Transport revolution: NÖVOG optimizes bus timetables from April 22nd!

Transport revolution: NÖVOG optimizes bus timetables from April 22nd!

On April 22, 2025, Növog introduces a total of 44 timetable optimizations in regional bus traffic. These changes aim to improve public transport for pupils, commuters and families. The background of the optimizations is feedback from municipalities, educational institutions, companies as well as passengers and own surveys of the NÖVOG. Many of the adjustments are only in the minute, but should make significant improvements in connection connections and waiting times. This reports Kosmo .

One of the concrete improvements is to advance the Sunday evening course on line 758 (Gmünd, Weitra, Freistadt) to ensure a better connection for boarding school students in Schrems. In addition, line 200 (Vienna, Laxenburg, Eisenstadt) will serve the “Wampersdorf Bahnhof” stop in the future, which facilitates a switch to the S60 S-Bahn line. Line 515 in Wolkersdorf is expanded to include the “Liese Prokop Straße” stop. Further optimizations concern Gloggnitz, Großkrut and Ziersdorf, where the transfer times are shortened.

reactions to the changes

The new connection data are already stored in Austria (VAO). NÖVOG has taken over the planning of regional traffic since September 2, 2024 and can therefore react faster to customer feedback. An example of this is the quick solution to a problem for a father, whose son regularly missed the connection bus.

Another highlight in regional traffic is the Ötscherland-Express, which promotes trips on weekends and public holidays. The start of the season is planned for May 1st. However, the future of the Ötscherland-Express lies in the floating, since extensive renovation work is necessary and the financing has not yet been secured. The continued operation beyond the 2025 season is questionable, without additional public funds. In 2024, the operators of the Ötscherland-Express counted around 8,500 passengers, especially in the summer months the utilization was very high.

financing questions in local transport

The current situation in public transport is characterized by rising costs and financial tensions. According to Future Mobility , driving prices are increasing in many traffic associations and companies, which often bumps into passengers. Nevertheless, users usually accept these increases because alternatives are often lacking.

Economic pressure on many transport companies has several causes: increasing personnel, fuel and infrastructure costs. In particular, the infrastructure requires a high maintenance effort, which is reflected in the financing models for local public transport (public transport). In Germany, the framework conditions and funding opportunities are complex and vary depending on the federal state.

User financing plays an important role in the financing of public transport; In 2008, fare income contributed to the total budget with around 8.99 billion euros. Central financing instruments urgently need to be negotiated because they could expire. Discussions about alternative financing models, such as local transport or the citizens' ticket, are increasing to enable the public transport.

Overall, it can be seen that developments in local transport require reserved and well -considered changes in order to meet the needs of passengers in the long term and to master the challenges in financing. This is also reflected by the state government in Lower Austria, which discusses a long-term financing concept for the Ötscherland-Express.