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Collect 10 euros for toilet access: Citizens protest in toilet chaos!
New paid toilet regulations in Wiener Neudorf: 10 euro entry for locals. Discrimination lawsuits spark discussions.
Collect 10 euros for toilet access: Citizens protest in toilet chaos!
When it comes to public toilets in Vienna and the surrounding area, there is currently a heated debate. A breath of fresh air is blowing through the city, as a paid regulation for public toilets will be introduced in Wiener Neudorf from September 2025. How Today According to reports, local citizens have to purchase a personalized entry ticket for 10 euros, which is valid for 30 years. Mayor Herbert Janschka from the ÖVP introduced this measure to combat frequent sabotage, pollution and drug use in the toilets.
Criticism comes primarily from a retired citizen, 77-year-old Stefan: “This is an inadmissible interference with data protection,” he says and plans to contact the data protection authority and the Equal Treatment Commission. Many people also find the rule that non-residents cannot receive an access card incomprehensible. Another problem is the limited opening hours of the municipal office, which can only be reached in the mornings from Monday to Thursday. And for a family of five, that can be quite expensive: 50 euros for going to the toilet is nothing to sneeze at.
Public toilets in Vienna
Things aren't much different in the federal capital itself: In Vienna, public toilet cubicles in highly frequented places like Rathausplatz or Pier 22 cost 50 cents for women. Men, on the other hand, often get the bargain because they can choose between paid cabins and free urinals. This is criticized by the Equal Treatment Attorney as blatant discrimination. “The situation has been known since 2010, but nothing has really changed since then,” explains mydistrict.
Interestingly, there are a total of 164 public toilets in Vienna, over 30 of which are paid cubicles. Children up to 14 years of age and people with disabilities are allowed to use the cabins free of charge, but only in toilets managed by MA 48. However, different rules apply to toilets operated by MA 45 (Vienna waters). Incidentally, MA 48 began switching to unisex toilets around 20 years ago.
The operation of public toilets requires nocturnal cleaning work, which MA 48 justifies with the fees. Nevertheless, the discussion about the unequal costs between genders remains pending. The Equal Treatment Commission in the Federal Chancellery does not yet see any need for action and considers the services to be identical.
A look into the future
It seems that the discussion about charging and equal use of public toilets is far from over. If the measures in Wiener Neudorf come into force quickly, it could set a precedent and also be a topic of conversation in other communities. In any case, it remains to be seen how politicians and citizens will react to this new development.