Vienna International Transport Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international transport industry in Vienna and Austria

Relocation to Austria: How to Import Tax and Duty Free a Vehicle for Personal Use

It may be convenient to take your car with you when you relocate to Austria. The same applies to cars that may cost less abroad than in Austria. However, there are additional costs in addition to the purchase price (Eigenimport). The NoVA (Normverbrauchsabgabe) is due at the first registration in Austria for new and used cars. The NoVA varies according to age and model. However, you can avoid this under certain conditions.

August 7, 2019

Driving a Car in Austria: What Users of a Vehicle with a Foreign Number Plate Need to Know

Persons whose main residence is in Austria and who drive a vehicle with a foreign registration plate must obtain an Austrian registration plate after one month at the latest. If the license plate is used for a longer period of time, administrative and financial criminal proceedings will be initiated.

August 2, 2019

Uber Austria: Suspension in Vienna Over

The ride-sharing service Uber has terminated its suspension in Vienna imposed by the Commercial Court of Vienna and is continuing to operate. As requested, Uber now has a local subsidiary in Austria. With the forthcoming change to uniform rates for taxis and rental cars, the next challenge is already ahead.

July 31, 2019

Uber Suspends all Services in Austria Temporarily

Uber Technologies, the driving service provider, is temporarily discontinuing all services in Austria. The reason for this is a temporary order issued by the Commercial Court of Vienna. Accordingly, Uber Technologies requires a subsidiary and a trade licence in order to offer its services.

July 25, 2019

Uber Ridesharing Threatens to Retreat from Austria

The US transportation network company Uber wants to mobilise against the taxi and rental car reform in Austria with a petition. The new law would be a setback for Austria in several respects. If the new law is passed on 3 July, we will no longer be able to offer services such as UberX, according to a statement by Uber.

June 27, 2019

Asia's Largest Airline to Fly to Vienna

From 18 June 2019, China's largest airline, China Southern Airlines, will fly three times a week from Guangzhou to Vienna via the capital Ürümqi (Wūlǔmùqí) in Xinjiang, China's most northwestern province. Xinjiang has made international headlines in the last two years due to massive human rights violations. China may have interned more than a million Uighurs, Turkic-speaking Muslims, in an attempt to suppress their desire for greater autonomy.

May 2, 2019

Traffic Development at Vienna Airport on the Upswing

The passenger volume rose by 10.8%, the number of aircraft movements rose significantly and 74 airlines regularly flew to Vienna. New additions included the long-haul destinations Tokyo, Cape Town and Shenzhen, according to the annual financial statements and management report 2018 of Vienna Airport (Flughafen Wien AG).

April 11, 2019

Danube Tower - Viennese Landmark Celebrates New Beginning

After the modernisation, revitalisation and expansion of the Danube Tower (Wiener Donauturm) by the Blaguss Group for more than ten million euros and the creation of 30 new jobs and a new e-shuttle, the tower was reopened. The restaurant, located at a height of 170 metres, offers a fantastic view over Vienna and turns every dinner and celebration into a unique experience.

March 27, 2019

Hub to the Far East - ÖBB Rail Cargo and Port of Trieste Strengthen Cooperation

At a critical time when the question of Italian economic independence from China is being discussed throughout Europe, ÖBB's Rail Cargo Group is intensifying its cooperation with the port of Trieste in order, among other things, to be able to use the transport connection of the Adriatic port to the Far East.

March 22, 2019

Austrian Airlines Responds to Low-Cost Carriers with Low Fares

Austrian Airlines takes up a stance against low-cost competition at Vienna Airport. On the one hand, flights to Germany, such as Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Berlin, will be increased from April onwards. Paris and Copenhagen are to follow in May. On the other hand, prices are to be reduced.

March 22, 2019

Ryanair's Austrian Subsidiary Laudamotion Renamed to Lauda

The Austrian Ryanair subsidiary, the low-cost airline Laudamotion, has separated from the name "Motion" for marketing reasons and is now called only "Lauda". In addition, the fleet will be expanded and more destinations will be served.

