Austria's News in English

Read the latest headlines about other developments in Vienna and Austria

Digital Days 2020 on the "Digital Capital of the People"

The Digital Days 2020 organized by the City of Vienna will be held as an online conference with the main theme being "Digital Capital of the People". It will take place from September 30 to October 1 and registration is free of charge.

September 14, 2020

Rudolfinerhaus Private Hospital: The Most Advanced Treatment by Tradition

Rudolfinerhaus is Vienna’s most renowned private hospital and has treated Austrian and international patients for almost 140 years. The tradition of the Vienna School of Medicine, its highly qualified specialists, up-to-date medical facilities and its own academically trained nursing staff make the Rudolfinerhaus Austria's first and most trusted private hospital.

September 12, 2019 · Updated: September 12, 2020; 00:00 · Sponsored Content

Panel Discussion: The Legacy of Solidarność and Current Challenges in Europe

A panel discussion about "The legacy of of Solidarność and the current challenges facing Europe during Poland's chairmanship of the Visegrád Group" was held in Vienna. Diplomats, politicians, and journalists shared experiences.

September 10, 2020

Slovak-3 Summit with Matovič, Babiš, and Kurz

The Slovak-3 Summit with the highest officials from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria took place in Vienna. The topics comprised cooperation in the fight against the pandemic and the overall relations between the three neighboring countries.

September 10, 2020

Arnold Schwarzenegger and the "Climate Kirtag"

After the Austrian World Summit and the Climate Kirtag had to be postponed in spring due to the Corona pandemic, they are now entering the second round. No tickets are available this year. You need to register online to join the events virtually for free.

September 8, 2020

UN Office for Outer Space Affairs: The Space4Youth Competition Winners Are...

Around 400 young people from 70 countries participated in the second Space4Youth Competition, whose winners have now been announced by UNOOSA and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).

September 8, 2020

Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert with Ticket Raffle

The Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert at 6 PM on September 18, 2020 will only satisfy 1,250 guests due to strict Covid-19 regulations. Nevertheless, a ticket raffle will allow lucky members of the public to experience the concert.

September 8, 2020

Nehammer: Do Everything To Protect Jewish Life

Minister of the Interior Nehammer visited the synagogue on David-Herzog-Platz in Graz together and highlighted the importance of the protection and promotion of Jewish life in Austria.

September 4, 2020

International Relations Degree Program at Danube University Krems

The university program "International Relations" of Danube University Krems - Donau-Universität Krems meets the demand for experts in the field of international relations and offers a practice-oriented education for all those who wish to work in an international environment.

September 4, 2020 · Sponsored Content

International Elementary School in Vienna-Grinzing Has Opened Its Gates

The new private international elementary school "Meridian International School" in Vienna's noble 19th district, with a special focus on languages, promises to give students a head start in life and prepare them for the multilingual environment of the future.

September 3, 2020

Hungary Recognizes Sobotka for Development of Bilateral Relations

The Hungarian government has awarded Austria's President of the National Council Sobotka the Commander's Cross for his efforts to further bilateral relations between the two countries and to promote the perception of Hungary's position in the EU.

September 3, 2020

Vienna International School: Lisa Biasillo Appointed as New Director

At the beginning of the new school year a change of leadership took place at VIS - Vienna International School. After 10 years at the top, Mrs. Lisa Biasillo has taken over from Mr. Peter Murphy as the new director.

September 3, 2020

Secretary of State Mayer: Salzburg Festival Has Been Successful Despite the Challenges

This year's Salzburg Festival will serve as a role model for other cultural events in the future. The organizers have successfully coped with the challenging situation Covid-19 brought upon the world and implemented a festival that was highly praised by Austrian politicians.

August 31, 2020

Concert House Plans 110 Concerts until November

Very good news for the fans of classical music. The Vienna Concert House is planning to give 110 indoor concerts until the end of October. Due to the Coronavirus they are played with new strategies and strict regulations to keep everyone safe.

August 28, 2020

The Collection Hahnloser Can Now Be Visited in the Albertina

Until November 15 it is now possible to see the masterpieces from "Van Gogh, Cézanne, Matisse. Die Sammlung Hahnloser" in the Albertina. The exhibition can be visited daily and on Wednesday as well as on Friday even until 9pm.

August 27, 2020

Van der Bellen Promoted a Common, Greener European Future at the 75th European Forum Alpbach

Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen opened the 75th European Forum Alpbach with his speech that focused on international cooperation and an environmentally friendly and sustainable future.

August 26, 2020

Kurz is Giving a Speech with 3 Major Topics

On Friday, Chancellor Kurz is giving a speech concerning the current situation in Austria and the planned political content of the following months. The three major topics are economy and labour, digitization and education as well as social cohesion and civil society involvement.

August 26, 2020

President Van der Bellen at the Salzburg Festival: "Artists Need All Our Support"

Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen invited his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier accompanied by Elke Büdenbender to a festival and working visit in Salzburg. Both presidents agreed on the fact that artists are in a very difficult situation at the moment and need to be supported.

