"The experience of our Austrian colleagues will undoubtedly be valuable to Lithuania in improving the public transport system, ensuring convenient bus and train connections throughout the country, and encouraging sustainable mobility and less use of private cars. Organisation of the management and maintenance of national roads will also be an important topic, so discussions between our two countries will continue in the future at the expert level," says Deputy Minister Skačkauskas.
During the visit, the Austrian Federal Ministry presented the country's principles of public transport organisation, as well as the role of the federal government and the regions in forming public transport policy. Trains are extremely popular in Austria, and as many as 82 per cent of the country's residents have access to the railway. Recently, the Klimaticket (“climate ticket”) initiative – where by paying an annual subscription fee you can use all public transport in Austria, including local transport within the regions – has become extremely popular. Initiatives like these are designed to encourage residents to travel more by public transport.
The Lithuanian delegation also presented the country's plans to improve long-distance transport. An efficient long-distance transportation system that coordinates bus and train routes and is more responsive to the needs of municipalities should create incentives for residents to use public transport more often. In order to achieve this goal, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has submitted appropriate amendments to the Road Transport Code to the Government for consideration.
ASFINAG, a state corporation subordinate to the Austrian Federal Ministry that is responsible for the maintenance, management and development of the country's main federal road network, introduced the national road maintenance system and modern regional traffic control centre in Vienna.
The Public Transport Authority Eastern Region (Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region, VOR), which is the largest transport association in Austria, shared its experience in the field of public transport organisation.
Along with representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, representatives from the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration, the Lithuanian Road Administration, and AB Kelių Priežiūra also came to Vienna to learn about Austria's experience.
