Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

VIENNA

Vienna to roll out free coronavirus ‘gurgle tests’ next week

The Mayor of Vienna has announced all people working or living in Vienna can be regularly tested for the coronavirus free of charge using a PCR "Gurgeltest".

Published: 26 March 2021 14:54 CET

coronavirus testing

ALEX HALADA / AFP

Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig announced on Friday the test project Alles Gurgelt (everyone gurgles) will be extended to allow everyone in Vienna to take four free PCR gargle tests (Gurgeltests) per week.

As of next week, a total of 200,000 tests per day will be available for residents of the city.

The tests can be collected and returned at participating BIPA and other REWE stores, which include Billa, Merkur and Penny as well as at the petrol station shops BP-Merkur Inside, Jet-Billa Stop & Shop and Shell-Billa Unterwegs.

Tests can be used to visit the hairdresser

The tests are carried out at home, and involve gargling with a saline solution for 60 seconds before collecting the liquid in a test tube to be returned for testing.

If you drop off your sample before 9am, you can get your test result within 24 hours.

The tests can also be used to visit a hairdresser or any other businesses with a test requirement, if you video yourself gargling and send the appropriate proof of ID to the online platform.

EXPLAINED: What is Austria’s test requirement to visit hairdressers?

According to laboratory partner Life Brains representative Michel Havel, the tests used for Alles Gurgelt are more than 98 percent accurate.

More information on the free testing scheme is available here.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Five unusual cafes in Vienna you should not miss out on

Vienna is known for its rich coffeehouse culture, with elegant cafes serving traditional brews in grand settings.

But beyond the classic spots, the city is also home to a range of quirky and unusual cafes offering unique experiences for those looking to explore something different. From eccentric decor to themed menus, these hidden gems add a playful twist to Vienna’s famous coffee scene.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, these cafes provide a refreshing break from the ordinary, offering not just coffee, but a chance to step into a world of creativity and charm.

Here’s a look at some of Vienna’s most intriguing spots to enjoy a drink with a difference.

Café Neko

This is the place to go if you want to pet some cute cats while enjoying a coffee or cake.

You will find Café Neko – which means cat in Japanese – in a cute street in Vienna’s city centre, and once you enter, you will be greeted by the café’s five resident cats.

In addition to cat petting, you can enjoy a wide range of coffees and Austrian and Japanese cakes since one of the co-owners is from Japan.

The café opened in 2012 and is Austria’s first cat café and one of the first ones in Europe.

Here, you can enjoy a cosy atmosphere, surrounded by cats playing with their toys spread around the rooms.

Find out more about the café here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Takako Ishimitsu (@cafenekovienna)

READ ALSO: Caffeine, war and Freud: A history of Vienna’s iconic coffee houses

Aufzug café

Are you a fan of old Austrian elevators? If so, this is a place worth visiting.

Here, you can drink your coffee while sitting in one of the cafe’s old elevators. The staff serving you are also dressed as old-time elevator porters.

You can enjoy high-quality coffee, different drinks and some cakes.

Due to the size of the space, the menu is quite simple, but the coffee and cakes are known for their good quality.

The café is also a bit of a museum, with elevator-related attributes, books about elevators, and photos of old Austrian elevators, sometimes with an explanatory text next to them.

Read more about it here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erstes Wiener Aufzug Café (@aufzug.cafe)

Allergikercafé

If you have problems with allergies or are on a strict diet, this is the place where you can enjoy your drinks, cakes, and snacks without any issues.

Here, you can order cakes or pastries without fructose, low in histamine, or without additives, to name a few examples.

You can also find various types of milk for your drink, such as rice or almond milk.

The café uses ingredients that minimise the risk of cross-contamination to ensure that its pastries are suitable for people with specific dietary needs.

The setting is cosy and friendly, and the café has a terrace.

Check out the menu here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AllergikerCafe (@allergikercafe)

READ MORE: How to drink coffee like an Austrian

Vollpension

This café is one of Vienna’s most famous ones. It was created to support the city’s elderly by providing them with a sense of community, a weekly activity, and an opportunity to earn extra money.

The idea turned out to be a success, and the concept is seen as a win-win situation for both the employees and the visitors, as the cosy café offers delicious cakes, coffee, and drinks.

While visiting the café, you usually pay for a package and can thereby sit in the cosy atmosphere for a certain amount of time. During this time, you can enjoy as much coffee as you want together with your cake.

Vollpension Café has two locations in Vienna and, in addition to the many different cakes and drinks, also offers breakfast.

If you get inspired by the pastries, you can take a baking class at the café, which is regularly organised.

Find out more here.

Karin Hofbauer, 62, bakes for Vollpension, and smiles as she shows a baking tray in front of a laptop. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Café Phil

You should go here if you do not want to visit only a café but also a bookstore and vinyl shop.

You can enjoy coffee and cake here while looking through many books and vinyl records.

The café often hosts cultural events such as book readings and live music gigs and is where people in Vienna gather regularly.

The atmosphere is familiar, and the menu includes light dishes and snacks in addition to coffee and cakes.

You can read more about it here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by uneviefrancaise (@uneviefrancaise)

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: The Vienna coffee shop where phone-less visitors get a discount

SHOW COMMENTS

Url copied to clipboard!