From the airport to the city centre Austria
It's easy to find your way from Vienna airport to the city center by train or streetcar. With the CAT (City Airport Train), the fastest, the fare is €12 one way, €21 return.
Arrival by train Austria
Austria is just a train ride away from France. The SNCF offers services between Paris and Vienna, via Germany. On average, the journey takes around 15 hours. This solution is no cheaper than a low-cost flight. Austria's train stations, whether vintage or modern, are clean and well-documented. Getting here by train is no problem at all. The stations are linked to the various districts by bus, streetcar or subway.
Arrival by boat Austria
You can disembark in Austria on a Danube cruise, in Vienna for example, on your way from Prague.
Public transport Austria
The cities benefit from very efficient public transport networks, with all neighborhoods served. It's easy to find your way around, and the frequency and comfort are just right. Similarly, public transport linking towns and villages (trains for the cities, buses for the countryside) is very reliable, relatively affordable and even picturesque. The highly-developed rail network, with trains running 24 hours a day, is backed up by a bus network for towns with no railway station. Trains almost always arrive and depart on time, and the same goes for buses. What's more, fares are very attractive. In short, you can really count on the train-bus duo for an entire stay in Austria, from the capital to the smallest villages in the Tyrol.
Bike, scooters & co Austria
Cyclists enjoy dedicated lanes in the city and pleasant cycle paths in the regions. Bicycle and scooter rentals are available in Vienna and Salzburg, as well as in tourist resorts. The country boasts an impressive number of cycle paths. The trail along the Danube is one of the most pleasant and best organized, and the city bikes are practical and, above all, very safe. By the way, pedestrians are disciplined and respectful of cycle lanes (as pedestrians, don't forget!). In Vienna, the paths are listed on a city map specifically for cyclists. It's available in all good bookshops.
With a driver Austria
You can travel by cab or Uber (cheaper, but not everywhere) in all major Austrian cities. No need to focus on the meter, the drivers are honest. You're in Austria!
By car Austria
You can travel to Austria with your own vehicle. The 1,250 km from the French capital to Austria takes just over 11 hours. You can also travel via Germany or Switzerland. Don't forget to include the Austrian motorway vignette in your budget for Austria (€9 for 10 days). Switzerland also charges an annual vignette. In Germany, on the other hand, the freeway is free.
Driving in Austria poses no particular problems. City traffic may not flow smoothly at rush hour, and mountain roads can be vertiginous, but driving, to name but two constants, is always friendly and respectful of pedestrians. Parking difficulties in the city are the same as in other European cities. It's best to leave your car outside the city limits and use public transport. In town, the speed limit is 50 km/h (but many 30 km/h zones), on national roads 100 km/h, on freeways 130 km/h (110 km/h if pollution peaks). At night (11pm/5am), the speed limit is reduced on freeways to 110 km/h for cars and motorcycles, 90 km/h for buses, 60 km/h for heavy goods vehicles. Some mountain roads are closed in winter. The most vertiginous Alpine roads are sometimes not free of charge. With a dense, high-quality road network, the country can be crossed from east to west in 5 hours.
Your car will need to be reliable, as the gradients are steep (12% is not exceptional); moreover, on some freeways, the bends seem designed for vehicles likely to maintain a stable attitude at high speed... A fluorescent safety vest is compulsory; you'll also need to turn on your codes for daytime travel.
Autobahn and mautstrasse should not be confused, as the latter are roads which, due to a succession of structures (bridges, tunnels, etc.), are subject to a charge in return for construction or maintenance costs. As some tunnels have only one toll, you'll be asked to pay... after you've driven through it, unaware that it's different from the others. A good way to avoid surprises is to highlight the following points on your map: Arlberg tunnel, Grossglockner, Silvretta, Gerlos, Felbertauern and Gleinalm passes. A trip through one of these tunnels generally costs around €10. Toll booths accept cash and credit cards.
Motorway vignette. Vehicles using Austrian freeways are required to pay a motorway vignette, which must be displayed on the windscreen. You can buy a vignette for ten days at €9.40, for two months at €27.40, and for a year at €91.10. Of course, if you rent a car, the annual vignette will already be automatically affixed (check this before taking the vehicle) and you won't have to pay any surcharge.
Traffic. With the exception of a few off-motorway routes heavily used by heavy goods vehicles, such as Vienna-Linz-Salzburg, and on the outskirts of historic towns where driving through is problematic, traffic is fairly easy throughout Austria (except, of course, for adverse weather conditions). Directions are remarkably well signposted, and access roads are easy to navigate. In short, it's easy to find your way around the countryside, just as it is in the heart of the capital.
Road network. Very well maintained, but not always well developed, as freeways have rapidly taken precedence over traditional roads in this mountainous country. There's a big difference between main and secondary roads: the former are much busier than the latter, without being wider or better laid out, which makes them a little more dangerous. In winter, bring snow tires. You'll need chains if you're traveling in the mountains, and don't hesitate to ask about the weather before setting off. Some mountain passes are only open to traffic for a few months at a time.
Regulations. Legislation on permissible blood alcohol levels is strict (0.5 ‰): you can drive after drinking a maximum of one beer or a single glass of wine... no more! A warning triangle and first-aid kit must be carried in Austrian cars. Parking is often limited to an hour and a half, and a parking disc is available free of charge at petrol stations, banks and tobacconists. Front and rear seat belts are compulsory. From November to April, studded tires are permitted. From 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., between December and March, it is forbidden to park on streets with streetcar tracks, to make way for snowplows.
Hitchhiking. Hitchhiking isn't one of the fastest options, and it's certainly not allowed on freeways and four-lane roads. Average waiting times on the side of the road are long; Austrians are not used to stopping on the way.
Gasoline. Petrol is a little cheaper than in France... but the difference is slight.
Roads closed in winter: Sölkpass. Bockalmstraße. Maltatal Hochalmstrasse. Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. Stallersattel. Timmelsjoch. Hahntennjoch. Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse. Furkajoch.
Accessibility Austria
Accessibility is a reality in Austria, whether it's public transport, theaters, hotels or restaurants, at least in the city. And when this isn't the case, there's always someone on hand to help.
Tourist traps Austria
Although it's a fairly touristy destination, Austria isn't one where you'll always have to be on your guard. No scams on classic tours. Relax, Austria is a safe destination.
