Vienna transit to impose 50 euro fines more quickly

Vienna’s public transport operator Wiener Linien will more quickly impose 50 euro penalties for eating, making calls on speakerphone, watching videos without headphones, carrying e-scooters outside permitted hours or bringing dogs on board without muzzles, ORF reported Wednesday.

Fines were already possible, but staff generally issued warnings. City councillor Ulli Sima said the policy would now be enforced more strictly. Passengers will still be asked to stop disruptive behaviour, but those who refuse will have to pay. The charge is officially called an additional fee.

Wiener Linien is also launching a new campaign to encourage consideration among passengers. Posters and announcements will remind them of rules set out in the operator’s house rules and conditions of carriage. Service and security staff, as well as inspectors, will monitor compliance.

Wiener Linien chief executive Alexandra Reinagl said passengers wanted more consideration on public transport, while noting that most people behaved well. The company said the situation had improved since its first campaign in spring. It recorded around 12,000 violations in March, compared with just under 8,300 people spoken to in October.