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TRAIN TRAVEL

Train derails in Austria leaving one dead and many injured

One person died and a dozen were injured when a train derailed Monday outside of Vienna, according to rescue services.

Published: 9 May 2022 21:13 CEST
Train derails in Austria leaving one dead and many injured
Illustration photo: (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Rescuers rushed to the accident at Muenchendorf, just south of Vienna, according to Andreas Zenker of the Red Cross of Lower Austria.

“One person died, three have been seriously injured and nine lightly injured,” Zenker told AFP, adding about 100 people were riding the train when the accident occurred in the evening rush hour.

 “Two carriages derailed for yet unknown reasons,” he said, adding that one crashed into an embankment while another tipped over into a field next to the tracks.

“Serious train accident at Muenchendorf,” the emergency services of Lower Austria wrote on Facebook.

“According to initial information, there are numerous injuries, several emergency helicopters and a large contingent of rescue workers are on duty at the moment”

A spokesman for Austrian rail operator OeBB said the train in the accident did not belong to OeBB but to Raaberbahn, a private train company connecting Austria and neighbouring Hungary.

No Raaberbahn representative could immediately be reached by AFP.

Deadly train accidents are rare in the Alpine EU member of nine million people.

In April 2018, 54 people were treated for injuries after two train carriages collided at a station in the Austrian city of Salzburg.

Earlier that year in February, one person died and 22 were injured when two passenger trains collided in central Austria.

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VISAS

Cost for getting a short-stay Schengen visa to rise on June 11th

The fee for getting a Schengen visa will rise by 12 percent in June, the European Commission has confirmed.

Published: 4 June 2024 14:52 CEST
Cost for getting a short-stay Schengen visa to rise on June 11th

The hike means the basic fee for a Schengen visa will rise from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children. The reason for the price hike has been blamed on inflation in member states.

Schengen visas can be obtained by non-EU citizens from countries that do not benefit from the EU / Schengen area’s 90-day rule such as such as nationals of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China.

Schengen visas are not required for citizens of countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia who are paying short visits to the EU, since they are entitled to 90 days of visa-free travel in every 180.

Anyone who wants to spend longer in an EU country will need to apply for a long-stay visa – but these are issued by individual countries, not the EU. The cost of these visas vary depending on the country and the type of visa (eg study visa, work visa).

In addition to raising the basic fee to €90, the EU has also proposed hiking the fee even higher for those countries who are deemed not be cooperative with receiving expelled citizens back from member states.

In this case the Schengen visa fee for citizens from that country will rise from €120/€160 to €135 /€180.

In addition, the revision of visa fees impacts the maximum amount that external service providers collecting visa applications on behalf of member states can charge, which is usually set at up to half the standard fee.

This charge would increase from €40 to €45.

The fee for a Schengen visa extension will remain at €30.

Revised every three years

Every three years the EU Commission is tasked to assess whether new fees are needed, considering “objective criteria”, such as the EU inflation rate and the average of civil servants’ salaries in EU member states.

The Commission published its proposal on February 2nd, following a meeting with experts from EU member states in December, when an “overwhelming majority” supported the revision.

The Commission says that even with the increase, the visa fees for the Schengen area are “still relatively low” compared to other countries. For instance, a visa for the USA costs €185, or €172; for the UK it starts from £115 (€134); for Canada it is $100 plus $85 for biometrics, or €130; for Australia $190, the equivalent of €117.

Digital-only visa

The EU is also planning to introduce a digital-only Schengen visa. This will allow to apply online, regardless of the Schengen country applicants intend to visit, and will replace the current sticker in passports with a digital visa.

According to the European Commission website, the digital platform will start operating in 2028.

Who needs a Schengen visa

The Schengen visa allows a stay for tourism or family visits (but not for work) in 28 European countries for up to 90 days in any 6-month period. People travelling for business trips, conferences or meetings apply for a Schengen business visa.

Anyone who wants to stay longer, or to work, needs a visa from the country they intend to visit.

The Schengen visa is required for citizens of countries who do not benefit from the ‘90-day rule’, such as nationals of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China.

It is not needed for other non-EU nationals such as Brits, Americans, Canadians or Australians who can spend up to 90 days in every 180 in the Schengen area without needing a visa. You can see the full list of countries who need a visa here.

Schengen countries include EU member states, excluding Ireland (which opted out), Cyprus, and Bulgaria and Romania for land borders. Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland are not EU members but have also joined the Schengen Convention.

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