ÖBB plans to reorganise Vienna main station taxi rank

ÖBB plans to redesign the taxi rank at Vienna’s main railway station after customers reported overcharging and other problems, ORF reports, citing a report published Sunday by the Kronen Zeitung.

Passengers have complained of illegal fixed fares and refused rides, and some said they were pressured to take a particular taxi. Previous inspections did little to change the situation. Taxi companies said the practices were mainly associated with independent drivers who were not employed by a company. Tourists were particularly affected.

The planned changes concern the rank on the station’s south forecourt. Under the new layout, taxi drivers will pass to the left of the bus stops before entering a reorganised approach area. A marked route will guide vehicles in a loop to the rank, where they will have to queue single file. ÖBB says the changes are intended to make the order clearer and ensure fairer access.

The cost of the work has not yet been determined. ÖBB, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and the city plan to share the expense. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027, but the completion date is not yet known.