Photo by Iceblinkbaby

We can’t imagine an inefficient Viennese transportation system. Not only do buses, trains, and trams arrive and depart more or less at the expected time, passengers can also map out their itinerary using suggested routes and means of transport via Wiener Linien online.

Recently, the government of Vienna announced that they will increase the prices of tickets along with the parking ticket charges, much to the anger of the opposing political parties and people on the street.

According to Verkehrsverbund Ost Region, the company that manages transportation in eastern and southern parts of Austria, increased ticket prices only make sense. For the last five years ticket prices have remained more or less stable, while vast investments in security and quality have been made. Case in point: last year the U1 metro line was extended five stations, to Leopoldau.

On June 1, the new tariffs will take effect. The price of a single journey purchased in advance will increase from €1.50 to €1.70. A complete list of fare hikes can be seen here.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Photograph by Elen Farkas

Recently, there was an alarming report on the steadily increasing weight of Austrian kids and teenagers, with everyone pointing fingers at McDonald’s.

But Austria is not exactly innocent when it comes to fast food culture. Sausage stands are a tradition here. And with the migration of Turks into Austria in the late 1960s, kebab stalls and Middle Eastern-influenced restaurants arrived on the scene. Nowadays, sausages and kebabs are both firmly entrenched components of the local fast food scene. Some enterprising food stand owners sidestep the wurst/kebab face-off by offering both items, in addition to pizza.

Meanwhile, the Vienna chapter of the right-wing Freedom Party is upset about the adoption of the kebab by Austrians as a favorite local fast food. Its controversial party head Heinz-Christian Strache has formed a new organization with some even more extreme right-wing members, calling it SOS Abendland. The new organization’s foremost aim is to preserve good ol’ Austrian values and resist the influence of multiculturalism and tolerance. Its critical attack on Islam in Europe extends from the justifiable—say, hate speech by radical Imans—to the ridiculous. Yes, you guessed right, the Freedom Party does not like kebab stalls.

We are sure that they won’t agree with us that kebabs are heaven-sent. Kebabs are a bit healthier and cheaper than hamburgers, too. The kebab sandwich consists of fried meat (beef, lamb or chicken) and salad, onion rings, tomatoes, and sour cream.

They are also addictive. And because they are available at street corners across Vienna for about €2.50 per sandwich, it’s easy to fall into the kebab vortex.

Popularity: 3% [?]