Austria Travel Planning Essentials

Trip Planning Essentials

A Brief History

The Romans, Charlemagne, the Babenbergs, and the Habsburgs have all shaped Austria.

From the 4th century BC, Celtic tribes lived in what is now Austria.  At the end of the 1st century BC, the Romans established Vindabona (Vienna). Around 800, Charlemagne, the king of the Franks and the first Holy Roman Emperor established a territory in the Danube valley known as the Ostmark (Eastern March).

Essential Information

German.

Austrians speak their own version of German called ‘Österreichisches Deutsch’ (Austrian German). There are many different words in Austrian German; words are pronounced differently, and there are subtle differences in grammar.  In addition, Austria has many regional dialects.

Many Austrians speak English-especially in tourist locations.

Euro (€) which is divided into 100 cents.

There are coins for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and €1 and €2 coins.

Notes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, 100, €200 and €500.

Police:                                    133

European Emergency:  112

Medical Emergency:      141

Ambulance:                         144

Fire:                                          122

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are called Bankomats and are very common everywhere. There are English instructions and normally a daily withdrawal limit ~400€.

Cash is king in Austria. Be prepared to pay with Cash at Christmas Markets and smaller cafes, restaurants, stalls, etc. This is especially true in smaller towns and villages. You may also need Euro coins to access public washrooms.

Electronic transactions have become more popular, but Credit cards are not ubiquitous (or even popular with Austrians).

You should not assume that you can pay everywhere with credit cards, especially for smaller transactions. Smaller shops, cafes, and restaurants in the countryside may not accept cards. 

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted; however, many places do not accept cards such as Diners Club or American Express.

Ensure that your debit card is functional in Austria and check your PIN, as transactions over 50€ may require a PIN in Austria.

WIFI is called WLAN (“Veelan” in German) 

Internet and Wi-Fi are easily accessible in most urban areas and are increasingly free in many public spaces. Most hotels and numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi. 

Austria has a well-developed communications infrastructure. There are a number of mobile phone providers that offer national coverage. In populated urban areas, there is a good mobile signal, but  in rural areas, the signal may fluctuate.

Check data roaming charges for Austria with your service provider before leaving home as these can quickly become very expensive.

In German, are called Apoteke and are depicted by a green cross on a white background sign. You can only buy medication (including painkillers) in Austria at Apoteken. Pharmacies are usually open from Mon to Fri from 8.00 am – 6.00 pm (sometimes closed at lunch between 12:00 and 2:00 pm) and Sat. 8.00 am – 12.00 noon.

Outside these times, a pharmacy operates at night and weekends (known as Nachtapotheke).

A list of the nearest open pharmacy is posted outside each pharmacy, or you can check on this Website

Austria’s postal system (Österreichische Post) is reliable, inexpensive and efficient. Stamps are available at Post offices and Tabaks.

Austria is predominantly a Catholic country, with a smaller percentage of Protestantism as well as Muslim populations.

Crime levels in Austria are low. However, there’s a risk of petty theft, particularly in airports, in popular tourist attractions and on public transport. Please take sensible precautions to protect your belongings, particularly your passport, money and credit cards.

Smoking is officially banned in public places, but attitudes toward smoking are not as negative in Austria as in countries like the US, UK, or Australia.

Shops are closed on Sundays and holidays.

• Souvenir shops may be open in tourist areas.
• Restaurants, cafes, and bakeries are allowed to open on Sundays and holidays, but everything else (including Grocery Stores) are closed.
• Grocery stores in transit (airports, train stations, and petrol stations) and tourist areas (such as ski resorts) can open reduced hours on Sundays.
• There is no such thing as 24-hour shopping in Austria. Most shops close by 18:00/19:00 (6 -7 pm).
• Some restaurants and Cafes may have a Ruhetag (Rest Day), basically a day off. Generally, Ruhetags are on Mondays or Tuesdays, so check restaurants and cafes for their opening hours.

Austria uses the 24-hour clock. This means 2 pm is 14:00 and 8 pm is 20:00.

Note: In German, saying half three (halb drei) means 2.30, not 3.30. It’s halfway to three, not half an hour past two.

The time zone in Austria is GMT+1, 1 hour ahead of London GMT.

Tipping is not as embedded in the culture in Austria as in the US. It is not mandatory to tip (trinkgeld), but most people do provide a tip for good service.

When tipping, Austrians normally add 5% to 15% to the bill, so it’s rounded up to a convenient number. For example, if the bill was 12.50€, you hand them a 20€ note and say 14€. When you pay cash and do not require the small change, you can say ‘passt schon’ (‘it’s alright’) or “Stimmt so”

Several shops in Austria offer a VAT refund when leaving the country. Please ask the salesperson whether tax-free shopping applies to the shop in question.

Metric.  Distance is in metres (m) or kilometers Km (0.62 mile).  Speed limit of 100 km/hour is ~62mph.

Weight is in grams (g)m kilograms (kg) 1 kg is ~2.2 lbs.

The tap water in Austria is of excellent quality. Unless otherwise advised, you can drink the local tap water. Bottled water can be bought at supermarkets, kiosks and many shops.

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