March 22, 2019

Vienna International Airport Permitted to Build Third Runway

The Austrian Administrative Court has rejected objections from citizens' initiatives and residents and confirmed the authorization for the construction of the third runway at Vienna Schwechat Airport (Flughafen Wien Schwechat).

March 21, 2019

Bolivia - Doppelmayr Completes the World's Largest Urban Cable Car Network

The world's largest ropeway network with a length of 33 kilometers in the Bolivian capital La Paz has recently been completed by a tenth and final line from Doppelmayr/Garavanta.

March 13, 2019

Vienna in Airport Ranking only in Midfield

According to a comparative study entitled "Airport Worldwide Rankings 2018" with 141 airports surveyed worldwide, Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien Schwechat) occupies only 49th place.

March 5, 2019

Burger King Austria Acquires Rosenberger Motorway Restaurants

The Austrian franchisee TQSR of the US fast food chain Burger King has purchased 100% of the shares in Rosenberger Restaurant GmbH, which is currently undergoing restructuring, and is financing the 20% quota offered to creditors in the restructuring plan. The transaction value for the 14 Rosenberger Restaurant locations, including the net financial liabilities assumed, amounts to approximately EUR 9 million.

February 27, 2019

Business Mission and "Future Trip" to Tel Aviv as Part of the State Visit of Van der Bellen

On the occasion of the official state visit of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WKO) is organising an economic mission entitled "Infrastructure" as well as the "Open Innovation for Corporates" future trip to Tel Aviv.

February 4, 2019

Austrian-Israeli Economic Relations - 20% Increase in Exports

On the occasion of the official state visit of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and the accompanying business delegation of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the issue of the actual state of economic relations has arisen. The Austrian-Israeli foreign trade volume amounted to 568 million euros in 2017, with a trade balance surplus for Austria of 229 million euros. The Chamber of Commerce reports that Austrian exports to Israel increased by 20.3% in 2017. The trend seems to have continued in 2018. More than 600,000 overnight stays by Israeli tourists make Israel one of the top nations in Austrian tourism statistics.

February 4, 2019

Irish Ryanair Acquires Austrian Laudamotion Completely

The Austrian Niki-Airline successor Laudamotion has now been taken over 100% by Ryanair. Ryanair last held three quarters of the shares of Laudamotion. No information was given about the price for the remaining 25 percent.

January 29, 2019

New Twin City Liner to Connect the Danube Metropolises of Vienna and Bratislava

A new, larger and more modern fast catamaran will be operating between Vienna and Bratislava with the start of the season on 29 March 2019.

January 19, 2019

High-Level Forum Africa-Europe - EIB Signs 3 Africa Projects Totalling Half a Billion Euros

At the Africa‑Europe High‑Level Forum in Vienna the European Investment Bank formally agreed a total of EUR 495 million of new financing for three projects in ten countries to support sustainable transport, clean energy and internet access projects in North, West and East Africa.

December 19, 2018

Bratislava - Vienna Railway Line Extended

The two EU capitals Vienna and Bratislava are approaching each other. After a construction period of about two years, representatives of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the EU, the City of Vienna and the Province of Lower Austria opened the first part, the so-called "Vienna section" of the Vienna - Bratislava line extension. The completion of the second part, the so-called "Lower Austrian Section", will last until 2023. The journey time from the main railway station in Vienna (Hauptbahnhof-Wien) to the main railway station in Bratislava (Bratislava hlavná stanica) will be reduced from 66 minutes to 40 minutes.

December 5, 2018

What Does Austria Have to Do with the Silk Road Project?

The Chinese "One Belt One Road Initiative", also known as the New Silk Road, is China's strategic measure of the century to make the entire Euro-Asian region including Africa even more dependent on its products and investments. Now the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and the ambassadors from China and Kazakhstan have joined forces to convince the Austrian population and politicians that the connection of Austria via broad-gauge railway to the Silk Road is an opportunity of the century.

