Travel without end

The people of Bregenz become commuters to Lower Austria

Cup goalscorer Florian Prirsch shows the way - soon it will be back to Lower Austria.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

SW Bregenz are traveling almost at express train speed these days. After their successful performance in the ÖFB Cup, the Van Acker team will once again travel to SKU Amstetten in Lower Austria tomorrow. The Black & Whites will not set off until match day and have rented a special team liner from Lustenau-based company Bösch Reisen - a special bus equipped with 16 berths.

The question arises as to why the Bregenz team actually traveled home and didn't stay in the east. That was the original plan. "It was the team's wish. Some of the players have families and small children at home. They preferred to go home," argued sporting director Predrag Zivanovic. "Then we'd rather go a second time."

In addition, the costs for a five-day stay (Monday to Friday) would be enormous for a second division club like SW Bregenz. "Not only do we have to pay for the hotel, but we also have to rent our own training pitches. They're not free either," adds Zivanovic. The ÖFB only covers the travel costs and one night's accommodation.

The ÖFB Cup only becomes economically attractive from the quarter-finals onwards. Zivanovic is therefore hoping for a feasible draw in the round of 16, which will be played at the end of October. He is thinking of a league rival. "Ideally, we would get a home game against Austria Lustenau." Particularly explosive: the two teams meet in the league on October 25. If the cup draw is anything to go by, there would be two international derbies within a few days.

For Bregenz, reaching the third round is a win in itself, as they have always been knocked out of the Cup earlier in recent years. What's more, it will be much easier to travel to Lower Austria again with a sense of achievement in the bag.