Inequality in the car seat: City of Vs. Land in Austria

Inequality in the car seat: City of Vs. Land in Austria

The differences in the car seat between urban and rural areas are becoming increasingly clear. In a recent investigation, the Verkehrsclub Austria (VCÖ) found on the basis of the data from statistics Austria for 2023 that almost all state capitals, with the exception of the tranquil iron city, which has dropped per capita distribution of passenger cars (car). In contrast, the car ownership in rural regions has increased.

This throws an interesting light on the mobility patterns in Austria. While the cities tend to have fewer cars per 1,000 inhabitants, rural areas show an increasing trend. This could indicate, among other things, that alternative mobility offers are used more in urban regions, which can have a positive effect on the urban quality of life.

car density in the Austrian cities

If you take a closer look at the numbers, it turns out that the Vienna Margaret district last year with only 260 cars per 1,000 inhabitants has the lowest density. In contrast, the district of Waidhofen is on the Thaya, where the highest number can be found with 767 cars per 1,000 inhabitants. In the city of Salzburg, the number is 511, which makes it an interesting case compared to other cities. Innsbruck follows with 437 and Graz with 470 cars per 1,000 people.

At the state-wide level, the degree of car motorization in Austria is a total of 566. A clear trend can be seen: more and more people seem to prefer alternative means of transport, especially in urban areas, which are characterized by a better infrastructure for public transport and cycle paths.

VCÖ expert Michael Schwendinger commented and emphasized that a lower degree of car motorization shows that the population benefits from a more diverse range of mobility. This offer enables the residents to decide on their choice of transport even without a car, which is particularly important in order to achieve everyday goals such as shops, schools or leisure facilities.

In many regions, however, Schwendinger continues, the reality looks different. The necessary infrastructures are often missing here to ensure attractive and sustainable mobility. This could affect future political measures to improve mobility in a wide variety of regions and make it accessible to all sections of the population.

For in-depth information on these developments, the VCÖ refers to further data and analyzes on mobility in Austria here .