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The Ringstraße in Vienna at the Dr.-Karl-Renner-Ring tram stop, with the Austrian Parliament and the City Hall tower behind

Austria

Vienna

Photo: Isiwal, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Vienna is tightening short-term rental rules, adding flood-protection capacity after the 2024 storms, restoring nature on a former railway site with EU LIFE funds and redesigning the Erdberg office area.

Updated · Checked against official sources

  • Population (1 January 2026)

    2,040,914

    2026

  • Mayor and Governor

    Michael Ludwig

    SPÖ

  • EU programmes

    3

Latest

  1. Regeneration and housing ·

    Vienna tightens short-term rental rules with a mandatory register and higher fines

    A council committee backed a package that limits converting flats into tourist accommodation across the whole city.

    Facts and source
    • Vienna is introducing a registration obligation for short-term rental providers, restricting conversions of homes into accommodation and raising penalties.
    • Buildings must keep at least 80% of their usable floor space as housing when units are converted into accommodation.
    • The state parliament is to adopt the law so that it can take effect at the turn of the year.

    Source: Stadt Wien, Rathauskorrespondenz, “Verschärftes Regulativ für Kurzzeitvermietung in Wien - Stadt Wien sichert Wohnraum nachhaltig ab”

  2. Climate and energy ·

    Vienna commissions Europe's most powerful rainwater pump of its type on the Donauinsel

    The €18 million upgrade of the Donauinsel pumping station raises flood protection for the 21st and 22nd districts after the September 2024 storm.

    Facts and source
    • Wien Kanal installed a rainwater pump of 15,000 litres per second at the Donauinsel pumping station.
    • The €18 million project took 22 months from tender to commissioning.
    • Peak capacity of the station rose to 60,000 litres per second.

    Source: Stadt Wien, Rathauskorrespondenz, “Mehr Power für den Überflutungsschutz: Europas größte Regenwasserpumpe auf der Donauinsel ist einsatzbereit”

  3. Regeneration and housing ·

    Vienna adopts plan for green spaces and a roof park at Erdberg under the Tangente

    A guiding plan for the Erdberg office area foresees new public spaces under the urban motorway, a high-rise and a publicly accessible roof park.

    Facts and source
    • Vienna's urban development commission adopted the guiding plan for Erdberg on 13 October.
    • The plan includes a planned roof park of 5,000 square metres.
    • The detailed design of the high-rise will be set through an architectural competition in 2027.

    Source: Stadt Wien, Rathauskorrespondenz, “Stadtplanung: Neugestaltung beim Standort Erdberg an der Tangente”

  4. Climate and energy ·

    EU-funded LIFE VienNATURA restores a 90-hectare former railway yard in Vienna

    The city's largest renaturation project is bringing back Pannonian dry grassland at the unfinished Breitenlee marshalling yard, now a Natura 2000 site.

    Facts and source
    • LIFE VienNATURA, funded by the EU, is Vienna's largest renaturation project.
    • The former Breitenlee railway yard covers about 90 hectares.
    • Invasive species such as goldenrod and tree of heaven are being removed and replaced with site-typical plants such as oaks.

    Source: Stadt Wien, Rathauskorrespondenz, “LIFE VienNATURA – neues Leben für ein altes Bahnareal”

City briefs are drafted with AI from official sources; every fact is checked against the source text before an editor approves it.

Projects we track

3 projects · 1 completed · 1 under way

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    LIFE VienNATURA, Breitenlee

    Vienna's largest renaturation project is restoring Pannonian dry grassland on a 90-hectare former railway yard with Natura 2000 status, with a nature trail and an information hub planned.

    Funded by EU LIFE programme Climate and energy

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Donauinsel pumping station upgrade

    A new rainwater pump of 15,000 litres per second raised peak capacity to 60,000 litres per second, improving flood protection for Floridsdorf and Donaustadt.

    Budget EUR 18 million Funded by Stadt Wien (Wien Kanal) Climate and energy

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Erdberg at the Tangente redevelopment

    A guiding plan adopted in October 2026 foresees new green spaces under and beside the motorway, a high-rise at the park-and-ride site and a public roof park; an architectural competition follows in 2027.

    Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

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