Austria has some of the most permissive speed limits in the world and you are allowed to drive at 130 kilometres per hour on the motorways. Cars are generally manual but you can also order automatic vehicles.
Cars entering an intersection from the right have priority unless otherwise stated. Traffic entering the motorways must yield to traffic which is already on the motorways. You cannot turn right on a red light unless indicated to do so by a green arrow. It is illegal to talk on a mobile phone unless you have a hands-free kit. If you are caught the fine can be anywhere between 21 and 730 euros.
First aid kits, visibility vests and warning triangles should be carried in all cars. You must use your headlights at night and in bad weather and it is illegal to only use your parking lights at those times. Having some cash on you at all times is recommended as fines can be requested on the spot with your vehicle potentially impounded for non-compliance.
During the winter you must have winter tyres on your car when driving in snowy weather. Although snow chains are not compulsory you should carry them with you at all times.
Accidents must be immediately reported to the police if someone was injured, but not necessarily in the case of damage. Wait for the police to arrive and get the other driver’s name, address and insurance details. Drivers must return to the scene of any serious accident or road death until the police arrive. The police will give you an accident report which is required by your rental company.
It is mandatory to for all passengers to wear seatbelts in the front seat and back seats. Children under 12 years old or less than 1.5 meters tall may not sit in the front seat unless they are in an approved child safety seat. However child seats should not be used in the front if there is an airbag.
Motorway signs are blue with an illustration of a motorway in white. Your car must have a motorway tax sticker if you intend to use Austrian motorways. These stickers can be purchased to last for varying amounts of time up to one year. They can be bought at many petrol stations and are not expensive. Your car rental company should be able to sort this out for you.
1.22 Euros for unleaded, 1.28 for super unleaded and 1.13 for Diesel. In Austria all petrol stations have unleaded 91 octane petrol and unleaded 95-octane. The sale of leaded petrol is forbidden in Austria. Bank cards are usually accepted or purchasing petrol, although not always at automatic pumps.
The Alcohol limit in Austria is very strict and only 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per millilitre of blood is allowed.
Your driving licence, and your passport if your driving licence does not have photo ID. Furthermore you must have the vehicle registration documents as well as proof of insurance.
Yes, though you should supplement it with an International Driving Permit. You can use EU licences, and if your licence is non EU you can use it for six months from your entry date. However if you have a foreign licence which is not in English you should have an official translation of the licence.
Hello - Gruess Gott
Motorway - Autobahn
Expressway– Schnellstraßen
Goodbye - Servus
Petrol – Benzin
Please follow police - Polizei bitte folgen
Unleaded – Bleifrei
Road construction - Baustellen
Fines - Verwarnungsgeld
Self service - Selbstbedienung or SB-Tanken
Warning triangle - Warndreieck
All of the motorways in Austria operate on a toll system. The vignette motorway tax sticker covers you to drive on toll roads but you can be fined on the spot if you don't have it.
50 kilometres per hour in built up areas
100 kilometres per hour on rural roads
130 kilometres on motorways, though there are some sections which are free of speed limits.
Speed limits are enforced by unmarked police cars and radar traps as well as cameras. If you get a ticket it will be sent to your rental agency.
The conversion from kilometers to miles per hour is one kilometer = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed limit in built up areas is 30 miles per hour.
The minimum age to drive is 18, though to hire a car you should be 21.
The emergency services are 114 for Ambulances, 122 for fire brigade and 133 for police.
The American Embassy is at Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090 Vienna and can be contacted on +43-1 31339-0. Their website is http://austria.usembassy.gov/
The British Embassy is at Jauresgasse 12, 1030, Vienna and can be contacted on Tel: +43-1 716130. Their website is http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy/europe/embassy-vienna
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.