Austria

Translated by: John Agrafiotis

Last updated: Dec 18, 2023 @ 12:28 pm

Currency: €
Driving license: EU citizens just need the European driving licence. Non EU citizens must have an International Driving Permit (IDP).
Visa – Passport: All EU members and the following countries are exempt from the obligation of obtaining a visa: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, St. Christoph and Nevis, Switzerland,
South Korea, United States (USA), Uruguay, Venezuela. Please check this website for further information.
Border Crossings: Borders are open with all neighbor countries.
Insurance: EU citizens just need a Green Card. For non EU citizens, make sure that your International Motor Insurance Card is valid for Austria.
Fuel: Unleaded gasoline is called blyfrei normal or blyfrei super. Credit cards are widely accepted. Most fuel stations operate from 8:00 to 20:00. Fuel stations on the main roads stay open overnight. Unleaded 95 price is about 1,079€ (12/2020).
Equipment: Drivers and passengers must wear crash helmets.
Time Zone: GMT+1
Maximum Allowed Blood Alcohol Level: 0,05%
Speed Limits: Highways: 130 km/h, Main roads and outside cities: 100 km/h, Inside cities: 50/h km.
Specificities: Motorcycles are required to have their lights on during the day (and night of course). It is illegal to overtake a school bus that has stopped to load children. The tram has always priority.
Fines: On the spot fines are issued. Ensure that an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.
Parking: Parking in Austria is free at the weekends. During the week it is pretty cheap as you only pay 1.20 Euros per hour between 9AM and 10PM. However you can only park for one or two hours. Any longer than that and you should look for a parking garage. These can cost as little as three Euros per day.
Tolls: Tolls are called: Mautstelle. There are 3 different kind of toll tickets (stickers) and the only difference is the expiring dates: Valid for 10 days costs 5,40€, valid for 2 months costs 13,70€ and valid for one calendar year cost 36,20€ (online purchase). You can buy it at the border stations, at gas stations near the borders (you will see a sign saying Verkaufen) and at the post office. Vignettes are compulsory on all motorways and expressways in Austria, except the toll road A 1 Westautobahn between the national border at Walserberg and the Salzburg Nord junction, the toll road A 12 Inntalautobahn between the national border at Kufstein and the Kufstein-Süd junction, the toll road A 14 Rheintal/Walgau Autobahn between the national border at Hörbranz and the Hohenems junction, the bypass bridges to be built on the toll road A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn between the Hafenstraße junction and the Urfahr junction (currently still under construction) and
the toll road A 26 Linzer Autobahn (currently still under construction). A fine of up to € 240 is paid if a vignette is not affixed. If the fine is not paid immediately on the spot, administrative penal proceedings will be initiated, which involve considerably higher costs (300€ – 3.000€). Several passes over the Alps have separate and expensive tolls: Grossglockner: 1 day/27€, 3 weeks/51€, roundtrip/34€, extra charge for 2nd pass during the same calendar year (same license plates) 13€ – Gerlos: 1 day/7€, 8 days/16,50€, 3 weeks/24,50€ – Nockalm Road: 1 day/14€, 3 weeks/26€ – Villach: 1 day/12,50€, 3 weeks/21€. A new tour ticket is available specially for motorcycles. Tour ticket includes a day ticket for the Grossglockner, Gerlos and Nockalm Road and entitles the holder to a reduced ticket for the Villach Alpine Road (EUR 9 instead of 12,50). Available for EUR 41 at the individual cashpoints and in advance for EUR 37 at ÖAMTC, ARBÖ and ADAC offices.
Signs:
Abstand halten: Keep distance
Alle Richtungen: All directions
Altstadt: Old town
Anfang: Start or Starting Point
An geraden Tagen: On Even days
An ungeraden Tagen: On odd days
An Sonn- und Feiertagen: Sundays and holidays
Anschlub: Crossroad
Ausfahrt: Exit
Autobahndreieck: Crossroad (Τ) on a highway
Autobahnkreuz: Crossroad on a highway
Bauarbeiten or Baustelle: Road works
Bei Nässe: Wet tarmac
Belegt ή Besetzt: Fuel
Centrum or Stadtzcentrum or Stadmitte or Zentrum: Town center
Durchfahrt verboten: No Entry for Vehicles
Einbahnstrabe: One-way
Einfahrt: Entrance
Ende: End
Frei: Free entrance
Freiefahrt: Road without traffic
Gasse: Lane
Gefahr/gefährlich: Danger
Glatteisgefahr: Ice on the road
Grenze: Borders
Halt: Stop
Haltestelle: Bus or tram station
Keine, Kein: No
Keine einfahrt: No entry
Kraftfahrzeugwerkstatt: Workshop
Landschafts Schutzgebiet: No parking
Langsam fahren: Drive slow
Licht einschalten: Turn on your lights
Parkhaus: Parking garage
Polizei: Police
Radweg kreutz: Bicycle road
Sackgasse: Dead end
Schlechte Wegstrecke: Caution bad road surface
Sperrgebeit: Restricted area
Tankstelle: Fuel Station
Umleitung: Diversion
Unfall: Accident, drive with caution
Verboten: Prohibited
Verengte Fahrbahn: Junction
Zufahrt frei: Access allowed
Useful Phone Numbers:
European emergency number: 112
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Fire Department: 122

Useful Links:
Wikitravel Austria
Vacations in Austria official tourism page
Lonely Planet Austria

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Austria through Balkans (In Greek language only)
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* If you are from Austria or have been recently in Austria and you would like to add some information or correct some of the above listed, do not hesitate to contact us.

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