November 30, 2018

The New Location Development Act - Significance for Austria's Attractiveness as a Business Location

The Austrian government has passed the highly controversial Location Development Act in the Council of Ministers, which will speed up environmental impact assessments, be passed by the National Council this year and come into force on 1 January 2019. The new legislation will introduce automatic permits for certain energy infrastructure projects (eg, electricity grids and power plants). Positive reactions are coming from industry and politics. Various environmental associations criticise the new law.

November 22, 2018

Japan's Largest Airline ANA Expands Service Between Tokyo and Vienna

The Japanese ANA - All Nippon Airways relies on Vienna as its European hub for business flights to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Poland and is expanding its range of services as a result of the facilitation provided by the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

October 31, 2018

Austrian Airlines - More Women in the Cockpit and Daily Flights to Tokyo

Become one of the few female pilots at Austrian Airlines. A total of 100 fully-trained pilots are currently being sought. As part of its expansion, Lufthansa's subsidiary intends to significantly increase the proportion of women pilots. The airline is also expanding its services to Tokyo, namely six weekly flights from March 2019 and daily flights during the 2019 summer timetable.

October 25, 2018

Canada: New Daily Flight Connection from 2019

From 29 April 2019, Austrian Airlines will be flying daily to Montreal, the second-most populous municipality in Canada. Air Canada will assume flights on the Vienna-Toronto route.

October 22, 2018

Agressive Southern Chinese Airline Launches Shenzhen-Vienna Service

The South Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is pushing ahead with its expansion into Europe by adding Vienna - Shenzhen as the next non-stop route after Zurich at the end of August. The new twice-weekly flights will take off on October 20th, connecting Vienna with Shenzhen on Thursdays and Saturdays using the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (see picture).

October 12, 2018

Danube Region Business Forum - Infrastructure and Its Implications on Business in CEE and SEE

The Danube Region is one of the traditionally important markets for Central European regions and companies. However, the infrastructure of this region does not yet meet the requirements of the economy. The 8th Danube Region Business Forum will take place on 9 October 2018 at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna. The aim of the forum is to ensure that the infrastructural quality and cooperations in the region meet the requirements of the economy.

October 3, 2018

Port of Vienna as International Trimodal Logistics Hub for Water, Rail and Road

Peter Hanke, City Councillor for Economic Affairs, together with Doris Rechberg-Missbichler, Managing Director of Wien Holding, and Fritz Lehr and Doris Pulker-Rohrhofer, Managing Directors of the Port of Vienna, presented the balance sheet of the Port of Vienna for the year 2017. Turnover amounts to 58.1 million euros (+2.3%), earnings before taxes 14.8 million euros (+16.5%).

September 14, 2018

Bosch Austria Boosts Sales by 8% and Invests €120 Million in R&D

During the 2017 fiscal year, Bosch increased its sales on the Austrian market by around eight percent to 1.25 billion euros. "We have achieved record sales. All business sectors contributed to the positive development," said Dr. Klaus Peter Fouquet, sole board member of Robert Bosch AG and representative of the Bosch Group in Austria.

June 14, 2018

Vladimir Putin on PR Campaign in Austria

Vladimir Putin is on his sixth official state visit to Austria. Officially, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the gas supply contract between Austria and Russia, this is a working visit to President Van der Bellen and Chancellor Kurz. In fact, a new gas supply contract between Gazprom and OMV is the main reason for the visit. Other gas deals are still in the negotiation phase, namely the Gazprom Urengoy gas field asset swap and the Nordstream 2 pipeline project. The Central European Gas Hub in Baumgarten/Lower Austria, an important gas distribution hub from the Russian perspective, could also be on the agenda.

