Relieving Vienna commuters

Greens: “Extend core zone 100 to border stations!”

(Bild: Andi Schiel)

It's a curiosity of the big city: the further commuters live from the capital, the more likely they are to switch to public transport for their daily journey to work. Many prefer to take the car right on their doorstep. And there is a good reason for this.

The Greens, of all people, are drawing attention to a weak point in the climate ticket: there are two models for Lower Austria - depending on whether only Lower Austria or Vienna is used. In both cases, Burgenland is included "free of charge". Those who live just outside the city limits will be able to save on Lower Austria altogether.

Georg Ecker with the regional Greens Heidi Sequenz, Andy Vanek and Mathias Garnter at the "border station" in Raasdorf.

(Bild: Die Grünen NÖ)

Public transport commuters should not pay extra
"There are many commuters who have to pay an extra 495 euros a year for the two kilometers to Vienna," says Georg Ecker, member of the provincial parliament. In his opinion, the annual ticket for the federal capital should be valid from the border stations. At present, many commuters continue to travel by car, says Ecker during a local inspection in Raasdorf in Marchfeld, a village with 730 inhabitants. Postscript: "It also worked in the airport city of Schwechat ..."

More expensive tickets for bus and train
The demand comes at a good time: when companies talk about a "price adjustment", it rarely means anything good for customers. This is also the case with Verkehrsverbund Ostregion, which will be increasing the prices for single journeys as well as most season tickets in Lower Austria by an average of 6.4 percent from July 1. The top youth ticket will be 4 euros more expensive. In Vienna, on the other hand, everything will remain the same.