Application phase for €2,000 home improvement subsidy starts
From July 15th, people in Austria can apply for the Handwerkerbonus, a subsidy of up to €2,000 for home improvement works, online through a dedicated website. People can submit invoices retroactively, and any work done by a craftsperson from March 1st will be eligible for reimbursement.
The online application will be “quite simple.” For reimbursement, people will have to upload the worker’s invoice and fill in their details, such as name, address, and bank account number (IBAN). An ID-Austria registration or photo ID upload will be used for identification.
The federal government is earmarking €300 million for the bonus.
READ ALSO: What we know so far about Austria’s new €2000 grant for home improvements
Free Klimaticket for 18-year-olds
Austria will roll out its free Klimaticket offer for 18-year-olds on July 1st.
The Klimaticket is a yearly pass that, at €1,095 per year, covers nearly all public transport nationwide. So, for about €3 a day, it’s possible to ride from Vienna to Salzburg and around town without any extra expenses. You just hop on the train and go.
It’s very similar to the popular Jahreskarte, or yearly ticket, in Viennese public transport, which allows unlimited travel within the city for €1 a day.All people who have celebrated their 18th birthday since January 1st, 2024 and are registered with their residence in Austria can have the free KlimaTicket Austria issued.
The ticket is then valid for one year—young adults can freely choose the start of validity between their 18th and 21st birthdays.
READ MORE: How to get your free Austria-wide transport pass
Free HPV vaccination for those under 30 years old
From July 1st 2024, the HPV vaccination will be free of charge for children, adolescents, and young adults from their 9th to 30th birthday.
Vaccination is currently available free of charge until the 21st birthday in Austria.
With a temporary offer from July 1st, 2024, to December 31st, 2025, people between their 21st and 30th birthdays will now also be able to get the HPV vaccination free of charge.
Two vaccinations are recommended. The 2nd dose should be administered after a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months. Between the ages of 15 and 30, the 2-dose schedule is an off-label application recommended according to the Austrian vaccination plan.
From the age of 30, HPV vaccination is recommended in a 3-dose schedule.
READ ALSO: Are vaccinations compulsory for children in Austria?
New licences required for short-term rental apartments in Vienna
From July 1st, 2024, Viennese flats may only be rented out for a short period of time, for a total of 90 days per year, and the tenant must retain their own place of residence in the rental flat.
An exemption permit is required for any tourist lettings beyond this. In residential zones (as has been the case since 2018), no such authorisation can be obtained at all, and even outside of residential zones, a building must not have been constructed with a subsidy.
In addition, “the majority of the flats in the building in question must continue to be used for residential purposes”.
Reimbursement for elective doctors goes digital in July
Significant changes are coming for patients who visit elective doctors (the Wahlärzte, those not contracted with national health insurance). Starting July 1st, these doctors will be required to electronically submit fee information to the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) upon patient request.
Previously, patients had to submit paper receipts for reimbursement. ÖGK Director General Bernhard Wurzer calls this a “milestone” for streamlining the process.
Wurzer clarifies that patients will have control over the electronic submission. They can request it or decline it. Ultimately, the goal is full automation, with reimbursements reaching patients within 14 days. Currently, handwritten paper slips create processing delays.
The change also benefits ÖGK by reducing their workload. Elective doctors will be required to use the “WAH online” program for electronic submissions, eliminating the need for scanning handwritten documents. While only 10 percent of doctors currently use WAH online, Wurzer expects widespread adoption by July, given the program’s mandatory nature. Doctors have been aware of the upcoming change since January 1st.
READ ALSO: When can I ask for reimbursement for medical expenses in Austria?
Austrian Post to start regular entrance room delivery
Austrian Post is set to launch a regular porch / entrance room delivery service in July, following a successful trial period since 2021. In partnership with Nuki, the service uses a digital lock system to allow postal workers to access a customer’s property and leave parcels in the porch / entrance room.
The initial rollout will begin with 200 pre-registered users, with more customers gradually added.
To participate, customers must be 18 years old, have an Austrian delivery address, and have a compatible door lock. The hardware, unless already owned, requires a one-time fee of €289. The service also includes parcel pick-up from the entrance. Customers can leave labelled parcels on a designated doormat for collection.
While simple theft is covered by household insurance, the Chamber of Labour advises informing the insurance company about the access authorisation. Austrian Post emphasises its liability for damages, assuring no incidents occurred during the trial period.
Major renovation work on Vienna public transport
The main line of the S-Bahn is closed between Praterstern and Floridsdorf this summer. The construction work starts on June 29th and will last until September 2nd, affecting the summer holidays of many Viennese who stay in town for those months.
The line, one of the busiest transport routes in Austria, is being modernised to handle even more and longer trains in the future.
Other summer restrictions exist in Vienna. Trains on lines 2, 26, and O can only run to a limited extent because points for the new lines 12 and 27 are being installed in sections. The Badner Bahn is split in two during the summer holidays.
Additionally, the U4 will again see construction with travel restrictions from June 29th to September 1st. The metro will not run between Schwedenplatz and Schottenring.
School’s out!
In some states, school summer vacations start in July, while in others, they start late in June.
Carinthia, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg: July 6h to September 8th.
Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna: June 29th to September 1st.
READ ALSO: When are Austria’s school summer holidays in 2024?
Festivals and events
In July, people can look forward to the Salzburg Festival, the Wetterleuchten Festival in Innsbruck, several open-air cinemas, and Vienna’s Rathaus culture and culinary festival, among other events.
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