Welcome to Vienna
Federal Minister Werner Faymann Welcome to Austria and to the capital city Vienna! I am particularly pleased that UITP has chosen to hold its 2009 World Congress and Exhibition here. I hope you'll take the time during your visit to get to know Austria's public transport system, especially in Vienna. We have invested a lot of hard work in the quality of Austria's public transport and in the wide range of available mobility The Federal Government has a 50% participation in the expansion of the Vienna subway system, and last May, a large new section of the U2 line to the Ernst-Happel Stadium was opened. Since the beginning of my term of office, we have been able to significantly increase state funding for public transport, thus making it even more attractive. An Austria-wide budget plan for transport infrastructure has made financial planning easier and provided additional security and transparency for local and regional authorities. The plan was approved this year by the Federal Government for the second time, and is the basis for some €11 billion to be invested in infrastructure by 2013. The further development of rail transport is particularly important to me, making our railway system more productive and more attractive. This is the only way we will be able to offer commuters an acceptable alternative to driving to work. The measures that have been so successfully implemented in Vienna have shown that this can and does work. I wish you a pleasant and informative stay in Vienna!
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