Vienna International Guide - Austrian Lifestyle, Travel, Arts, Culture - Vindobona.org

Austrian Summer Tourism: Total Dependence on Germany

A recent study shows the great dependence of Austrian summer tourism on Germany, especially in the western federal provinces. The situation, which has been further intensified by the corona pandemic, will further increase this certainty.

May 25, 2020

Croatia to Open Its Borders for Austrians

As of 29 May Croatia will open its borders for Austrian, Slovak, Czech and Hungarian citizens, Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said in a statement. Additionally, the Croatian Ministry of Interior Affairs gave detailed information on requirements for entry in Croatia.

May 22, 2020

Ryanair's Laudamotion to Close Vienna Base

Laudamotion closes its base in Vienna on 29 May, 300 people lose their jobs. The trade union Vida did not agree to an ultimatum by the airline, which would have brought a new collective agreement with significantly lower wages.

May 22, 2020

Drastic Drop of over 99% in Passengers at Vienna International Airport

The worldwide travel restrictions and flight cancellations resulting from Covid-19 have had a major impact on the development of traffic and earnings AT Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien Group). In April, the Group recorded a decline of 99.6% in the number of passengers and 99.5% at Vienna International Airport. Revenues for Q1/2020 fell by -9.0% to € 161.4 million.

May 20, 2020

Coronavirus - Guidelines for Entering Sports Facilities and Fitness Centres in Austria

With immediate effect, many recreational facilities are subject to numerous relaxations, but entering and using sports facilities is not yet fully possible again. So what is allowed?

May 20, 2020

Austria Becomes Self-sufficient in the Supply of Mouth and Nose Masks

Hygiene Austria LP GmbH, founded only 4 weeks ago by a cooperation of Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG with the aim of producing and selling protective masks for the domestic and European market, was made known to a wider public today by the visit of Federal Chancellor Kurz and Minister of Labour Christine Aschbacher, and two weeks ago by the visit of Federal Minister Margarete Schramböck.

May 19, 2020

Austria Has New Secretary of State for Art and Culture

Andrea Mayer, former Head of the Arts and Culture Section and current Cabinet Director of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, was presented to the public at a press conference today as the successor to Ulrike Lunacek as Secretary of State for Arts and Culture.

May 19, 2020

COVID-19: Overview of the Current Measures of the City of Vienna

The coronavirus crisis has had Austria in its grip since mid-March. Now the measures are being gradually eased again. Current information on all measures and restrictions in Vienna. Restaurants, church services, outdoor animal parks, outdoor sports, etc. will be reopened from 15 May, hotels from 29 May.

May 14, 2020

Churches and Religious Communities after Corona: New Measures and First Public Services

After two months without public services, it will be possible to attend public services again. This is what all 16 churches and religious communities recognized in Austria have agreed upon together with Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs Susanne Raab.

May 14, 2020

Postcorona Future: American and Austrian Artists Engage in Virtual Dialogues

Austrian diplomatic institutions in the USA have joined forces under the auspices of the Austrian Cultural Forum Washington in order to give artists on both sides of the Atlantic, whose existence is threatened by the Corona crisis, the opportunity of a virtual vernissage "No-Place like the Future", because artists have to be connected with other people, with their artist colleagues and with the world as a whole in order to be themselves.

May 14, 2020

Corona Package of EUR 500 Mio to Relief the Catering Industry

The Austrian coalition government today introduced a bill in the National Council that specifies the tax relief for the catering and restaurant industry. The tax on sparkling wine will fall and the value added tax on non-alcoholic beverages will be reduced.

May 13, 2020

Austria and Germany Agree to Open Borders on 15 June

The gradual opening of the borders between Austria, Germany and Switzerland will begin as early as Friday. From May 15th onwards there will only be spot checks at the borders between Austria and Germany, both countries announced. From 15 June, the borders are to be opened completely. Opening to Italy is not an issue for the time being.

May 13, 2020

City of Vienna Gives Away 40 Million Euros for Gastronomy Consumption

This is how the second wave of the coronavirus will be boosted. After two months of corona lockdown, the gastronomy industry is opening up again this Friday, May 15. In order to boost the new start of coffee houses, pubs and restaurants, the City of Vienna is "giving" the 950,000 Viennese households gastronomy vouchers worth 25 or 50 euros (depending on the size of the household). Mayor Michael Ludwig (of the Social Democratic Party of Austria) declared on Wednesday "Yes, we can afford it!

May 13, 2020

United Nations: How to Qualify for the Space4Youth Competition?

The Space4Youth competition for young people worldwide to share their ideas on space policy and exploration strives to elevate the voice of youth and to show how young people can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

May 13, 2020

Hotel Sacher Vienna: New Director is a German Again

Reiner Heilmann, the long-standing director of the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, hands over the management of the hotel to 35-year-old hotel manager Andreas Keese.

May 12, 2020

Viennese Public Transit Network: Normal Service Again from 18 May

The Viennese Lines (Wiener Linien) increased their operations further on 11 May. Normal service with peaks of up to two minutes is planned again from 18 May.

