Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Traffic jams expected during Easter, the border between Austria and Liechtenstein is to be adjusted, influx of refugee children in Vienna's schools and more news from Austria on Wednesday.
Traffic jams expected during Easter
Good Friday is a national holiday in Germany, unlike in Austria, which gives Germany's neighbours an extended weekend of four days. In Austria, an extra day of vacation leads to a similar situation, prompting many people to take the opportunity for a short trip to the ski resorts or the Mediterranean at Easter.
ARBÖ traffic experts predict that the first wave of travel over the Easter weekend will begin on Maundy Thursday afternoon.
The exits from the capital and the capitals of the federal states will be particularly affected, as will Altmannsdorfer Straße, Triester Straße and the west exit in Vienna, Kärntner Straße and Merangasse, Plüddemanngasse in Graz, the Ebelsberg bypass in Linz, and Vogelweiderstraße and Sterneckstraße in Salzburg. In addition, only gradual movement will be possible on the following thoroughfares until late evening: Vienna.
At the border crossings on the Kufstein/Kiefersfelden (A12), Suben (A8) and Walserberg (A1) highways, travellers entering Austria must expect considerable delays. At the Karawanken tunnel crossing on the Karawanken highway (A11) and Nickelsdorf on the A4 and Spielfeld (A9), significantly longer waiting times are expected when leaving the country.
Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024
April in Vienna is a busy month filled with exciting events to explore. Here, we list some happenings that you should not miss out on.
The border between Austria and Liechtenstein to be adjusted
Austria and Liechtenstein are adjusting the border course between the two countries. Specifically, this involves the exchange of around 240 square meters of land. An amendment to the state treaty between the Republic and the Principality seems appropriate, as the current border line runs through Lake Egelsee and "the course of the state border is no longer recognisable", as stated in the explanatory notes to the planned amendment.
The national border between Austria and Liechtenstein, which covers around 160 square kilometres and has around 40,000 inhabitants, is around 35 kilometres long. The regulated Esche stream marks the border in sections, including Lake Egelsee, which belongs to Feldkirch on the Austrian side. The Egelsee is a retention pond created between 2011 and 2013 to improve flood safety. The current boundary now zigzags through the lake, following the former stream bed. The new boundary is intended to remedy this.
The state treaty also includes the passage that the strip of land to be kept free along the state border only has to be one meter wide instead of the previous ten meters. This will, it was said, bring advantages for the owners of the affected properties.
ÖBB wants to get back on the regular timetable
Austria's rail company ÖBB was very optimistic at the start of the Easter travel season, Der Standard reported. Fifteen thousand additional seats and 30 off-peak train connections during the holidays were announced, as well as the order for 19 new Railjet high-speed trains, which will not be on the rails until 2028.
The company is then slowly getting back to its regular timetable.
Trains on the S3 line will run every 15 minutes again from April 2, but not as long trains, which can lead to crowding at peak times.
With a rapid return of the double-decker trains to their traditional route between Vienna - Wiener Neustadt - Deutschkreutz or on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn in the direction of Gmünd, they are expected to remain in service until the end of the year, the railroad company announced. Therefore, looking at the ÖBB timetable information before setting off is still recommended.
Concerns rise over the influx of refugee children in Vienna's schools
Austrian media have reported on the arrival of 350 children of Syrian asylum seekers monthly in Vienna through family reunification, mentioning concerns about the strain on the city's schools have heightened.
Under specific conditions, recognised refugees are permitted to bring their spouses and biological minor children to Austria, a trend significantly impacting the education system. Last year, approximately 7,000 children and young individuals arrived through this avenue, with 90 percent originating from Syria. Most of these arrivals, 350 per month, settle in the capital city, leading to significant challenges for the education sector.
Thomas Krebs, representing the Christian trade union in the compulsory school sector, highlighted the strain on Vienna's education system, stating that the current situation has pushed the system to its limits. While special orientation classes are provided for eight weeks to assist immigrant students, Krebs emphasized that this duration needs to be increased, especially given the students' diverse educational backgrounds. Integrating them into regular classes poses significant challenges for teachers, who may struggle to manage such diverse learning needs effectively.
Krebs called for increased support for teaching staff, additional school social workers, and external German language learning opportunities. He urged politicians to address the issue urgently, warning of the risk of systemic collapse if proactive measures are not taken.
Vienna's City Councillor for Education, Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), pointed to plans to address the issue by constructing additional classrooms and container classes in the coming months. However, he acknowledged the unexpected strain caused by the arrival of 4,000 additional Ukrainian refugees in addition to family reunification cases. Despite these challenges, Wiederkehr expressed optimism about managing the situation effectively with the expansion of school facilities and staff.
Universities record record high number of senior students
In the current academic year alone, 5,200 prospective students over the age of 55 are enrolled at Austrian universities, Die Presse reported. The majority of them are studying at the University of Vienna and Salzburg.
There are more senior students at universities than ever before: in the winter semester 2023/24, a new high was reached with more than 5,200 senior citizens enrolled at public universities, or 1.8 percent of all students, according to the Education Department's statistical yearbook. This means that more women over 55 and men over 60 are again studying than before the introduction of tuition fees in 2001 when the number had halved to 2,300.
As in the past, the most senior students are enrolled at the University of Vienna (1,900), followed by the University of Salzburg (just under 1,000). The universities of Graz, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt each have just over 400 senior students enrolled.
