Vienna’s public transport authority is turning polite reminders into real consequences. From now on, passengers who ignore the rules on Wiener Linien buses, trams and trains may face a 50 euro “additional charge”, officially called a Mehrgebühr, if they refuse to stop disruptive behaviour, reported by Austrian Press Agency
The measures target some of the most familiar irritations of city travel: eating in the Underground, making phone calls on speaker, watching videos without headphones, bringing a dog without a muzzle, or carrying an e-scooter during prohibited hours. Although fines were legally possible before, staff generally preferred to issue warnings. City councillor Ulli Sima, who is responsible for public transport, said that approach is now over.
“We are switching the penalty to sharp,” Sima announced, signalling that the city’s patience with persistent rule-breakers has run out. Passengers will still first be asked to change their behaviour; only those who ignore the request will have to pay.
Alongside the tougher enforcement, Wiener Linien is launching a new courtesy campaign under the dialect slogan “Host no immer kan Genierer?!” roughly, “Are you still not embarrassed?” Posters and station announcements will remind travellers that consideration is not just good manners, but part of sharing public space. The rules are set out in the operator’s house rules and conditions of carriage, and service, security and inspection staff will monitor compliance.
Wiener Linien chief executive Alexandra Reinagl stressed that most passengers already behave considerately. The first campaign, launched in spring, appears to have helped: interventions fell from around 12,000 in March to just under 8,300 in October, a decline of roughly 31 percent.
Officials say the goal is not to collect fines, but to preserve the calm and order passengers expect. Still, the message is clear; in Vienna’s public transport, consideration now comes with a price.