May 11, 2020

Coronavirus: Vienna Airport Offers Tests to Avoid 14-Day Quarantine in Austria

Coronavirus PCR tests on site at Vienna Airport for € 190 (incl. VAT) - no quarantine necessary if results are negative.

May 11, 2020

Coronavirus in Austria: Live-Ticker (Our live coverage has now concluded)

This live ticker has been terminated. Our live coverage has now concluded.

May 1, 2020

Coronavirus in Europe: Update

European coronavirus infections have passed 1,000,000. The number of deaths has now reached 166,007. According to the WHO World Health Organisation, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is still in Europe, together with the US, where there are now more deaths than in the rest of the world. The number of infected and dead people is still doubling every four days in most European countries. Most of the 32 European countries presented in this study are under a state of emergency with curfews and border controls. There is also a lack of doctors, lung respiratory equipment and hospital beds. Following the situation update for the European Union, EEA, United Kingdom and Switzerland, as of April 21, 2020.

April 21, 2020

Coronavirus Tracing Apps: What is the EC's Position on this?

The European Commission has published a guidance on the development of new apps that support the fight against coronavirus in relation to data protection and intends to ensure full data protection standards of apps fighting the pandemic.

April 20, 2020

Contact Tracing: How Does Infection Chain Tracing Work in Austria?

The debate about the advantages and disadvantages of how COVID-19 risk patients can be quickly located and suspected cases isolated has erupted. The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior now gave an interesting insight into how "contact tracing" has worked in several hundred cases in Upper Austria and Styria.

April 20, 2020

COVID-19: A New Insight into the Number of Unrecorded Cases

Based on new data, the previous spread of the COVID 19 epidemic in Austria was reassessed. This allows new deeper insights into the time development of the number of unreported cases. "We must proceed cautiously in this, because we would not immediately recognize a second wave of infection from the officially confirmed figures, but only after a delay" says Niki Popper, head of the research team.

April 20, 2020

Vienna International Airport: 98 Percent Fewer Passengers

Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien AG) is currently registering a decline of 98% in the number of passengers and the workforce is on short-time working. The airport is therefore cancelling the dividend for 2019 and launching a savings programme of over € 220m.

April 17, 2020

Easier Access to Austria for Commuters from Abroad

"Ongoing consultations with Austria's neighbouring countries are making life easier for commuters from abroad", says European Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler.

April 14, 2020

Review of the Austrian Repatriation and Emergency Flights Programme

A total of more than 7,500 persons were brought back safely to Austria in 39 flights organised by the Foreign Ministry.

April 13, 2020

Self-Sufficiency in COVID-19 Mask Production

A first step towards Austrian self-sufficiency in mask production for medical protective equipment was taken. In future, it should be possible to produce up to 500,000 corona protective masks of the "Made in Austria" brand every day.

April 8, 2020

In an Age of Global Disasters: What is the Task of the Incident and Emergency Centre?

The coronavirus pandemic has probably made it clear to everyone that people and countries should protect themselves better against unforeseeable or potentially fatal dangers, be they virus pandemics or nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies, regardless of whether they arise from accident, negligence or deliberate act. The Incident and Emergency Centre in Vienna as part of the IAEA is the global focal point for international emergency preparedness, communication and response to precisely such incidents and emergencies.

April 8, 2020

The Corona Crisis has the City in a Stranglehold, but Meanwhile You Can Experience Vienna Through Virtual Tours

Even though their doors are closed, Vienna's countless attractions are still worth a virtual visit. The portal wien.info, a project of the Vienna Tourist Board (WienTourismus) has compiled an up-to-date link collection of virtual guided tours and exhibitions in Vienna's most beautiful and important institutions. Worth to be viewed.

April 7, 2020

IAEA: Rapid Detection of Coronavirus through Nuclear-Derived Technique

The Vienna based IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency is dispatching a first batch of equipment to more than 40 countries to enable them to use a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

April 6, 2020

Tyrol Lifts Coronavirus-Quarantine

Tyrol is still under massive criticism and threat of a class action lawsuit from Germany and some Scandinavian countries because the authorities in the Tyrolean ski resort of Ischgl took quarantine measures very late, although warnings from these countries had already been issued. Today Tyrol's Governor Günther Platter announced during a video press conference that Tyrol would end its self-isolation.

April 6, 2020

Austria to Ease Anti-Corona Measures from Mid-April

The drastic Austrian measures in the fight against the coronavirus are to be gradually eased after Easter.

April 6, 2020

Further Coronavirus Measure: Police Officers in Austria Only in Protective Masks

From now on, police officers in Austria will only perform official acts with protective masks.

April 2, 2020

Explosive Corona Papers: Tens of Thousands of Additional Deaths in Austria

An internal study prepared for the government by a commission of experts on the COVID19 crisis shows a gloomy forecast for Austria. The paper states that under the realistic assumption of a replication factor of 1.7 (i.e. 1 person infects 1.7 people), the Austrian health system will collapse. If it is not possible to push the replication factor below the value of 1, tens of thousands of additional deaths and a collapse of the health care system can be expected in Austria by mid-April.

