A woman in Vienna is suing the city over what she says is discrimination in access to public toilets, arguing that women are charged to use cubicles while men can use urinals for free.

Melanie Gradik, 27, filed a legal complaint after encountering the charge at a park toilet in the Austrian capital.

Gradik said she had been with a male friend when she discovered she would have to pay 50 cents to use the toilet, while he could use a urinal without charge.

She argues the system is unfair because women have no equivalent free option.

Her lawyer, Petra Laback, said the case could have implications beyond Vienna if the court rules in Gradik's favour, potentially setting a precedent for other municipalities across Austria.

The city says the 50-cent charge is applied at 29 of its 168 publicly managed toilet facilities, where attendants are employed to oversee cleanliness and maintenance.

Vienna authorities also said the fee applies to cubicle use by people of all genders, while free urinals are provided to reduce public urination.

In very busy locations with intensive use it is necessary for organizational reasons to ensure supervision in order to guarantee proper use and cleanliness," Sandra Holzinger, a spokeswoman for the municipality, told AFP.

"In these 29 facilities, a usage fee of 50 cents must be paid for the use of cubicles by people of all genders," she said, adding that urinals were additionally provided "in order to prevent fouling caused by urinating in public spaces."

Gradik, however, said the issue goes beyond the cost.

She said the 50-cent fee is "a small thing, but it's also an example of how women are treated unequally in everyday life."

A court ruling could determine whether Vienna's toilet arrangements comply with Austria's anti-discrimination laws.