District chiefs have turned their guns on the Viennese government over its plans to turn all residential areas into 30-kilometre-per-hour (kph) limit zones. The coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Green Party of Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou agreed after partnering up last year to increase the number of 30 kph limit streets in the […]
Chinese tourists have spent 41 per cent more in Austrian shops so far this year than in 2010, according to research. Travel and shopping information firm Global Blue Austria said yesterday (Weds) holidaymakers from China invested 28 million Euros in stores of the alpine country. Especially expensive watches and jewellery were in great demand, according […]
A traffic researcher has been named Vienna’s new ambassador for cycling. The city government of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Green Party decided to create the position to increase the share of cycling in the capital from the current five to six per cent to 10 per cent by 2015. The coalition announced yesterday (Tues) […]
Words and Pictures by Glen Sweeney We had been promising ourselves a trip to Bratislava on the Twin City Liner since its inauguration but somehow never got around to it. So, this summer with gritted determination we set out to commit to a date and even went so far as to book our tickets and […]
Vienna’s Greens are delving further into controversy with a new no-traffic concept. Viennese newspapers report today (Weds) that Green Party Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou wanted to ban car traffic from some of the city’s busiest roads next summer. The left-winger allegedly wants a different street at the free disposal for cyclists, pedestrians and inline skaters. […]
Peek & Cloppenburg (P&C) will narrow the gap to market leader Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) when it opens a new store in the heart of Vienna, a market analysis company has explained. RegioPlan said today (Tues) P&C’s share in the domestic fashion sector will improve thanks to the German company’s new 11,800-square-metre store in the […]
The new heads of Viennese public transport provider Wiener Linien have remained tight-lipped about a possible reform of prices. Newspapers have been speculating for months that some tickets will become dearer in a few months’ time to allow the city government coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and Greens to implement cheaper annual passes which currently […]
The Austrian tourism industry is heading for a new record after fears were raised it could suffer significantly due to last month’s chilly weather. Many experts warned that a decline in overnight stays may be a result of the many rainy days and unusually cold temperatures vast parts of the country experienced for the most […]
An Upper Austrian real estate manager has been appointed as head of Vienna’s Museumsquartier (MQ). Federal Social Democratic (SPÖ) Culture Minister Claudia Schmied and Viennese SPÖ Culture Councillor Andreas Mailath-Pokorny announced yesterday (Weds) Christian Strasser would head the MQ for five years from 1 October. His contract can be extended without public submission, they explained. […]
Services provided by the city of Vienna to its residents will become more expensive in less than half a year, it emerged yesterday (Weds). The capital’s government coalition of Mayor Michael Häupl’s Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Viennese Green Party said services like waste disposal and tap water supply will cost around six per cent […]