OUR AUSTRIA TRAVEL GUIDE

When most people think of Austria, they think of rolling hills, skiing, Christmas markets, and The Sound of Music. And while the country does have all of this, it also has so much more!

For music lovers, it’s the home of Mozart. For foodies, it’s home to the Wienerschnitzel. For outdoor lovers, you can paraglide, raft, and hike. No matter what your love is, Austria likely has something just for you.

The minute you arrive, you the country’s charming villages will take you by surprise and have you feeling like you stepped into a Disney fairytale.

Language

German is the official language spoken by 98% of the population. There are distinct differences between the many regional dialects, and also a wide variation in the ‘standard’ Hochdeutsch spoken from region to region

Currency

The official currency of Austria is the Euro (EUR). 1£ is equivalent to just over 1 Euro.

To get the best exchange rate in Austria, it’s wise to use your credit card whenever you get the chance. There’s typically no service charge and are widely accepted throughout the country. If you need some Euros, you will find that ATMs are very prevalent in Austria, even in smaller towns. They are also likely linked to your bank at home so you shouldn’t run into any issues.

Electric Sockets

The standard voltage in Austria is 230 V, and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. The power outlets take type F outlets, so two-prong round and sometimes three-prong round. To avoid the hassle of having to buy new adaptors for everywhere you go, we recommend picking up a Universal Travel Adaptor before you leave

Austria permits a 90 days Visa-free travel to all EU citizens, including those not in the Schengen zone and 90 days Visa-free travel to those approved by the Schengen scheme including most of the Americas, Israel, and Australia.

You must always carry your passport with you in Austria as it is a legal requirement to have photo ID; Austrian citizens carry national ID cards. However, with that being said, we never were asked for our passports apart from checking into hotels.

Safety

Austria is a very safe country. Austria’s geopolitical position doesn’t put it at risk of terror and its high standard of living means crime is low and equality is high. Visitors will generally have no trouble walking around at night in cities.

The most dangerous crimes that affect tourists in Austria are pickpocketing and petty theft. Pickpockets occasionally operate on public transport and at major tourist sights. But as long as you practice common sense and take precautions, you won’t have any problems during your visit. Just keep your valuables out of sight.

Winter sports can be dangerous and you might get injured on the slopes. So always stay safe.

Even if you aren’t planning to go skiing, we still recommended that you get Travel Insurance. Personally, we would never leave without booking some sort of travel insurance beforehand. We recommend World Nomads as they cover you on a large variety of activities, from snorkeling to hiking. If you are looking for something more short-term, Safety Wings is a good alternative, as they have insurance plans that can be renewed on a monthly basis.

BUDGET

Austria is an expensive country to travel around, which is why it is often missed off the typical Europe travel route.

Saying that though, it is possible to travel here for approximately 90 Euro per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals, and use local transport only when necessary. The average traveller can expect to spend about 165 Euros a day.

Accommodation in Austria can be quite expensive. A room in a budget hotel, including a light breakfast, might only set you back 50 Euros a night. But staying in a luxury hotel will cost you at least 200 Euros a night. Restaurant’s in Austria aren’t cheap either and if you are planning a trip to Vienna, expect to pay an entrance fee for most attractions

However, the entire experience is 100% worth it as it is one of the most amazing places we have been to in Europe

OUR SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR VIENNA

If you are planning a trip to Vienna, the capital of Austria, you might want to follow our five-day itinerary. We made sure that it included as many attractions as possible. This should alleviate any fear of missing out (FOMO). Here is the summary of our 5-day Vienna itinerary that we highly suggest you follow:

• DAY 1 – Stadtpark, Stephansdom Cafe Halweka, Mozarts House and House of Music
• DAY 2 – Albertina, Staatshalle, prunksaal, Schatzkammer Silberkammer, Sissimuseum and Kaiser Apaprtments
• DAY 3 – Schonbrunn and Vienna Zoo
• DAY 4 – Belvedere, Granny Cafe, Leopold Museum and Natural History Museum
• DAY 5 – Hofburg Gardens, Spanish riding School, Opera House, Naschmarkt and Karlskirche

We have written a very detailed post about the suggested 5 day Vienna itinerary with lots of information and travel tips.

WHERE TO GO IN AUSTRIA

Are you travelling to Austria for the first time or returning for more? We hope to simplify your Austrian trip and help you chose where to go, how long to stay there and what to do once you have arrived. We research every destination we visit in-depth and have been to Austria ourselves. We have travelled to various areas in Austria and have created travel guides for all the places we visited. Each destination guide also includes a detailed tried and tested travel itinerary.

VIENNA

DAYTRIPS FROM VIENNA

TRANSPORTATION IN AUSTRIA

If you are travelling to Vienna you will most likely land at Vienna International Airport. If your destination is Innsbruck or the western end of the country, you can either transfer in Vienna for the one-hour flight to Innsbruck or fly instead to Munich, where airport shuttle buses will deposit you in Innsbruck in a little more than three hours. Domestic flights in Austria are expensive so it is best to travel around the country by ground transport.

Austria has a very efficient train system and there really is no reason to travel any other way. It is fast, comfortable, safe and always on time. It’s also the best way to enjoy the scenery. Trains are operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (Osterreichische Bundesbahnen, or OBB), which provides schedules, travel times, prices, and ticketing on its website. You can also use apps such as Rome 2 Rio to look up train connections.

The sleek, high-speed OBB Railjet, travels at 143 miles an hour and is one of Europe’s most luxurious and high-tech trains. It operates mostly within Austria but also connects the country’s major cities with neighboring destinations like Zurich, Budapest and Munich. There are also regular passenger trains that branch out to smaller towns, as well as sightseeing trains traveling famous scenic routes.

Because Austria is fairly small, train travel between cities is relatively short. From Vienna it’s about 2.5 hours to Salzburg (or less than two hours from Munich). The trip between Graz and Innsbruck takes about six hours.

Renting a car can be done from all airports (from our knowledge) and also in some bigger cities. If taking your own car from the UK then remember to check what the local laws are and make sure your car has been serviced. Remember they drive on the right in Austria.