Forecourts at Vienna Central Station Become Climate-Ready

The forecourt at the main entrance and the rear square at Vienna Central Station will be unsealed, greened, and redesigned to be climate-friendly. The goal is to make the central transport hub, used by 120,000 people daily, more attractive with trees, green spaces, and cooling elements.

Out of the Asphalt: Start for Redesign at Forecourts at Vienna Central Station 2026

"We are bringing a best of from our Out of the Asphalt product line to the forecourt. The transformation makes the neighborhood more beautiful and also improves the microclimate. With our greening initiative, which we have been promoting throughout the city since 2021, we are also creating a new place to be here. We have already redesigned several station forecourts, such as at Praterstern, a citizen participation process is currently underway for Franz-Jonas-Platz in Floridsdorf, and preliminary work is taking place at Julius-Tandler-Platz in front of Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof in Alsergrund. This is how we enhance the station environments in our city and make them pleasant places to stay," said Vienna's City Councillor Ulli Sima. The starting signal for the renovation of the forecourts at Vienna Central Station is in spring 2026 at the rear and in front of the main entrance in summer 2026.

"Station forecourts are otherwise only subject to functional considerations. The fact that there will now be more greenery and cooling here is, on the one hand, a visible sign for travelers arriving here that they are now in one of the most livable cities in the world. The redesign also brings the opportunity that, with the increased quality of stay, the squares will be better accepted by district residents who shop or visit the gastronomy here," said Marcus Franz, district chairman of Favoriten.

"With the redesign of the station forecourts, we are setting a strong signal for a climate-resilient and people-friendly city. Intelligent urban planning means turning places with high daily traffic into livable spaces through greening, cooling, and good quality of stay. Especially here, where thousands of people arrive and move on daily, inviting, lively, and climate-fit urban spaces are needed," says NEOS Vienna club chairwoman Selma Arapovic. "With the greening of the forecourts, we are setting a clear sign for sustainability and quality of life. Our goal is to transform Vienna Central Station into a future-proof and greener environment for everyone who uses this important transport hub daily," says Silvia Angelo, board member of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.

Greening Initiative at Several Corners at Vienna Central Station

At Vienna Central Station, two heat hotspots are being redesigned: the forecourt at the main entrance and the area between the station and Gerhard-Bronner-Straße. These areas are to be greened and unsealed to create cool spaces with seating and water features. Additionally, lighting for pedestrians and cyclists will be improved to increase safety. Twenty-five new bicycle racks will be installed to promote environmentally friendly mobility. Tree planting is difficult due to the station rooms below and limited root space. Overall, there is little greenery, and the existing planters do not provide enough shade.

35 Trees and New Water Features for Forecourts at Vienna Central Station

The forecourt at the main entrance and the rear entrance at Vienna Central Station will be designed with perennial and grass beds as well as 35 trees to improve the microclimate. Raised enclosures provide the trees with enough root space. Over 3,500 square meters will be unsealed in total. A drinking fountain on the southern forecourt provides cooling. The gravel beds are replaced by grasses and perennials. Access to the parking garage remains. Seven misting columns offer refreshment in the heat. Additional seating will be installed, and the light paving remains as it heats up less. Rainwater can seep away, which supports cooling. On Wiedner Gürtel, between Gertrude-Fröhlich-Sandner-Straße and Südtiroler Platz, the bike lane will be replaced by a separate two-way bike path. Along this new bike path, green spaces with shrubs and grasses will be created. The bus terminal stops for 13A and 69A at Südtiroler Platz remain unchanged.

Climate-Resilient Redesign Also in the Surroundings

As part of the "Out of the Asphalt" initiative, Favoritenstraße will be redesigned over 1.3 kilometers. From the Platz der Kulturen to Landgutgasse, areas will be unsealed, greened, and cooled. New seating and a water feature will be added. Preliminary work began last summer, and surface design starts on April 22. In a second phase, greening will extend to Reumannplatz. So far, 320 projects have been implemented in Vienna as part of the "Livable Climate Model City." The 100-million-euro funding pot is exhausted. A total of 243,000 square meters of green spaces, 3,004 trees, and 2,500 seating areas have been created. More information can be found at www.wienwirdwow.at.

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