June 5, 2018

Flight Connection Kuwait-Vienna Carries Arab-Israeli Conflict to Austria

State-owned Kuwait Airways, which will resume operations between Kuwait and Vienna in early June for the summer months, does not carry Israeli citizens. The official reason is a Kuwaiti law from 1964, which bans all companies of the 3.5 million inhabitant oil state from doing business with Israelis.

May 29, 2018

Austrian Airlines Celebrates 60th Birthday

Austrian Airlines Österreichische Luftverkehrs Aktiengesellschaft was founded on 31 March 1958. This week, 2,500 guests celebrated the 60th birthday of the red-white-red airline in the hangar at Vienna Schwechat Airport.

May 25, 2018

Austrian Airlines Flies Once Again to Tokyo

As of today, Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines will again be flying directly to the Japanese capital. Due to changed economic fundamentals, the route, which was closed in autumn 2016, appears to be profitable again.

May 15, 2018

Doppelmayr to Build Cable Liner at London Airport

At London Luton Airport, Doppelmayr is building a cable car almost two kilometers long with a capacity of 2,720 passengers per hour and per route. This makes Luton Airport the second airport project in the UK after Birmingham for Doppelmayr. The Cable Liner is scheduled to go into operation in April 2021. Doppelmayr does not give details of the project turnover.

April 23, 2018

Kapsch TrafficCom AG Awarded Contract to Upgrade TollCollection Equipment on Maryland Roads

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has awarded Kapsch TrafficCom (Kapsch) a contract to replace and maintain all roadside tolling equipment in the mixed-mode, cash, and express toll lanes under MDTA management. The contract commenced in February 2018 and includes the replacement of all toll equipment, expected to be converted to the Kapsch system by 2020, and six years of subsequent operations and maintenance as well as the option to extend the contract for additional four years. The project volume of the base contract exceeds EUR 55 million and will be managed locally from the Kapsch office in Rockville, Maryland.

April 23, 2018

Austrian Airlines: Alexis von Hoensbroech Succeeds Kay Kratky as CEO

Alexis von Hoensbroech is to become the new Chairman of the Executive Board of Austrian Airlines. The current AUA CEO Kay Kratky, whose contract ends in July, is leaving the company.

April 11, 2018

Fire Brigade Equipment Supplier Rosenbauer: Profit Halved in 2017

Despite a record order intake, the profit of the Upper Austrian firefighting equipment supplier Rosenbauer halved in the 2017 financial year. This was partly due to a slump in demand in the Middle East and North Africa, but also to the recently reported irregularities at a German subsidiary, which led to a write-down of EUR 3.5 million.

April 6, 2018

Eurowings also Expands Vienna Connections

With the summer flight schedule 2018 Eurowings, the discount airline subsidiary of Lufthansa, is adding new destinations from Vienna to Corfu, Larnaca, Catania, Chania, Kos, Heraklion and Rhodes.

March 30, 2018 · Sponsored Content

AUA Starts with Summer Flight Schedule 2018: More Flights to Germany, but CEE Remains Core Market

Austrian Airlines offers a flight program with 138 destinations in 55 countries in summer 2018.

March 26, 2018

Ryanair Acquires 75 Percent of LaudaMotion

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is paying 100 million euros for the share. Ryanair will initially take over 24.9 percent of Laudamotion and intends to increase it to 75 percent, subject to the approval of the EU competition authority. The airline founder will continue to be in charge.

March 20, 2018

Austrian Delegation Seeks to Improve Economic and Political Relations with Jordan

An official visit of President Van der Bellen to Jordan will take place from 17 April to 19 April 2018. The delegation to Amman will be accompanied by an economic mission headed by WKO Vice President Richard Schenz. The economic mission of the WKO is the response of an invitation issued some time ago by the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Kingdom.

