Implementation in full swing

Collective call cabs soon on the road throughout the province

The BAST network is being expanded and the bus fleet extended: Not only commuters, but also tourists can take advantage of the benefits with the Burgenland Card.

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The expansion of the BAST network is now in full swing in the last two of the seven districts in Burgenland. Call-and-collect cabs will soon be operating everywhere. The transport companies will soon be contacting the municipalities around Neusiedl and Eisenstadt.

In combination with scheduled and rail services, the Burgenland call-and-collect cab (BAST) is intended to provide a comprehensive mobility solution that is more than just a conventional micro-public transport service. "The BAST is fully integrated into the public transport system," emphasizes Transport Minister Heinrich Dorner.

Almost no expenditure
BAST operation is free of charge for municipalities; only the boards and printed materials have to be paid for. It has already been implemented in the districts from Mattersburg to Jennersdorf. Planning is now in full swing for the districts of Neusiedl am See and Eisenstadt-Umgebung.

Transport companies get in touch
Over the next few weeks, the municipalities will be contacted by Verkehrsbetriebe Burgenland (VBB) to clarify stops for the BAST concept. "BAST should also be launched in the north of the province by the end of the year," announces Dorner.

What makes Neusiedl special?
The key data for the district of Neusiedl am See: 27 municipalities, currently 142 public transport stops, 16 train stations with connections to Vienna, Bratislava, Sopron and regional connections, 13 bus lines active in the district, nine of which are operated by the transport company. Tourist attractions integrated into the concept include the Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park, Nova Rock, the "Surf Opening", Outlet-Center Parndorf and the Gols folk festival.

In rural regions, call-and-collect cabs are an ideal addition. Other federal states such as Lower Austria are now also implementing models that are strongly based on BAST.

Heinrich Dorner, Verkehrslandesrat (SPÖ)

Due to the area of 1039 km² and the vastness of the district of Neusiedl, the enormous distances are a particular challenge. Bus and rail are well integrated into the public transport system - but there are still gaps that the BAST should close.

Eisenstadt in the planning stage
Eisenstadt and its district have excellent transport connections. At its heart is the city bus with four local transport lines. The key data for the district: 25 municipalities, 183 public transport stops, eight train stations with connections to Vienna, Bratislava and Sopron as well as regional connections, 35 bus routes active in the Eisenstadt district, eleven of which are operated by VBB.Esterházy Castle, the Mörbisch Lake Festival, the Opera Festival and the Familypark in St. Margarethen are frequently visited. Dorner: "The BAST should cover everything."