April 1, 2020

Vienna International Centre: Meanwhile Nine COVID-19 Cases Among VIC Personnel

The VIC Medical Service reports, that there are three more confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving VIC personnel. Still, all employees of the organizations located at the VIC are to work from their home offices. Update: As of March, 31, the cumulative total of COVID-19 among VIC personnel is 10 cases. Update: As of Tuesday, March 31, the cumulative total of COVID-19 among VIC personnel is 10 cases.

March 30, 2020 · Updated: March 31, 2020; 22:30

The US Perspective on the Coronavirus Situation in Austria

With 160.00 COVID-19 infected, the United States already took over the sad lead of the list of countries with the most infected. With almost 3,000 deaths, the USA is still in fifth place. But what is the official standpoint of the USA or the State Department towards Austria and what stay-related actions are recommended to US citizens in Austria?

March 30, 2020

German Embassy Vienna: Unusual Repatriation of 300 Germans from Tyrolean Ski Resorts

In an unusual repatriation operation, the German Embassy in Vienna has enabled more than 300 Germans to return home from Austrian quarantine areas.

March 30, 2020

State Authority: Austria Under Police Control?

The Federal Ministry of the Interior is stepping up its police presence to ensure that the government's guidelines are enforced. So far, 10,426 coronavirus criminal charges have been filed throughout Austria. Is this approach too strict?

March 30, 2020

Austrian Government Extends Measures: Masks Partially Obligatory

At a press conference today, the government presented further measures to contain the coronavirus.

March 30, 2020

UN Secretary General: "COVID-19 Threatens All Humanity"

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres launches a worldwide UN emergency appeal for help to combat the pathogen of the lung disease Covid-19 in the poorest countries of the world. The war chest is to be filled with two billion US-dollars by the end of the year.

March 26, 2020

Already Six Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the VIC Community

While 4750 of the approximately 5000 international diplomats, scientists and support staff working at the VIC (UN in Vienna/UNODC, IAEA, UNIDO and CTBTO PrepCom) still have to work from home, it has been revealed that a total of six employees have now been infected with coronavirus.

March 26, 2020

Climate Change - Austrian World Summit Postponed

Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious climate project in Vienna falls victim to the coronavirus and has to be postponed until autumn.

March 24, 2020

Austrian Government to Boost Coronavirus Testing Capacity

The government announced on Tuesday that it would greatly increase the capacity for coronavirus testing, apparently after the WHO had asked European countries to do so the day before.

March 24, 2020

Vienna Rainbow Parade and Vienna Pride 2020 Cancelled

The most important event of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement in Austria, the Viennese version of the Rainbow Parade, a political demonstration and a colourful parade, which is held annually on the Ringstrasse and promotes equal rights for gays and lesbians, had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

March 24, 2020

Austrians Should Come Home - 3,500 So Far Repatriated in Emergency Flights

According to the magazine "Kurier" and the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), about 3,500 Austrians who were stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic have meanwhile been flown back to Vienna in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and three airlines.

March 22, 2020

Isolated Austria: 238 Border Closures Approved

Almost complete border closures to almost all neighbours, Germany (58), Italy (47), Switzerland (30), Liechtenstein (11), Slovenia (51) and Hungary (43), with the exception of Slovakia, have been approved by the main committee of the National Council and have already been implemented.

March 21, 2020

Vienna International Centre: Second COVID-19 Case - Staff Stay at Home Until April 13

In the meantime, there is a second confirmed case of coronavirus infection at the Vienna International Centre (VIC). In addition, the safety measures taken are being extended. All employees of the organizations located at the VIC are to work from their home offices until Monday April 13, 2020.

March 21, 2020

Austria's Federal State Tyrol Under Total Quarantine

The province of Tyrol with 1.8 million inhabitants has issued a quarantine regulation for all 279 Tyrolean communities. Governor Platter: "That Tyrol isolates itself is absolutely necessary."

March 19, 2020

Again Border Controls between Germany and Austria

In the wake of the supposed corona danger coming from Germany, Austria has been further sealing itself off from its neighbours since today. According to Minister of the Interior Nehammer, this measure represents "one of many important ones to stop the spread of the corona virus". Medical certificate needed.

March 19, 2020

COVID-19 Measures in Vienna: Impact on Public Life

Nothing's the way it was. In order to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the freedom of movement in public spaces has been massively restricted. There are new rules for social contacts, sports fields, events, gastronomy, food supply, municipal supply, public transport, driving cars and dog owners. What remains allowed? What am I still allowed to do, what is no longer allowed?

March 18, 2020

COVID-19 Fear: 750 Austrians Brought back Home by Plane

According to the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), about 750 Austrians who were stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic have been flown back to Vienna in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and two airlines. It is not clear who will bear the costs.

March 18, 2020