BAST expanded: Available in every town in Burgenland from Sunday!

BAST expanded: Available in every town in Burgenland from Sunday!

From this Sunday, the Burgenland Call Share Taxi, or BAST for short, will operate throughout Burgenland. This initiative, which originally started as a micro-public transport system for the structurally weak south, is now also being made available in the northern part of the state. This means that the 171 communities in Burgenland can be reached even more easily and flexibly in the future.

From December 1st, a total of 822 new stops will be available to citizens, especially in the districts of Neusiedl am See and the Eisenstadt area. This is intended to improve accessibility to train and bus stops for people without their own car and to further strengthen local public transport. The Burgenland transport company relies on simple and spontaneous booking of taxi rides.

How does BAST work?

The BAST is available around the clock and trips can be made via the hotline0800 500 805be booked. However, booking should be made at least 60 minutes before the desired departure date. For those who want to plan ahead, rides can also be reserved up to 30 days in advance. The routes for trips must be between two and 30 kilometers long.

Operating hours are Monday to Sunday from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. During commuter hours, i.e. daily from 4:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the BAST serves as a feeder to the main traffic axes, especially to larger train stations. Outside these times, journeys between any BAST stops are also possible.

As far as costs are concerned, BAST is based on the prices of the VOR zone tariff. This means that passengers pay the same as for the same route by bus. In addition, all time and monthly tickets from the VOR are accepted, as well as the climate ticket. This means that it is also possible to purchase tickets directly in the taxi.

In a press conference in Rust, Infrastructure Regional Councilor Heinrich Dorner and Wolfgang Werderits, Managing Director of the Burgenland Transport Authority, explained the details of the expansion. Werderits emphasized that it was their intention to significantly improve the availability and accessibility of public transport for the population. Personal contact and constant availability via the hotline are of utmost importance to them.

Dorner described the expansion of shared taxis as a significant advance for public transport and sees Burgenland as a role model for the whole of Austria in this respect. Particularly noteworthy is the benefit for tourism in the north of the country, as the new micro-public transport can be used free of charge with the Burgenland Card since last June.

Overall, the introduction of BAST shows a clear direction towards a more accessible and user-friendly public transport network in Burgenland. A more comprehensive analysis and further information is available in an article courier.at to find.