Maintenant, c'est le nouveau tarif officiel qui fait le buzz.

Federal government fees in Austria will remain unchanged for 2027, according to Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer and Infrastructure Minister Peter Hanke. Both ministers, members of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), announced the decision on Sunday via a joint press statement. They described the move as a fee brake affecting travel documents such as passports and driver’s licenses. While official administrative costs will stay flat, prices for the national climate ticket and the annual car vignette will see a modest increase of two percent. This rate is significantly lower than the standard inflation adjustment of 3.6 percent based on the consumer price index. The suspension of the automatic inflation adjustment for federal fees represents a financial relief estimated at 25 million euros for citizens compared to a full valuation. The measure applies to all official fees regulated under the Austrian Fee Act. Covered items include the issuance of passports, identity cards, vehicle registration certificates, driver’s licenses, criminal record extracts, and patents. Marterbauer stated that while Austria has long been among the EU countries with high inflation rates, the government is implementing a package of measures to curb price increases despite a tight budget situation. He noted that keeping the majority of federal fees stable is another step to dampen rising living costs. Hanke emphasized that mobility must remain affordable, particularly during economically challenging times. He argued that daily commutes to work, training, or family should not become excessively expensive. The minister called the limited price hike for transport tickets a concrete contribution to fighting inflation. Under the plan, the annual car vignette will rise by two percent instead of the indexed amount. A similar principle applies to the Climate Ticket Austria. Those purchasing the ticket before January 1, 2027, can still buy it at the previous price of 1,400 euros. Tickets valid from January 1, 2027, onward will be valued up by only two percent. The ministers calculated that this reduced adjustment saves approximately 22 euros per ticket. An early-bird action is planned for the 2027 vignette. Purchasers who buy the new vignette before January 1, 2027, will pay the current price of 106.80 euros. The price will rise to 108.90 euros upon the changeover at the start of the year. According to Marterbauer’s office, these measures require no legislative changes. The Fee Act already empowers the finance minister to adjust federal fees annually according to inflation, a right the government will simply waive for 2027. This decision follows a period of significant cost increases in mid-2025. As part of austerity measures, numerous federal fees were raised substantially in July of last year. Because most federal fees had not been adjusted since 2011, the catch-up inflation adjustment amounted to 48.2 percent. Consequently, the cost of a passport rose from 76 euros to 112 euros. Identity cards increased from 62 euros to 91 euros. Driver’s license fees went from 61 euros to 90 euros, while vehicle registration certificates jumped from 120 euros to 178 euros. Marriage registration fees also climbed from 50 euros to 74 euros. Political opposition has reacted sharply to the announcement. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) dismissed the measure as a sham action designed to mislead the public. Economy spokeswoman Barbara Kolm criticized the initiative as completely insufficient for providing lasting relief to citizens. She argued that the move serves merely to distract from the heavy burden policies of recent years. The Greens also voiced criticism, focusing specifically on public transport pricing. Transport spokeswoman Elisabeth Götz labeled the climate ticket price cap half-hearted. She pointed out that Minister Hanke had sought to significantly raise climate ticket prices just two weeks prior. Götz stated that the government was only applying brakes after substantial pressure from her party. She warned that even with the announced measures, the climate ticket will become more expensive in 2027, costing around 1,430 euros. Separate political conflict surrounds local public transport fares in Vienna. The upcoming price hikes for the Vienna Lines have sparked intense debate. The annual pass price increased from 365 euros to 467 euros earlier in 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, the one-time payment price will rise further to 483.10 euros. Single rides will also cost more, with digital tickets set at 3.10 euros and paper tickets at 3.30 euros. The annual adjustment for 2027 is set at 3.45 percent. Critics from the FPÖ, People’s Party (ÖVP), and Greens attacked the city government over these local fare increases. FPÖ city council member Klemens Resch highlighted issues with installment payments, arguing that those with less money end up paying more overall. He demanded an immediate price freeze for installment payers. ÖVP traffic spokeswoman Elisabeth Olischar targeted the automatic annual tariff adjustment mechanism, warning that rising fares make switching to public transport less attractive. Green leaders Judith Pühringer and Peter Kraus accused Mayor Michael Ludwig of prioritizing tax benefits for low-cost airlines over public transit affordability. They noted that infrastructure expansion has stalled and called for a genuine price brake on public transport. The SPÖ defended the higher tariffs by citing international surveys. According to data from the magazine Time Out, 90.3 percent of surveyed Viennese rated the public transport offer as good or excellent. This places Vienna seventh globally and first within the European Union. The SPÖ argued that the value for money remains attractive, with the annual pass costing roughly 1.32 euros per day, which is cheaper than comparable offers in London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin. The party also pointed to network expansions since 2012, including 37 new lines, nearly 195 additional route kilometers, and over 940 new stops. The city supports public transport with over one billion euros annually. SPÖ city council member Omar Al-Rawi maintained that regular inflation adjustments ensure long-term service stability and prevent larger price jumps in the future. He rejected claims of deteriorating services, noting that critics demanding cheaper tickets must specify which connections should be cut to achieve savings.