In four days through Lower Austria

Lower Austria is the biggest of Austria’s nine states. There will be elections for the federal state parliament in two weeks. Today’s head of the government (who remains to be the old/new candidate) started his election campaign last Monday with a big happening and – among others – with the remark that this will be the shortest possible campaign. Well, believe it or not, it would be possible in a shorter time:

There are 21 political districts in Lower Austria (including the independent city of Waidhofen an der Ybbs). If the governor wants to visit all his districts, it will take him not longer than 12 hours (and he has not to break any speed limit). So, even if he wants to stump for, let’s say, one additional hour per district and stay for a couple of time with his grass roots, it will take him not longer than three days. Or four days if you include some sleeping hours.

That’s the route:

St. Pölten – Lilienfeld – Scheibbs – Waidhofen an der Ybbs – Amstetten – Melk – Krems – Zwettl – Gmünd – Waidhofen an der Thaya – Horn – Hollabrunn – Tulln – Klosterneuburg – Korneuburg – Mistelbach – Gänserndorf – Bruck an der Leitha – Mödling – Neunkirchen – Wiener Neustadt – Baden – St. Pölten.

If, for any reason, you want to enjoy a train journey, you have to leave St. Pölten with the 6.28-train (in the morning) and start a 1510-minutes-tour (the equivalent of 1 day, 1 hour, and 10 minutes). That’s pretty much the double burden (compared with a car ride)

I would recommend inviting all electors directly to the respective train stations and stay not longer than one hour there.

The OEBB (the Austrian Federal Railways) have no 24hr-Service within the minor train system of Lower Austria, so the “sleeping-problem” resolves itself: You have to stay overnight in Krems at 9.28pm of the first day, in Horn at 7.24pm on the second day and in Bruck an der Leitha at 9.38pm (3rd day). And you will return to your office in St. Pölten on the fourth day at 3.27pm