Tips for the journey

Formula 1 spectacle: the rush to Spielberg begins

The Austrian Grand Prix will once again draw the crowds to the Styrian Murtal this weekend.

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Starting signal for the Grand Prix weekend in Spielberg: tens of thousands of fans will be making the pilgrimage to the Red Bull Ring in the Murtal valley from Thursday. Good planning - and patience - is recommended right from the start. The "Krone" gives tips on how to get to the Ring as stress-free as possible.

The mega event of the year in Styria is just around the corner: around 300,000 Formula 1 fans are expected to attend the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg this weekend. The organization of the arrival and departure is a logistical tour de force, which is now well proven, but still requires some planning and often patience from the visitors.

Risk of bad weather for campers
When the first campers arrive on Thursday, the weather could demand a lot from them: "From the afternoon onwards, there is a chance of heavy thunderstorms. The campsite could get soaked again," says Ubimet meteorologist Martin Templin. Friday should be better, but still with a risk of thunderstorms. For Saturday, the meteorologist is forecasting "very calm, mainly sunny conditions". It is not yet clear how the weather will play along for Sunday's race, "but at the moment it looks like the race will be dry and sunny," says the weather expert.

Around 300,000 fans are expected throughout the race weekend.

(Bild: Lucas Pripfl / Red Bull Ring)

The organizers have two basic recommendations for fans arriving at the event: preferably use public transport and arrive as early as possible - ideally before eight o'clock. The following options are available for those without their own car:

• Rail: The Knittelfeld train station is the hub for rail travel. There are special connections from all over Austria and neighboring countries. Free shuttle buses take visitors from there directly to the Ring (Friday from 7 a.m., two to three times an hour). There are also shuttle buses from the Judenburg bus station and the Zeltweg sports center.
• Bus: Special national shuttle buses have been set up for the race weekend, which fans can board at over 120 stops in several federal states (book online in advance).
• Bike: If you want to avoid the stress of parking around the Ring, you can leave your car at a specially designed Park & Bike parking lot at the Fohnsdorf thermal spa and cycle directly to the Ring on marked paths. There are dedicated bike parking spaces there.
• Motorcycles: This year, for the first time, there is a central motorcycle parking area with biker lockers in the immediate vicinity of the race track.
• Campers: Anyone who has not already set up camp on Thursday should arrive by 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at the latest, as there is a risk of considerable delays later on. A traffic guidance system will show the way.
• Details on how to get there and all bus boarding options at www.redbullring.com

The organizers recommend travelling by public transport. Shuttle buses will take fans from Knittelfeld train station directly to the Ring.

(Bild: Lucas Pripfl / Red Bull Ring)

Hundreds of emergency services at the Ring
Once again this year, a large contingent of emergency services, orchestrated by an official command staff, will ensure safety around the mega spectacle on the Ring. Among other things, up to 200 firefighters and 130 Red Cross employees will be ready for action on site, as well as police officers - uniformed and plainclothes - on the ground and in the air. "We are relying on many years of cooperation between all those involved and can draw on the experience of previous major events. This means we are optimally prepared for the upcoming race weekend," says Murtal District Governor Nina Pölzl.