March 8, 2018

Austrian Airlines to Hire 600 New Employees, to Fly to Tokyo and Cape Town

Close to 12.9 million passengers flew with Austria’s national carrier last year, comprising a rise of 12.8 percent compared to the previous year. In 2018 the airline plans the integration of another long-haul aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 jet, in its fleet. It is planned to hire 150 employees just to operate this one new aircraft. In total about 200 pilots, 300 flight attendants and 100 employees in the fields of aircraft maintenance and ground handling will be hired. The additional capacity will enable Austrian Airlines to expand its intercontinental route network to Japan and South Africa.

March 1, 2018

Expansion of Airport City of Vienna International Airport Will Create More than 1,000 New Jobs

Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien AG) reports an improvement in the earnings outlook and projected traffic results for 2018. Net profit for the period before non-controlling interests is up to at least EUR 140 million, passenger growth of over 7% in the group and 5% at Vienna International Airport. The management board will propose to the Annual General Meeting that an increased dividend of EUR 0.68 per share should be distributed. Also, the expansion of the Airport City will create more than 1,000 new jobs. The Flughafen Wien Group, including its strategic foreign investments in Malta and Kosice Airports, anticipates passenger growth of more than 7% in 2018.

February 27, 2018

Austrian Post - Revenue Increase of 2.3% for 2017 Expected

Austrian Post will publish the final results for the 2017 financial year on March 15, 2018. According to preliminary figures Austrian Post will present a slight revenue increase of 2.3% to EUR 1,939m compared to EUR 1,896m in the previous year. The Parcel & Logistics Division of Austrian Post reflects the developments in e-commerce. According to a market report by Branchenradar, Austrian Post expanded in the competitive parcel market. Its overall market share rose from 45% to 47% based on handling 97 million parcels in 2017 compared to 81 million parcels in 2016. Revenue increased by a 17.7% to EUR 496m in 2017 after EUR 421m in 2016. However, the Mail & Branch Network Division reported a 2.1% decline in revenue in 2017 (EUR 1,448m in 2017 after EUR 1,479m in 2016). Also in the mail business revenue decreased. This was primarily caused by the ongoing electronic substitution of letters.

February 27, 2018

Kapsch TrafficCom Not Affected by Polish Government's Cancellation of Tender for Nation-Wide Tolling System

Poland's government has cancelled the tender for a nation-wide tolling system, because the government intends to have the tolling system operated by its own government agencies. Kapsch TrafficCom confirms that its contract regarding the operation of the existing nation-wide tolling system is not affected by this.

January 22, 2018

Strabag to Build Rail Tunnel in Toronto

Strabag has had an infrastructure contract in Toronto awarded to its Canadian subsidiary. The scope of the work includes the construction of a 180 m long tunnel under Highway 401 to accommodate two tracks operated by Ontario's public transport agency Metrolinx. The full investment volume amounts to about EUR 77 million.

January 17, 2018

Record Year 2017: Flughafen Wien Group Handles 30.9 Million Passengers (+6.9%), Surpassing Threshold of 30 Million for the First Time

In spite of developments at Air Berlin and NIKI, 2017 will go down in airport history as a record year. The Flughafen Wien Group reported a passenger volume of over 30 million for the very first time in its history, and Vienna Airport site also exceeded the threshold of 24 million passengers for the first time.

January 16, 2018

FACC Continues to Climb in the Third Quarter 2017/18

Revenues for the first nine months of 2017/18 amount to EUR 564.0 million (comparative period 2016/17: EUR 518.6 million). The increase of 8.8% is attributable to a further significant increase in product sales of 11.4% to EUR 527.8 million.

January 16, 2018

Changes in the Supervisory Board of Aircraft Component Manufacturer FACC

Board member Mr. Wang Xuejun will be replaced by Ms. Li Li as a new member of the Supervisory Board of FACC AG. She will be delegated by FACC International Company Limited, Hong Kong, which holds a stake of 55.5% of the total of Xi’an Aircraft's stake of 91,25 %. Ms. Li is currently Director of Accounting at the Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group. She holds a law and economics degree from Zhongnan University. She also obtained an MBA from Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian in the People's Republic of China.

November 20, 2017