August 24, 2020

The Unsecure Future of the Vienna Philharmonic

Daniel Froschauer, a member of the board of directors of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and classical violinist tells in a talk with APA how the orchestra dealt with the Coronavirus crisis. Strict restrictions were introduced however many concerts had to be and still will be cancelled.

August 24, 2020

Austria Fears for Winter Tourism

The upcoming winter will be an immense challenge for the Austrian tourism industry. Tourism operators are requesting general and unified regulations implemented by the government to secure planning and tourists. A major focus will be laid on Après-Ski.

August 21, 2020

Austrian Universities Should Use Traffic Light System as Orientation

Minister Faßmann presented a COVID-19 orientated traffic light system for universities to provide them with recommendations on how to react on rising Coronavirus cases. It is comparable to the system which will be implemented in schools.

August 20, 2020

Austrian Officials Open 13th IPU Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament

The 13th IPU Summit is held virtually and will cover important topics dealing with countless inequalities women face today. The organization of the event is a common effort between the Austrian Parliament and the United Nations.

August 18, 2020

"Vienna City Card" for Vienna Lovers

The new feature of the "Vienna City Card" provides locals, expats and tourists with exclusive activity offers and discounts in certain restaurants. It is issued by "Wien Tourismus" and provides the opportunity to get to know the capital city better.

August 17, 2020

Austria Introduces Traffic Light System as Schools are Reopening

Minister Faßmann presented the new concept for schools as they will reopen soon. The "traffic light system" will be introduced to provide a guide for schools on how to react on rising COVID-19 cases. The range goes from green with classroom teaching to red with distance learning.

August 17, 2020

Austria Lifts Landing Bans for Airplanes from All 18 Countries that were Previously Banned

The previous landing bans for aircraft from 18 countries expired on 1 August 2020. From now on, new entry regulations will apply, requiring a mandatory Covid 19 test. There are exceptions for diplomats and some other groups.

August 1, 2020

The 2020 Vienna Election: 230,000 Non-Austrian EU Citizens Are Eligible to Vote

A total of 1,362,795 persons are entitled to vote in the Vienna municipal and district elections on October 11, 2020. This figure includes 229,784 non-Austrian EU citizens who are eligible to vote and may participate in the district representative elections.

July 27, 2020

Austria Reintroduces Comprehensive Masks Obligation

In Austria, the obligation to wear masks to contain coronavirus is again in force in a comprehensive form. Since Friday, nose-mouth protection must again be worn throughout the food trade, in post offices and bank branches, in bakeries, in shops in petrol stations, as well as on public transport, in pharmacies and when visiting health care facilities. The Islamic Religious Community has also tightened rules for mosques.

July 24, 2020

Coronavirus in Austria: Update

The coronavirus pandemic has also hit Austria, and deaths and infections caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are still on the rise. New officially confirmed cases of disease are constantly being added. Despite this outbreak in Austria, the situation looks much worse elsewhere. In contrast, however, there are more than 610,797 deaths worldwide due to the Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The Austrian health authorities are networked with the relevant bodies within the framework of WHO and EU membership and are in permanent coordination. The international authorities monitor current developments and address the member countries with the following recommendations.

July 20, 2020

Coronavirus Worldwide Update

Worldwide deaths has exceed 610,000, according to data collected by the ECDC Centre in Sweden. More than 14.7 million people have been infected, while some 8.6 million have recovered. According to the WHO World Health Organisation, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is still the USA, where there are already more than 140,000 deaths. The number of infected and dead continues to rise sharply in most countries. Following is the situation update as of July 22, 2020.

July 20, 2020

Coronavirus in Vienna: Update - July 20, 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has also hit the metropolis of Vienna hard and the number of infected cases and unfortunately also deaths is constantly increasing. It must also be assumed that an unknown number of people who do not suspect this has already been infected. Medical science does not yet know the virus exactly. What is known so far is that in 80 percent of the cases the infection is mild. The mortality rate is currently three per cent, compared with just under one per cent for influenza. What is the Vienna Pandemic Plan? What is the situation in Vienna and what can be done individually? Questions and answers on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) below.

July 20, 2020

Coronavirus in Lower Austria: Update

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has also hit Austria's largest federal state in terms of area, Lower Austria, hard and the number of infected cases is constantly increasing. Below we look at the official data of the Office of the Provincial Government of Lower Austria, and analyze the structure of deaths and infections both provincially (Bundesland) and by district (Bezirk). Questions and answers on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) below.

July 20, 2020

Austria's Foreign Minister: Hagia Sophia To Be Turned Into a Mosque Is the Latest Link in a Chain of Provocations

Turkey is moving further and further away from European values and is simply not a reliable partner for Europe. The EU must conduct a policy towards Turkey with a strong edge and clear language, based on a solid foundation of values. The EU should also make a clear cut when it comes to accession negotiations.

