Category: Austrian News

Austria experienced its coldest lowland January since 2017, according to the preliminary climate report released by Geosphere Austria. Mountain regions also saw their chilliest January since 2021. Despite the cold, much of the country remained relatively dry and sunny. Climatologist Alexander Orlik of Geosphere Austria noted that January 2026 stood out sharply against recent decades. “Compared to the more recent past, January 2026 was significantly too cold. Around 40 years ago, however, these temperatures would have been considered fairly normal,” he explained. Temperatures Well Below Recent Averages In the lowlands,…

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The school bell rings for the last time this Friday before nearly half a million students in Vienna and Lower Austria head into their week‑long semester break. Before they pack their bags, pupils receive their mid‑year school reports, giving them an overview of their academic performance halfway through the school year. With the start of the holidays, traffic authorities are preparing for heavy congestion on Vienna’s main exit routes from Friday afternoon onward. Travel delays are also expected on Saturday, particularly on roads leading to popular ski resorts, as many…

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Austria is facing a sharp rise in sophisticated telephone scams, many of them using spoofed numbers that appear local, official, or even police‑related. These scams are evolving quickly, targeting vulnerable individuals and exploiting trust in familiar institutions. The New Face of Phone Fraud in Austria Telephone scams are not new, but the current wave sweeping Austria is more polished, more convincing, and more technologically advanced than anything seen before. Authorities and consumer‑protection agencies warn that the surge in spoofed caller IDs, fake police calls, and ghost calls is creating a…

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After weeks of grey skies, Vienna can finally look forward to several hours of sunshine on Tuesday, 27 January. Forecasts suggest that bright, clear conditions will dominate across the entire city, offering a welcome break from the persistent winter gloom. Meteorologists expect the sun to show its best side throughout the morning and early afternoon. However, the improvement won’t last: as the day progresses, dense high fog is forecast to move in gradually from the southeast, dimming the sunshine later on. Winds will remain weak to moderate, shifting from west…

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Vienna is turning to high‑tech tools in its ongoing effort to curb parking violations. Four newly developed “scan‑cars” will soon support the city’s parking enforcement teams, marking the start of a pilot phase that was officially announced on Monday. Full deployment is planned for December 2026. The vehicles—electric cars equipped with roof‑mounted sensors—use cameras to scan the license plates of parked cars. The system checks in real time whether a digital parking ticket or a valid residential permit is registered for each plate. If everything is in order, the onboard…

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Austria is preparing to tighten its road safety regulations, with a new helmet requirement for young riders of E‑Bikes and E‑Scooters potentially coming into force as early as 1 May 2026. Although the measure has not yet been passed by Parliament, lawmakers are under pressure to finalize the 36th amendment to the Road Traffic Act (StVO). Under the current draft, children would be required to wear a helmet when cycling until the age of twelve, when riding E‑Bikes until fourteen, and when using E‑Scooters until sixteen. The proposal expands existing…

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Austria’s grip of persistent frost is loosening. After days of bitter cold, temperatures across the country are expected to rise noticeably in the coming week. According to forecasts from Geosphere Austria, the nation will see milder conditions with highs reaching up to eight degrees Celsius. However, a developing low-pressure system over Italy is poised to bring new precipitation by midweek — and with it, a renewed risk of icy conditions in some regions. A Milder Start to the Week Monday begins under thick cloud cover across much of the country.…

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After the laying on of hands by Cardinal Schönborn and 28 other bishops, Josef Grünwidl officially assumed leadership of the Archdiocese of Vienna at 3:38 p.m. In his homily, Schönborn wished his successor “a listening, wise, and understanding heart.” Grünwidl emphasized that the Church must make “the melody of the Gospel resound.” “For you I am a bishop; with you I am a Christian” With these words—echoing St. Augustine—and with gratitude to many, Grünwidl addressed the faithful for the first time as Archbishop of Vienna at the conclusion of the…

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Starting this Sunday, Kunsthalle Wien will introduce a new monthly “Free Admission Sunday,” opening its doors at no cost on the last Sunday of each month. The initiative is made possible through a new partnership with the Dorotheum, Central Europe’s leading auction house, and applies to both Kunsthalle locations: Museumsquartier and Karlsplatz. The program aims to broaden access to contemporary art and invite new audiences into the museum’s spaces. Kunsthalle Wien is known for presenting internationally acclaimed artists alongside emerging talents, with exhibitions that engage directly with pressing social issues.…

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