Frecciarossa trains to stop in Innsbruck from 2027
Italy’s Frecciarossa high-speed trains are expected to run through Austria from 2027 on new routes between Munich and Milan and Munich and Rome, according to Der Standard. The trains are due to stop in Innsbruck, but no other Austrian stops are planned.
One pair of trains, meaning one outward and one return service, is planned for each of the two routes from spring 2027, provided approval is granted in time. Trenitalia will run the trains as far as the Brenner, ÖBB-Personenverkehr will take over from the Austrian border, and Deutsche Bahn will be responsible north of Kufstein.
The Frecciarossa 1000 trains can theoretically reach up to 400 km/h, but much of the route is not built for those speeds. Around the Brenner in Tyrol, speeds of 80 to 100 km/h are usual, while the Lower Inn Valley allows speeds of up to 220 km/h.
READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn plans more Italy rail links via Austria from 2027
Salzburg AG customers can register for new electricity tariff
Salzburg AG customers can register from today for the new Strom Preisfix Privat electricity tariff, which starts on July 1st, according to Arbeiterkammer Salzburg. The consumer chamber says the tariff may be worthwhile, especially for households with higher electricity use.
The new tariff has an energy price of 9.9 cents net per kWh and a two-year price guarantee. The monthly basic fee rises from €2.50 to €5 net, and customers must actively agree to the change because there is no automatic switch.
Arbeiterkammer experts calculate that the tariff starts to pay off from annual electricity use of around 2,000 kWh. For customers on the Strom Wärme 24 tariff, the break-even point is around 2,400 kWh per year.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to find the best deal for electricity and gas in Austria
Five Volksbegehren open for signatures this week
Five Austrian Volksbegehren, or citizens’ initiatives, can be signed from June 15th to June 22nd, according to the Interior Ministry. They can be signed online with ID Austria or in person at municipal signing offices.
The initiatives are Karfreitag-Feiertag für Alle, Polizei - kritischer Personalmangel, Wahlpflicht Nationalratswahl Bundespräsidentenwahl, GRATIS Verhütung and Transparenz im Parlament. To sign, people must have National Council voting rights by June 22nd, which means Austrian citizenship, being at least 16 and not being excluded from voting, and they must have been listed in the electoral register of an Austrian municipality on May 11th.
Austrians abroad can also sign if they meet the requirements. People who already gave a support statement for one of the initiatives during the earlier phase cannot sign the same initiative again, because that earlier support already counts as a valid signature.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How can foreigners have their say in Austria?
Labubu plush toy recalled and pool safety warning issued
A Labubu plush figure sold by Comic Treff Buchhandels GmbH is being recalled, while AGES has warned about certain above-ground pools from Bestway, Intex and Polygroup. Both notices concern possible risks for children.
The Labubu recall affects plush figures with the batch number R12402230008-06, sold from July 2025. A check by AGES found that the hands and feet can come off easily, creating a potential choking hazard for small children.
The pool warning concerns round and oval above-ground pools from Bestway, Intex and Polygroup that are at least 122 cm high and were placed on the market before July 2025. Consumers are asked not to use affected products and to contact the manufacturer for a free retrofit kit.
READ ALSO: Shopping in Austria: What are your consumer rights when purchasing goods?
Members’ guide
Austrian bureaucracy can be stressful when a deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, especially for residence permits, AMS deadlines, tax matters or official filings. Our guide to what happens if the deadline for your Austrian admin is on a weekend or holiday explains the general rule, the exceptions and what proof you should keep.
Members get access to this and other practical guides, explainers and reader-focused stories on The Local Austria, including articles that help foreign residents understand official procedures, German terms and everyday bureaucracy.
What’s happening in Austria today
Chancellor Christian Stocker is holding a 2pm press conference at the Federal Chancellery on the next steps after Austria’s double budget. Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee meets at 1pm, with South Tyrol autonomy, Austria’s Africa strategy and questions to Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger on the agenda.
The second 2026 EAG funding call for photovoltaic systems and electricity storage starts today. Ticket-drawing begins online at 5pm, applications run until June 30th, and €12 million is available in this round.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Is it worth switching to solar power in Austria?
Several rail disruptions continue today. Replacement buses are running between Buchs SG and Feldkirch because of modernisation works, while travel between Vienna or Innsbruck and Zurich can take up to one hour longer. Works also continue between Vienna Hbf and Bruck an der Leitha until June 21st.
In Vienna, tram line 46 is not running between Ring, Volkstheater and U6 Thaliastraße because of works on Lerchenfelder Straße. Lines 40, 41, 42 and 9 are also affected by works at Aumannplatz in Währing, while night closures around the A23 Knoten Prater run from 10pm to 5am until June 19th.
The weather is expected to be warm but mixed. Austria should see highs of 20C to 28C, with a sunny start followed by more cloud from midday and showers mainly in mountain areas.
There is no Austrian public holiday today, and schools are not on a nationwide break. The main summer holidays start on July 4th in Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna, and on July 11th in the other six provinces.
READ ALSO: What Vienna residents need to know about transport works in 2026
Vocabulary
der Stromtarif – electricity tariff
die Grundgebühr – basic fee
das Volksbegehren – citizens’ initiative or petition
der Aufenthaltstitel – residence permit
der Amtsbriefkasten – official authority letterbox
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles, or news tips for The Local, you can contact us at news@thelocal.at or leave a comment below.
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