'The warmth is there': The Instagrammers helping foreigners decode life in Austria
The Local spoke to two of Austria's best-known English-language social media creators, Jonny Balchin (@austriankiwii) and Anastasia Postoeva (@oida_austria), about the unwritten rules, cultural quirks and everyday misunderstandings they help foreigners decode.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260909/the-warmth-is-there-the-instagrammers-helping-foreigners-decode-life-in-austria
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:49:34 +0200
What could Austria's planned ORF reform mean for viewers?
Austria is about to start debating a broader overhaul of its public broadcaster. The changes could affect what viewers watch and read online, the regional services they use, and even how ORF is funded.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260909/what-could-austrias-planned-orf-reform-mean-for-viewers
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 12:39:02 +0200
Majority of foreign residents in Austria want citizenship, survey finds
More than two thirds of foreign residents living in Austria want to naturalise, a new survey suggests. However there are strict barriers.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260626/majority-of-foreign-residents-in-austria-want-citizenship-survey-finds
Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:58:58 +0200
EXPLAINED: Why Austria's school language statistics can be misleading
Around one in four pupils has a non-German everyday language, but only a much smaller share is formally classed as needing extra German support. The figures measure very different things, even though people often discuss them together.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260909/explained-why-austrias-school-language-statistics-can-be-misleading
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:51:19 +0200
Could Austria face another record flood this autumn?
The mix of a record-breaking drought in Austria and unusually warm weather in the Mediterranean is prompting warnings about the potential for extreme rainfall. What do meteorologists say?
https://www.thelocal.at/20260825/could-austria-face-another-record-flood-this-autumn
Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:30:09 +0200
European cities to get more power to clamp down on tourist rentals
Cities across Europe will gain more leeway to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb under plans to bring down housing costs in tourism hotspots that the European Union is to unveil Wednesday.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260905/eu-to-help-cities-clamp-down-on-tourist-rentals
Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:38:52 +0200
Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Austria considers a nationwide overhaul of Sozialhilfe, while new figures show housing costs edging higher despite largely stable net rents, plus more stories from Austria on Wednesday.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260909/today-in-austria-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-wednesday-251
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:20:56 +0200
German Word of the Day: der Almabtrieb
September is Almabtrieb season in Austria. Across the Alpine provinces, cattle, sheep, goats and even horses are beginning their journey back from the high mountain pastures, with some of the biggest celebrations of 2026 taking place over the coming weekends.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260908/german-word-of-the-day-der-almabtrieb
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:33:47 +0200
Do you need Austria's new emergency ZIVA app if you already have AT-Alert?
Austria's new ZIVA app gives residents another way to prepare for floods, blackouts and other emergencies. But it does something quite different from the alerts that already pop up automatically on your phone.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260908/do-you-need-austrias-new-ziva-app-if-you-already-have-at-alert
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:15:17 +0200
How some social-housing tenants in Tyrol are getting free solar electricity
Renters normally have little say over what happens to electricity generated on the roof of their building. A housing project in Innsbruck is trying a different approach, with tenants able to use surplus solar power without paying for it.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260908/how-some-social-housing-tenants-in-tyrol-are-getting-free-solar-electricity
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:54:44 +0200
The essential advice for hiking safely in Austria's mountains this autumn
Austria offers superb late-summer hiking opportunities, but experts say smart planning and the right kit make all the difference for staying safe. Here's what you need to know.
https://www.thelocal.at/20250908/the-essential-advice-for-hiking-safely-in-austrias-mountains-this-autumn
Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:30:37 +0200
What Vienna residents should know about the city's acid burglary series
Suspects have been arrested or identified in Austria, Slovakia and Germany after a series of unusual flat break-ins involving corrosive acid. Investigations are still under way, and police have issued specific advice for anyone who finds suspicious damage around their front-door lock.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260908/what-vienna-residents-should-know-about-the-citys-acid-burglary-series
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:49:54 +0200
Five surprising Austrian citizenship rules you should know about
Getting - and sometimes even keeping - Austrian citizenship is not always so easy to figure out. Here are five interesting facts you might not yet know about becoming Austrian.
https://www.thelocal.at/20241121/five-surprising-austrian-citizenship-rules-you-should-know-about
Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:49:49 +0100
HAVE YOUR SAY: How has Austria changed since you moved here?
Austria has changed in many ways over the past few years and decades. We want to hear from international residents about what feels different now, what has become easier or harder, and how life in the country has changed since they first arrived.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260831/have-your-say-how-has-austria-changed-since-you-moved-here
Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:00:26 +0200
German Word of the Day: die Hausübung
For pupils in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, Monday marks the end of the summer holidays and the start of a new school year. That also means the return of the Hausübung.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260907/german-word-of-the-day-die-hausubung
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:50:01 +0200
Dozens of travel documents unlawfully issued at Austria's London embassy
Austria's Foreign Ministry has confirmed serious irregularities at its embassy in London, where dozens of travel documents were issued to people who did not meet the citizenship requirement.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260907/dozens-of-travel-documents-unlawfully-issued-at-austrias-london-embassy
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:45:29 +0200
How much power does the far right hold in Austria?
Following the far-right AfD's landslide victory in a federal state in neighbouring Germany, we look at how much power the far-right FPÖ has secured in Austria.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260907/how-much-power-does-the-far-right-hold-in-austria
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:12:09 +0200
Could Europe's border queues get longer this month as key EES date passes?
Monday September 7th could be a key date for the full enforcement of the EU's biometric border checks across the Schengen area with concerns raised that queues at border checks could get longer and slower this month.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260904/could-europes-border-queues-get-longer-this-month-as-key-ees-date-passes
Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:13:46 +0200
What Google's huge Upper Austria data centre could mean for jobs and the region
Google is already recruiting for its first Austrian data centre in Kronstorf, while plans for a much larger campus are moving through the approval process.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260907/what-googles-huge-upper-austria-data-centre-could-mean-for-jobs-and-the-region
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:56:09 +0200
Climate crisis: How the supersized El Niño could hit Europe
With Europe already seeing record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather episodes the summer, here's how meteorologists say the supersized El Niño phenomenon could hit the continent's climate in the coming months.
https://www.thelocal.at/20260907/climate-crisis-how-the-supersized-el-nino-could-hit-europe
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:19:23 +0200