Economic Area (EEA). Here are the details. We’ve all been there: waiting for a transfer to finally arrive in the recipient’s account – often it takes a banking day or even longer. That will soon be a thing of the past. The latest edition of “Let’s talk about money,” the Financial Market Authority’s (FMA) consumer information series, is dedicated to the topic of real-time transfers, also known as instant payments. Real-time transfers enable money…

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New look, familiar magic: the Vienna Film Festival 2025

To mark its 35th anniversary, the Film Festival on Vienna’s Rathausplatz has an entirely new look: with an open-plan design, five imposing screens, new seating areas and, for the first time, catering directly in the cinema area, a place to linger, enjoy and discover—with free admission, right in the heart of Vienna. Musical diversity with structure—the new weekly programIn 2025, the Film Festival will follow a clear weekly schedule for the first time: from classical music on Mondays to musicals, jazz, and rock on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and major pop…

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