Category: Austrian News

VIENNA – Ticket prices on Vienna’s public transport network are set to rise again at the beginning of 2027, with operator Wiener Linien preparing another fare adjustment linked to inflation. The extent of the increase has not yet been determined, with details expected to be announced later this autumn. The annual adjustment is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which increased by 3.2 percent between August 2025 and August 2026, according to Statistics Austria. While the inflation figure provides the framework for the revision, Wiener Linien has not yet…

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VIENNA, Oct. 1, 2026 — Austria experienced an exceptionally warm September that brought an end to a remarkably long-lasting period of midsummer-like weather, according to the preliminary monthly climate report released by Geosphere Austria. Temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius well into September, extending a season of unusual warmth. The highest temperature of the month was recorded on Sept. 8 at the Geosphere Austria monitoring station in Pottschach, Lower Austria, where the thermometer reached 34.7 degrees Celsius. The last day with temperatures above 30 degrees was Sept. 9. The prolonged heat…

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VIENNA — A wide range of new laws and regulations will take effect in Austria from October 1, affecting transport, online commerce, consumer rights, healthcare, education, energy and environmental sustainability. Among the most significant changes are stricter rules for electric mopeds, a new levy on certain parcel deliveries, expanded parental healthcare services, stronger protections for online consumers and measures designed to encourage product repairs instead of replacement. Stricter Rules for E-Mopeds Electric moped riders will face substantially tighter regulations from October. E-mopeds will no longer be permitted to use cycling…

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VIENNA, Sept. 29 – Vienna authorities and police will step up enforcement of new regulations for electric mopeds starting Thursday, as Austria introduces stricter requirements for the use of the increasingly popular vehicles. The City of Vienna announced that, from Oct. 1, police and the municipal Immediate Measures Group will conduct targeted inspections to ensure compliance with the new rules governing moped-style electric vehicles. Under the revised regulations, e-mopeds will no longer be allowed to use bicycle lanes. Operators must also ensure their vehicles have road registration, a license plate…

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VIENNA, Austria – Around 8,300 civil protection sirens will sound simultaneously across Austria on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as part of the country’s annual nationwide civil protection alarm test. The exercise will take place between 12:00 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. and is designed to test the operational readiness of Austria’s warning and alarm system while also familiarizing the public with the different emergency signals. Following an initial siren test, authorities will activate the three official warning signals: “Warning,” “Alarm,” and “All Clear.” Information about the exercise will be broadcast through…

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VIENNA, Sept. 27, 2026 — Austria will introduce a series of regulatory and consumer-related changes from October, including a new package tax for large online retailers, stricter rules for certain electric mopeds, simplified online contract cancellations and a temporary fuel price relief measure. One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a new package tax from Oct. 1, 2026. The levy amounts to €2 per package and applies to parcel deliveries linked to distance-selling transactions with private consumers. The tax is primarily aimed at large mail-order businesses, with…

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VIENNA – Austria has introduced a sweeping update to its driving licence regulations, bringing shorter waiting periods for repeat tests, harsher penalties for exam cheating and new rules for licence holders, professional drivers and foreign motorists. The changes took effect on September 1, 2026, under the country’s 23rd amendment to the Driving Licence Act. The reform affects a wide range of areas, from examination procedures and replacement documents to international driving permits and licence conversions. One of the most notable changes benefits learner drivers who fail a theory or practical…

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Vienna says goodbye to summer as the calendar autumn officially arrives — but the weather isn’t quite ready to play along. Vienna is preparing to bid farewell to summer, as the calendar autumn officially begins in Austria overnight. According to the astronomical calendar, autumn starts on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at exactly 2:05 AM. At that moment, the sun reaches the autumn equinox point, when day and night are roughly equal in length. With that, the warm season comes to an end in the early hours of the morning from…

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The next seasonal clock change is approaching, with daylight saving time set to end on October 25, 2026. On that date, clocks across much of Europe will be turned back by one hour, marking the return to winter time. People looking to remember the date can follow the usual rule of thumb: the clock change takes place on the last Sunday of October. In 2026, that falls on October 25. In the early hours of Sunday morning, clocks will be moved back from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. The change…

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