2025
Here is the archive with news from 2025.
Children's University 2025 at BOKU – Experiencing and Understanding Mobility
This week, as part of the Children's University 2025, BOKU once again opened its doors to young explorers – and the Institute of Transport Studies participated with two exciting courses.
"At 80 Through the Streets?" – for children aged 10 to 12
What does road traffic feel like from the perspective of an 80-year-old person? In this seminar, children were able to experience it firsthand – using an aging suit, a wheelchair, and a white cane. It quickly became clear how challenging public spaces can be for older adults or people with mobility impairments.
Using the app "What’s up?", the children documented their own impressions as pedestrians, noting what works well in public spaces and where improvements are needed. Measuring street cross-sections with distance meters was also part of this hands-on exercise.
The children experienced how exhausting and unsafe public spaces can feel for older people – and developed an understanding of why accessibility and consideration are so important.
"What Drives You?" – for children aged 7 to 9
This workshop focused on sustainable mobility. The children shared their own school routes and reflected on their choice of transportation. At interactive stations, they learned:
- how different modes of transport impact the environment and health,
- how to read bus schedules and route information,
- and demonstrated their skills on a scooter course.
The correct behavior when crossing streets was also discussed.
Our conclusion: Enthusiasm, curiosity, and lots of smart questions!
A big thank you to all the children for participating – and to the entire team for making it happen!
Non-Motorized Adventures: The 24th Cycling Excursion of the Institute for Transport Studies
Under the motto "non-motorized with bike and boat", the 24th Cycling Excursion of the Institute for Transport Studies at BOKU University took place on June 6, 2025. Organized by the institute and led by Michael Meschik, who has been teaching the course "Walking and Cycling" (856.110) since the 1994/95 academic year, this excursion has been a tradition since 1997. It has only been canceled twice due to flooding and twice more due to COVID-19.
Starting at the northern end of the Danube Island, the participants (this year, 13 students) cycled in perfect weather through Langenzersdorf and Bisamberg to the ferry crossing. The ferry took them from the left bank in Korneuburg to the right bank in Klosterneuburg. The route continued upstream along the Klosterneuburg canal. After crossing the Danube again at the Greifenstein power plant, the group reached the "Gießgang" in the Stockerau wetlands. Here, the highlight of the day awaited: a four-hour canoe trip on the old Danube arm, paddling upstream. The trip included a well-deserved lunch break, optional swimming, and a short gymnastics session to loosen up tired muscles.
The return journey from Stockerau led the group back on bicycles along the B3 state road through Spillern and Leobendorf, offering scenic views of Kreuzenstein Castle, before arriving in Korneuburg. Along the way, participants received explanations about transport infrastructure and local points of interest.The day concluded with a final discussion at the "Gasthaus zur Linde" in Korneuburg, where the group reflected on the various walking and cycling facilities they had observed, shared their impressions of the excursion, and enjoyed a well-earned meal. With at least 45 kilometers of cycling (many participants covered even more due to their individual journeys to and from the meeting point) and the canoe trip, the excursion provided not only valuable insights into sustainable mobility but also an opportunity to engage in physical activity and counteract sedentary habits.For the journey home, participants were guided to the Korneuburg train station, while some chose to cycle back to Vienna. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and the excellent atmosphere make us look forward to the 25th Cycling Excursion next year!
Another good week for Driving Urban Transitions Partnership funded project unlock15. They had an opportunity to participated in Empowering Urban Transitions: Accessibility by Proximity in the 15-Minute City hosted by TUM Accessibility Planning where they had an opportunity to present recent outputs from DREAMS project, and then followed by their first in-person unlock15 consortium meeting in Augsburg and in Munich