Category: Austrian News

Austrians are entering 2026 with noticeably subdued optimism. According to the 54th annual New Year survey conducted by IMAS and published on Sunday, confidence levels remain almost unchanged from the previous year. In November, 27 percent of respondents looked toward the new year with concern, 34 percent described themselves as skeptical, and roughly one third expressed a positive outlook. Lingering Crises Weigh on Public Mood The overall sentiment remains clouded by ongoing global and domestic challenges. Persistent inflation, rising prices, the war in Ukraine, and the conflict in the Middle…

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Raclette instead of quiet, resolutions instead of abstinence. In Vienna, the turn of the year is celebrated with enjoyment, tradition, and conviviality. According to a recent survey by KMU Forschung Austria on behalf of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, 66 percent of Viennese take part in the celebrations. Each of them spends an average of 80 euros on snacks, drinks, decorations, or fireworks. Full shopping bags and a noticeable boost in trade Around the turn of the year, many Viennese go shopping once again. Food, lucky charms, and sparkling wine…

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As Austria prepares to ring in the New Year, the usual festive cheer is increasingly accompanied by skepticism and concern about what lies ahead. Two surveys conducted around the turn of the year reveal a clear trend: while most people still prefer celebrating New Year’s Eve with family and friends, younger Austrians are noticeably more optimistic about 2026 than older generations. A Moment of Reflection Amid Festivities When New Year’s Eve arrives, fireworks light up the sky and champagne corks pop across the country. Yet for many, the transition into…

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Austria’s motorway vignette is entering a historic transition. The year 2026 will mark the final appearance of the classic adhesive vignette—this time in a striking fiery red—before the system moves entirely to digital tolling. Alongside the symbolic farewell, motorists will also face price adjustments across all vignette categories. Last Adhesive Vignette Before Full Digital Switch For drivers, 2026 brings several notable changes. Most importantly, it is the final year in which a physical sticker vignette will be available. The 2026 edition, released at the end of November 2025, can be…

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Every year, Christmas leaves behind more than warm memories — it also produces mountains of waste. Once the gifts are unwrapped and the festive chaos settles, households across Austria face the same question: Where does all the holiday trash go? A Seasonal Surge in Waste In the weeks leading up to Christmas, parcels pile up at front doors, shopping carts overflow, and refrigerators are stocked to the brim. Unsurprisingly, this seasonal consumption boom translates into peak workload for waste management services. According to industry data, up to 20 percent more…

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“What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” Few questions cause as much pressure as this one. A plan for the big night? Often nonexistent. But Vienna, as always, delivers. For the undecided and the spontaneous, the city offers a wealth of last‑minute options. Here’s an overview of how to ring in the new year in Austria’s capital. Vienna’s New Year’s Eve Trail If you enjoy being surrounded by people and moving through lively crowds, the famous Silvesterpfad is the place to be. From 2 p.m. until 2 a.m., visitors…

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Motorists can expect new taxes, rules, and obligations in the new year 2026—from the last adhesive vignette to higher fees and stricter driver’s license regulations. The vignette price will be adjusted for inflation: in 2026, the annual vignette will cost €106.80 for a car (three euros more than in 2025) and €42.70 for a motorcycle (plus €1.20). The shorter-term variants (2-month, 10-day, and daily vignettes) will also be adjusted accordingly. Adjustments to insurance tax and NoVA There will be an increase in the engine-related insurance tax for new registrations. For…

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Austria can expect calm and sunny weather for the next few days. According to Thursday’s forecast by Geosphere Austria, high pressure will increasingly spread across the country starting on St. Stephen’s Day. The northeast should also see a few hours of sunshine. Temperatures could reach double digits, most likely in the west of the country. Today, St. Stephen’s Day, high pressure will increasingly prevail. In the morning, residual high fog-like clouds will linger, especially in the southeast and south. Early morning fog is expected in the Danube region and the…

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Vienna, 24 December 2025 — For the first time in more than a decade, Vienna celebrated a true White Christmas as steady snowfall swept across Austria on Christmas Eve, blanketing the capital in a soft layer of winter white. Meteorologists had hinted at the possibility earlier this week, but few expected the rare event to materialize so perfectly — and so festively. Forecasts from Geosphere Austria and local weather services had already raised hopes, noting that cold air from the northeast and a Mediterranean low would collide over the country,…

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