• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• viennatimes.at

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Childrens Fun
• Vienna - Palais Lichtenstein

© europics.at

04. 04. 12. - 18:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

04. 04. 12. - 18:00

Fuel price hikes make public transport more popular

More and more people are using means of public transport as car fuel prices hit a new high.

Diesel cost 1.42 Euros on average last month, according to car club Arbö while the price for Eurosuper soared to 1.46 Euros. Arbö underlined that motorway service stations were charging up to 1.59 Euros for one litre of diesel and even more for the same amount of Eurosuper petrol.

The organisation criticised the government for "doing nothing against the trend". It hit out at the government coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the People’s Party (ÖVP) for jacking up taxes on mineral oil products several times in the past years. Forty-seven per cent of the current diesel fuel and almost 53 per cent of the price for one litre of Eurosuper petrol are made up of taxes.

The current developments – which are also fuelled by the Easter holidays when petrol stations traditionally up prices – help public transport agencies to more customers. Experts said that the number of public transport passengers would climb especially in regions with convenient and reliable networks.

Vienna’s public transport has a good reputation. The capital’s public transport agency Wiener Linien serves around 2.4 million daily passengers. Wiener Linien’s network came third in EuroTest 2010, a survey of the quality of service on public transport in 23 European cities. Experts examined aspects like the travel times and ticket prices. Munich in Germany made first place. The public transport network of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, finished second.

Around 390,000 people hold annual Wiener Linien passes at the moment. The number could rise further in the coming months thanks to a price reduction. The Viennese annual public transport ticket will cost 365 Euros from May, down from 449 Euros. The city coalition of SPÖ and Greens agreed on this discount in October. The city government’s decision to jack up the price for other kinds of tickets – including single tickets and weekly passes – is not expected to negatively affect the current development.

Federal Railways (ÖBB) and its new private rival Westbahn register rising passenger figures as well. ÖBB officials said yesterday (Tues) that the number of passengers was especially improving in eastern Austria. Westbahn welcomes thousands of new customers a day, according to reports. The company headed by ex-ÖBB manager Stefan Wehinger has operated between Vienna and Salzburg since December. It is increasingly popular among commuters as it stops more often on the route than ÖBB’s Railjet service.

Arbö experts think that the price for car fuel in Austria will not reach new record levels in the foreseeable future due to price declines on the international oil trading markets. Diesel and Eurosuper petrol cost around half as much 10 years ago, the motorists’ association said.

Strongly rising car fuel prices have kept inflation high in Austria in the past months. Petrol was 10 per cent dearer in February 2012 than in the same month of last year, according to federal statistics authority Statistik Austria. Inflation was 2.6 per cent in February 2012. This had been the least significant increase since January 2011, according to Statistik Austria.

Austrian Times

Related articles: Vienna focus

1. Salzburg among highest in property price rise

   » Business 2012-05-31

   A real estate expert has expressed concerns about property prices in Austria.

2. Austrian skiers create overnight stay record

   » Business 2012-05-29

   The number of winter season overnight stays by Austrians has reached a new record.

3. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

4. Vassilakou ensnares Pirates

   » General News 2012-05-02

   Vienna Greens Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou has appealed on the Austrian Pirate Party (PPÖ) to consider a partnership.

5. SPÖ's big guns trained on Strache

   » General News 2012-05-02

   Vienna Mayor Michael Häupl has warned from a coalition between the People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Freedom Party (FPÖ).

6. Makeover for VIA terminals

   » Business 2012-04-25

   The terminals of Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE) will be renovated or rebuilt, according to Flughafen Wien AG (FW).

7. Widespread scepticism about Greens' new cycling project

   » General News 2012-04-06

   A heated debate has erupted following a radical traffic reform idea by the Viennese Greens.

8. Gunkl tour starts

   » Panorama 2012-04-05

   Gunkl – one of Austria’s most gifted stage entertainers – is performing a new programme.

9. Fuel price hikes make public transport more popular

   » General News 2012-04-04

   More and more people are using means of public transport as car fuel prices hit a new high.

10. Davutoglu praises integration

    » General News 2012-03-23

    Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has visited a school in Vienna.

Related articles: EU

1. Austrian skiers create overnight stay record

   » Business 2012-05-29

   The number of winter season overnight stays by Austrians has reached a new record.

2. IV demands focus on industry in crisis

   » Business 2012-05-24

   The general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has appealed on Europe’s political leaders to strengthen the continent’s industry.

3. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

4. Rebel priest deplores Church's 'leadership crisis'

   » General News 2012-05-22

   A Catholic preacher who established a group of "disobedient" priests reacted coolly to Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn’s warnings.

5. Petrol traders plan legal action

   » Business 2012-05-17

   The domestic mineral oil industry plans to sue the government about plans to set up a tool regulating fuel prices.

6. Lauda disapproves cutbacks

   » Business 2012-05-15

   Niki Lauda has warned from making savings at FlyNiki to the expense of customers.

7. Internet increasingly attractive to holidaymakers

   » Business 2012-05-15

   The number of Austrians opting for online solutions when it comes to booking a holiday is soaring.

8. Vassilakou ensnares Pirates

   » General News 2012-05-02

   Vienna Greens Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou has appealed on the Austrian Pirate Party (PPÖ) to consider a partnership.

