Linz city center

Demand for free parking and free public transport

In order to attract more people to the city center, the Wirtschaftsbund wants to offer free parking and public transport for two hours.(Bild: Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

Linz's city center has lost much of its charm in recent years, traditional stores have had to close and the resulting vacancies are no longer a rarity. The Linz Business Association is now pushing forward with a new idea "on the way to a shopping city worth living in". 

"With two hours of free parking and free public transport, we are creating incentives to visit the city center and strengthen regional trade," demands Markus Raml, Chairman of the Linz Business Association. Postscript: "The stores, restaurants and cafés in the city center are the backbone of our local economy. But fewer and fewer people are finding their way into the city center - traffic, expensive parking fees and alternatives are deterring them."

The cost of parking
But how much money would this actually save visitors? The parking fee in the paid short-term parking zones in Linz is one euro for every half hour or part thereof. The maximum parking time is 90 or 180 minutes.

Doing business in Linz must be made easier again - especially in times when the economy is under as much pressure as it is now. We need to motivate entrepreneurs again and not demotivate them, as is the case with unnecessary bureaucracy and a lack of municipal initiatives.

Bürgermeisterkandidat Martin Hajart (ÖVP)

In the Promenade underground parking garage, every half hour or part thereof costs €1.70. At Linz AG, adults pay €5.60 for a day ticket, while a single journey costs €1.40 or €2.80 depending on the number of stops.

"Making access easier for everyone"
"The city center is a place of encounter and shared experience. Whether for a stroll through the city, lunch with friends or a visit to cultural institutions - we want to make access easier for everyone," says Raml.