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EXPLAINED: How Austria is making train travel safer this Christmas

From more trains and a ‘new reservation model’, Austria has unveiled a new set of ‘anti-coronavirus measures’ to make Christmas travel safer.

Published: 11 December 2020 17:01 CET
EXPLAINED: How Austria is making train travel safer this Christmas
Will you travel by train this Christmas? Photo: ALEX HALADA / AFP

Austria’s national railway authority (ÖBB) has put in place a set of rules to be put in place over the festive season to minimise the spread of coronavirus. 

Over the Christmas period, a ‘new reservation model’ will be adopted, while more trains will be added, reports ORF. 

Masks have been required on all public transports and at all stations since September. 

New reservation model: ‘a chessboard’

According to the new reservation model, passengers on the trains will be better distributed in a manner which incorporates a greater amount of distance. 

Where a seat has been reserved, the seat next to it will be kept free – with a special notice telling people not to sit. 

The ÖBB said the model would resemble a chessboard, with free seats next to occupied seats. 

Understanding that making people stand in cramped areas may lead to an increased risk, the ÖBB has said that passengers will be allowed to sit if a train is full. 

“If a train is full and that is not possible due to the high number of passengers, you can also take these seats.”

Seat reservations will be available from December 18th to January 10th for one euro. 

More train services

In order to cater for the increased demand over the Christmas period, additional train services are set to be added. 

In total, this amounts to the addition of more than 10,000 seats per day, the ÖBB told ORF. 

The days when additional train services are set to be added are the 23rd, 24th, 27th of December, along with the 2nd and 3rd of January. 

The focus of the additional train services will be in and out of Vienna to the West and to the South. 

Restrictions remain on trips to Italy

Despite the additional services, restrictions on trains between Italy and Austria will continue to result in fewer services. 

On the 11th and 12th of December there will be no long distance rail between the two countries, ORF reports. 

According to ORF “all EC and RJ connections to and from Italy must be canceled for two days without replacement and cannot be used as replacement rail services.”

Passengers are advised to switch to regional train connections instead over the coming days. 

From Sunday, December 13th, fever and temperature controls are set to be put into place, along with a requirement of a negative coronavirus test. 

 

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HEALTH

How much can you expect to pay for private healthcare in Vienna?

In recent years, the number of public doctors in Vienna has fallen. As a result, many people have turned to private care. But how much can you expect to pay?

Published: 21 May 2024 10:38 CEST
How much can you expect to pay for private healthcare in Vienna?

In Austria, private healthcare works alongside the public healthcare system. If you want private care, you typically need to sign up for private healthcare insurance or pay out of pocket initially and later seek reimbursement.

The cost of private healthcare in Vienna can vary depending on factors such as the type of treatment, the provider, and insurance coverage. In general, private healthcare services tend to be significantly more expensive than the services provided by the public system.

Private healthcare insurance 

The monthly cost for private healthcare insurance in Vienna averages around €30 for children and between €45 and €100 for adults.

The cost is determined by your age, health status, and anticipated healthcare needs. When you apply for private insurance, your health and medical history are usually examined.

Signing up for private healthcare insurance at an early age often means lower costs. Existing health insurance contracts are adjusted annually for inflation only, without further adjustments.

UNIQA, Wiener Städtische, Generali Health Insurance, Mercury, Allianz Health Insurance, and the Danube are among the largest and best-known providers of private healthcare insurance in Vienna.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is a Wahlartzt in Austria?

How does it work?

Every policy is different, but most private insurance work with the public companies, especially since most workers in Austria are insured with one of the public companies via their work or employment – with the majority of them insured by ÖGK.

When you go to an elective doctor in Austria, you will pay out of pocket for your appointment. Later, you’ll need to ask for reimbursement from your compulsory public insurance company. Once you receive confirmation of the reimbursement,  you’ll send all documents (including doctor fees and the public reimbursement) to your private insurance, which will pay the difference between what you paid at the doctor and what you got back from your public insurance.

This is typically done online and could even be partially automated, with doctors sending their fees and payment notes directly to public insurance.

Pay out-of-pocket

If you do not want to sign up for private healthcare insurance, you can stay with your public one, pay out of pocket if you need private services, and later receive a partial reimbursement. 

In general, a visit to a private practitioner costs between €80 and €120, and a visit to a specialist (orthopaedist, dermatologist, cardiologist) between €150 and €200 in the Austrian capital.

The amount of money you can get back if you go to a private doctor varies depending on several factors, including your health insurance company and the specific services provided by the doctor.

For example, with the most common public insurance, Österreichische Gesundheitskasse, ÖGK, around 80 percent of the amount that ÖGK would have spent if the doctor was linked to the public system is reimbursed. It is important to note that this does not correspond to 80 percent of your medical bill but to 80 percent of what ÖGK would have paid for your treatment at a public doctor, which is significantly lower than the amount listed on your bill.

Fewer public doctors in Vienna

In Vienna, there has recently been a decrease in the number of public doctors and an increase in the number of private ones.

Experts believe the reasons are stressful working conditions and limited numbers of contracts for doctors with public healthcare insurance. Public doctors are said not to take enough time for each patient, as the number of patients determines the profit. 

Over the past six years, the increase in private doctors has been particularly notable for doctors specialising in dermatology (rising from 58 percent to 71 percent) and urology (increasing from 55 percent to 62 percent).

READ NEXT: Healthcare in Austria: Why are there fewer ‘public’ doctors?

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