9. Strabag turnover soars thanks to EE

   » Business 2012-05-01

   Two of Austria’s leading construction companies had good and bad news for shareholders in the past few days.

10. ÖBB ticket prices could climb

    » Business 2012-04-27

    Federal Railways (ÖBB) tickets could be more expensive later this year.

Related articles: crisis

1. Salzburg among highest in property price rise

   » Business 2012-05-31

   A real estate expert has expressed concerns about property prices in Austria.

2. Austrian skiers create overnight stay record

   » Business 2012-05-29

   The number of winter season overnight stays by Austrians has reached a new record.

3. Coalition accelerates anti-corruption ambitions

   » General News 2012-05-24

   The government is intensifying its attempts to pass a transparency package in parliament.

4. IV demands focus on industry in crisis

   » Business 2012-05-24

   The general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has appealed on Europe’s political leaders to strengthen the continent’s industry.

5. Pröll outpaces friends and foes in capability check

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Austria’s longest-serving governor has been identified as the most capable one in the opinion of citizens.

6. Rebel priest deplores Church's 'leadership crisis'

   » General News 2012-05-22

   A Catholic preacher who established a group of "disobedient" priests reacted coolly to Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn’s warnings.

7. Petrol traders plan legal action

   » Business 2012-05-17

   The domestic mineral oil industry plans to sue the government about plans to set up a tool regulating fuel prices.

8. Lauda disapproves cutbacks

   » Business 2012-05-15

   Niki Lauda has warned from making savings at FlyNiki to the expense of customers.

9. Internet increasingly attractive to holidaymakers

   » Business 2012-05-15

   The number of Austrians opting for online solutions when it comes to booking a holiday is soaring.

10. Vassilakou ensnares Pirates

    » General News 2012-05-02

    Vienna Greens Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou has appealed on the Austrian Pirate Party (PPÖ) to consider a partnership.

Related articles: CEE news

1. Austrian skiers create overnight stay record

   » Business 2012-05-29

   The number of winter season overnight stays by Austrians has reached a new record.

2. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

3. Petrol traders plan legal action

   » Business 2012-05-17

   The domestic mineral oil industry plans to sue the government about plans to set up a tool regulating fuel prices.

4. Lauda disapproves cutbacks

   » Business 2012-05-15

   Niki Lauda has warned from making savings at FlyNiki to the expense of customers.

5. Strabag turnover soars thanks to EE

   » Business 2012-05-01

   Two of Austria’s leading construction companies had good and bad news for shareholders in the past few days.

6. ÖBB ticket prices could climb

   » Business 2012-04-27

   Federal Railways (ÖBB) tickets could be more expensive later this year.

7. Makeover for VIA terminals

   » Business 2012-04-25

   The terminals of Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE) will be renovated or rebuilt, according to Flughafen Wien AG (FW).

8. DM Austria set to spend €70mn

   » Business 2012-04-20

   DM Austria plans investments of 70 million Euros.

9. Franz warns AUA

   » Business 2012-04-19

   Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz has made clear that affiliate Austria Airlines (AUA) has to cut its expenses.

10. ÖBB awaits €33bn

    » Business 2012-04-19

    The Austrian government coalition has decided to inject more than 30 billion Euros into Federal Railways (ÖBB).

Birth balance negative once again
The birth balance of 2012 has been negative for the first time in three years. This was due to an increase in deaths. Another trend is that women give birth to their first child when they are older.

Football manager fined 30,000 Euro
Adi Hütter, the manager of the football team SV Scholz Grödig (Salzburg state), was sentenced to a fine of 30,000 Euros on Wednesday due to tax evasion. Mr Hütter has to pay half of the amount.

New theatre alliance
Schauspielhaus Wien, Theater Phönix Linz, Schauspielhaus Salzburg, Klagenfurter Ensemble and Theater Kosmos Bregenz have formed an alliance. They want to reach a bigger audience and sustain the production.

Salzburg Social Democrats Lose Case Against Finanzbuddha
The social-democratic party (SPÖ) in Salzburg has had to make a public apology on its website after it lost a legal battle against the financial advisory company Finanzbuddha in the context of the financial scandal that has hit the region.

Water quality tests in lakes
The bathing lake next to the motorway in Wals-Viehhausen (Flachgau) has one of the worst water qualities. A test showed that there is a high amount of bacteria in the lake.

Drunk man drives 40 km on wrong side of road
An intoxicated Slovenian man drove 40 km on the wrong side of the Tauernautobahn motorway (A10) on Tuesday night. A courageous lorry driver stopped the Slovenian when the man stopped to urinate.

Tyrol lowest regional unemployment level in EU
In comparison to European regions, Tyrol and Salzburg have the lowest regional unemployment. Most unemployment occurs in the regions of Spain and Greece.

Salzburg coalition talks begin
A significant majority of the Green Party decided to start coalition talks with the ÖVP last evening (Wed). Negotiations about a new state government will start today. Team Stronach will also take part in the talks.

Baumgartner tax row
The tax proceedings of the extreme sportsman Felix Baumgartner are still underway. Mr Baumgartner told the Austria Press Agency that he asked the Independent Finance Senate (UFS) to resolve his case.

Record visitor numbers at Salzburg Whitsun Festival
The Whitsun Festival in Salzburg has set a new record of visitors and revenue. Cecilia Bartoli, a popular soloist and the artistic director of the festival, was particularly popular.