The fewest older students are found at medical and arts universities, where there are also strict admission procedures.
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or leave a comment below.
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Traffic jams expected during Easter
Good Friday is a national holiday in Germany, unlike in Austria, which gives Germany's neighbours an extended weekend of four days. In Austria, an extra day of vacation leads to a similar situation, prompting many people to take the opportunity for a short trip to the ski resorts or the Mediterranean at Easter.
ARBÖ traffic experts predict that the first wave of travel over the Easter weekend will begin on Maundy Thursday afternoon.
The exits from the capital and the capitals of the federal states will be particularly affected, as will Altmannsdorfer Straße, Triester Straße and the west exit in Vienna, Kärntner Straße and Merangasse, Plüddemanngasse in Graz, the Ebelsberg bypass in Linz, and Vogelweiderstraße and Sterneckstraße in Salzburg. In addition, only gradual movement will be possible on the following thoroughfares until late evening: Vienna.
At the border crossings on the Kufstein/Kiefersfelden (A12), Suben (A8) and Walserberg (A1) highways, travellers entering Austria must expect considerable delays. At the Karawanken tunnel crossing on the Karawanken highway (A11) and Nickelsdorf on the A4 and Spielfeld (A9), significantly longer waiting times are expected when leaving the country.
Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024
April in Vienna is a busy month filled with exciting events to explore. Here, we list some happenings that you should not miss out on.
The border between Austria and Liechtenstein to be adjusted
Austria and Liechtenstein are adjusting the border course between the two countries. Specifically, this involves the exchange of around 240 square meters of land. An amendment to the state treaty between the Republic and the Principality seems appropriate, as the current border line runs through Lake Egelsee and "the course of the state border is no longer recognisable", as stated in the explanatory notes to the planned amendment.
The national border between Austria and Liechtenstein, which covers around 160 square kilometres and has around 40,000 inhabitants, is around 35 kilometres long. The regulated Esche stream marks the border in sections, including Lake Egelsee, which belongs to Feldkirch on the Austrian side. The Egelsee is a retention pond created between 2011 and 2013 to improve flood safety. The current boundary now zigzags through the lake, following the former stream bed. The new boundary is intended to remedy this.
The state treaty also includes the passage that the strip of land to be kept free along the state border only has to be one meter wide instead of the previous ten meters. This will, it was said, bring advantages for the owners of the affected properties.
ÖBB wants to get back on the regular timetable
Austria's rail company ÖBB was very optimistic at the start of the Easter travel season, Der Standard reported. Fifteen thousand additional seats and 30 off-peak train connections during the holidays were announced, as well as the order for 19 new Railjet high-speed trains, which will not be on the rails until 2028.
The company is then slowly getting back to its regular timetable.
Trains on the S3 line will run every 15 minutes again from April 2, but not as long trains, which can lead to crowding at peak times.
With a rapid return of the double-decker trains to their traditional route between Vienna - Wiener Neustadt - Deutschkreutz or on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn in the direction of Gmünd, they are expected to remain in service until the end of the year, the railroad company announced. Therefore, looking at the ÖBB timetable information before setting off is still recommended.
Concerns rise over the influx of refugee children in Vienna's schools
Austrian media have reported on the arrival of 350 children of Syrian asylum seekers monthly in Vienna through family reunification, mentioning concerns about the strain on the city's schools have heightened.
Under specific conditions, recognised refugees are permitted to bring their spouses and biological minor children to Austria, a trend significantly impacting the education system. Last year, approximately 7,000 children and young individuals arrived through this avenue, with 90 percent originating from Syria. Most of these arrivals, 350 per month, settle in the capital city, leading to significant challenges for the education sector.
Thomas Krebs, representing the Christian trade union in the compulsory school sector, highlighted the strain on Vienna's education system, stating that the current situation has pushed the system to its limits. While special orientation classes are provided for eight weeks to assist immigrant students, Krebs emphasized that this duration needs to be increased, especially given the students' diverse educational backgrounds. Integrating them into regular classes poses significant challenges for teachers, who may struggle to manage such diverse learning needs effectively.
Krebs called for increased support for teaching staff, additional school social workers, and external German language learning opportunities. He urged politicians to address the issue urgently, warning of the risk of systemic collapse if proactive measures are not taken.
Vienna's City Councillor for Education, Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), pointed to plans to address the issue by constructing additional classrooms and container classes in the coming months. However, he acknowledged the unexpected strain caused by the arrival of 4,000 additional Ukrainian refugees in addition to family reunification cases. Despite these challenges, Wiederkehr expressed optimism about managing the situation effectively with the expansion of school facilities and staff.
Universities record record high number of senior students
In the current academic year alone, 5,200 prospective students over the age of 55 are enrolled at Austrian universities, Die Presse reported. The majority of them are studying at the University of Vienna and Salzburg.
There are more senior students at universities than ever before: in the winter semester 2023/24, a new high was reached with more than 5,200 senior citizens enrolled at public universities, or 1.8 percent of all students, according to the Education Department's statistical yearbook. This means that more women over 55 and men over 60 are again studying than before the introduction of tuition fees in 2001 when the number had halved to 2,300.
As in the past, the most senior students are enrolled at the University of Vienna (1,900), followed by the University of Salzburg (just under 1,000). The universities of Graz, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt each have just over 400 senior students enrolled.
The fewest older students are found at medical and arts universities, where there are also strict admission procedures.
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or leave a comment below.
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