Welcome to Austria
Currency in Austria
Today’s Weather
Basic Country Profile
Location: In the heart of Europe
Population: 8.8 million
Capital: Vienna
Major language: German
Major religion: Christianity
Currency: Euro
Terrain: Mountainous
Climate: Continental
Dial code: +43
Time zone: GMT+1
Emergency numbers:
112- General Emergency Number
122- Fire Brigade
133- Police
140- Mountain rescue
144- Ambulance
Disability Legislations and Policies
Austria was one of the first countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008 before the EU did. The parliament issues a lot of laws to protect those with disabilities. According to official data, about 30 per cent of the total population suffer from at least one disability. About every 7th person regularly needed help and every 10th received daily support.
Starting in January 2016, the Austria Equal Treatment Act, which originally came into force in 2006, has been expanded to cover accessibility issues in already existing buildings. The law states that all services in the public area have to be accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities.
Support for people with disabilities consists of a two-pronged approach, which covers direct financial support as well as services. Financial support, primarily called Pflegegeld (disability allowance for attendance), amounts to a rather large sum of approximately 2.53 billion Euros per year.
Useful Links
Barrier Free Travel
www.oebb.at/en/reiseplanung-services
Holidays on Wheels
www.holidaysonwheels.at/en
Wheel Map
www.wheelmap.org