New Year's Eve run and celebrations: Vienna is alive, but the traffic is at a standstill!

New Year's Eve run and celebrations: Vienna is alive, but the traffic is at a standstill!

On December 31, 2025, Vienna will be a colorful hustle and bustle of festive anticipation and traffic chaos on New Year's Eve. The traditional 49th New Year's Eve run, which this year covers a distance of 5.35 kilometers, causes extensive traffic closures from the early hours of the morning. From 10 a.m., the Ringstrasse between Operngasse and Schottengasse will be closed, followed by sectional closures along the running route from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Police and emergency services are on duty to regulate traffic.

For those who rely on a car, there are a few alternative options that are recommended: Vordere Zollamtsstraße, Am Stadtpark, Am Heumarkt, Lothringer Straße, Karlsplatz and the Zweierlinie. If you have to cover a longer distance, you should consider the Belt as well as the Obere and Untere Donaustraße or the Handelskai to escape the traffic jams, like Cosmo reported.

Traffic restrictions also in the evening

Traffic restrictions will continue into the afternoon and evening as the New Year's Eve trail creates further closures. From around 2 p.m. there will be a driving ban in the area of ​​the Ringstrasse around Rathausplatz and the Stephansplatz subway station will also be closed from 9 p.m. for safety reasons. This can create additional inconveniences for travelers, which is why the use of public transport is strongly recommended.

From around 6:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., tram lines D, 1, 2 and 71 will also be diverted or short-routed, further restricting mobility within the city. On this day, bus line 74A will only run between St. Marx and Landstrasse. According to that Austrian Radio (OTS), the transport companies are overloaded, which is also noticeable in other cities such as Graz, Linz and Innsbruck.

Celebrate until the early hours of the morning

Viennese people and their guests can expect numerous New Year's Eve celebrations throughout the city. The New Year's Eve trail stretches from the town hall square to the Neuer Markt, where a varied program is offered on seven stages. The celebrations end with the turn of the year, with anticipation of the new year in the air. However, the ARBÖ warns of longer waiting times at border crossings, which applies not only to Vienna, but to numerous large cities in Austria, such as the courier explained.

With these comprehensive traffic regulations and what is sure to be enthusiastic celebrations, New Year's Eve in Vienna will be an exciting but also challenging experience for everyone. One piece of good advice remains: If you want to avoid the chaos, you should use public transport and get on your way in good time.