July 13, 2020

New Dean of International Anti-Corruption Academy Accredited at United Nations Office at Vienna

Thomas Stelzer, an Austrian diplomat who serves as the Dean, Executive Secretary and Permanent Representative of the Laxenburg based IACA - International Anti-Corruption Academy presented credentials to the Director-General of UNOV - United Nations Office at Vienna.

July 12, 2020

Stricter Border Controls and Travel Warning for Western Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova

Due to the high infection rates in these countries, Austria declares the highest security level. Anyone who travels to Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova or, for example, to the countries of the Western Balkans, despite an upright travel warning, must undergo a 14-day home quarantine or a negative covid test upon returning to Austria. This is not a recommendation, but a legal regulation. Fines of up to 1,450 euros will be imposed.

July 8, 2020

New Luxury Hotel To Come To Vienna: The Mandarin Oriental Vienna

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, a Southeast Asian hotel chain that operates luxury 5-star hotels, is establishing a hotel in Vienna and invests 100 million euros.

July 8, 2020

Ground-breaking Ceremony for the Shoah Wall of Names Memorial in Ostarrichi Park in Vienna

The responsibility for the historical responsibility with regard to the darkest chapters of Austrian history now finds a visible sign of remembrance of the victims of National Socialism in the Memorial to the Jews from Austria murdered in the Shoah.

July 8, 2020

Harald Mahrer Remains Austrian Federal Economic Chamber President for Another Five Years

Harald Mahrer was re-elected President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) at the Economic Parliament and was immediately praised by Margarete Schramböck, Federal Minister for Digitalisation and Business Location.

June 26, 2020

Croatia Welcomes Announcement of the Opening of the Austrian Border

After heavy criticism from Croatia, and after Austria was accused of sabotaging the tourist season in Croatia, the Croats now welcome the imminent opening of the border.

June 9, 2020

Opening of Borders between Austria and Italy from 16 June

As of next Tuesday, complete freedom of movement will once again apply at the Austrian-Italian border. The decision will be officially announced on Wednesday.

June 9, 2020

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

On this website you can find information and guidance in English from Vindobona.org regarding the current outbreak of the coronavirus pandemie (COVID-19) in Austria. Vindobona.org is being informed by local Austrian and global health authorities to rapidly disseminate information and knowledge on this new virus, and to provide advice to travellers and expats on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak. Please visit this page for daily updates.

April 17, 2020 · Updated: June 9, 2020; 17:35

Deal: Bail-out for Austrian Airlines

According to media reports, AUA Austrian Airlines is to receive a total of EUR 600 million and thus retain its Austrian headquarters.

June 8, 2020

Austria: No more Border Controls with Neighbouring Countries except Italy

Restrictions on freedom of travel due to the Corona pandemic will be discontinued. The only country for which restrictions remain in place for the time being is Italy. A further evaluation is planned next week.

June 3, 2020

Museums of the City of Vienna Open Again

After eleven weeks of closure, the museums of the City of Vienna have reopened their doors. These include the Kunsthalle Wien, Wien Museum MUSA and Hermesvilla as well as the Architekturzentrum Wien, Kunst Haus Wien, Jewish Museum, Haus der Musik and Mozarthaus Vienna. Only from July onwards will the Beethoven Museum, the Roman Museum, the Virgil Chapel and the Neidhart Festival Hall be open again.

June 1, 2020

Life in Vienna Has Awakened again - The Giant Ferris Wheel Is Turning again

The Giant Ferris Wheel - a symbol for Vienna and tourism - has been turning without interruption since the end of the Second World War and had to be switched off for the first time in over 70 years due to the Corona pandemy. After 80 days, the wheel turns again.

May 31, 2020

New Chief Financial Officer at Allianz Group Austria

German-born Anne Thiel (49) is to take over as CFO of Allianz Group Austria on September 1, 2020. She succeeds Eva Meyer-Schipflinger, who will take over a global management position at Allianz SE in Munich.

May 30, 2020

Corona Measures: Further Relaxation in Austria - Mandatory Masks Largely Removed from 15 June

From 15 June, the current obligation to protect the mouth and nose will be abolished. What is now permitted and what is not?

May 29, 2020

A New Start for Tourism in Austria: Opening of Accommodation Facilities with up to 65,000 Corona Tests per Week

Austria now wants to present itself as a particularly safe travel destination and is therefore planning up to 65,000 corona tests per week for tourism businesses from the beginning of July. The aim is to give foreign guests a feeling of security. The Austrian National Tourist Office is also preparing intensive advertising campaigns and will have a budget of 40 million euros for this purpose.

May 26, 2020

Investing: Why Your Company Should Establish a Branch in Austria

Every crisis also opens up opportunities e.g. to revise your current strategy and to develop a new one - and time to consider new markets to expand to. Austria stands out in Europe as a highly developed business location and has weathered the crisis well so far.

May 22, 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