Central Europe · UN member
Austria: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of Austria · Republik Österreich
Austria is a country in Central Europe with its capital in Vienna. It has a population of 9.2 million (#97 in the world) and covers 83,871 km². The official language is Austro-Bavarian German. The currency is the Euro (EUR, €).
Where is Austria? Map of Austria
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia.
- Region
- Central Europe
- Coordinates
- 47.3333° N, 13.3333° E
- Neighbours
- 8 — see list
- Coastline
- Landlocked
- Austria
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Austria showing Vienna (capital) and the largest cities: Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Dornbirn, Wolfsberg and Sankt Pölten.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Austria
- Passport
Under the Schengen Borders Code, a third-country national’s travel document must be valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Member States and must have been issued within t…
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 93 need no visa, 105 need a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Austria entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
No official requirement. Under the Schengen Borders Code (Annex I), the supporting documents border guards may check for tourist or private trips include a return or round-trip ticket.
- Proof of funds
The European Commission's table of reference amounts required for the crossing of the external border, fixed by national authorities, gives Austria's minimum amount per day and per person as "on a case-by-case basis".
- Travel insurance
Under the Visa Code, Schengen visa applicants must prove they hold travel medical insurance valid throughout the Member States for the whole intended stay, with minimum coverage of €30,000 (for a multiple-entry visa, co…
- Arrival card
The EU says that at your first border crossing since the Entry/Exit System started, passport control officers will take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints, and your passport will not be stamped.
- Customs allowance
The EU says that if you enter or leave the EU with €10,000 in cash (or its equivalent in other currencies), you must declare it to customs in the EU country you are entering or leaving.
- Travel advice
Safe to visit — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Austria
- Safety: Yes — Austria is generally safe to visit: the US State Department rates Austria Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
- Best time to go: June to August — when daytime highs in Vienna are around 24–27°C.
- Money: the Euro (EUR) — 1 US dollar is about 0.8911 EUR.
- Plugs: type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 112 / 133, Ambulance 144, Fire 122.
- Language: Austro-Bavarian German is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside built-up areas and 130 km/h on motorways.
- Time zone: UTC+1 in Vienna.
- Capital: Vienna. About 9.2 million people live in Austria.
- Outdoors: 9 national parks and 324 ski areas.
Key facts
Austria at a glance
Languages spoken: German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)
Geography & history
About Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and the victorious Allies then occupied the country in 1945. As a result, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade after World War II, until a State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Austria joined the EU in 1995, but the obligation to remain neutral kept it from joining NATO, although the country became …
Read the full history
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and the victorious Allies then occupied the country in 1945. As a result, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade after World War II, until a State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Austria joined the EU in 1995, but the obligation to remain neutral kept it from joining NATO, although the country became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1995. Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
Location
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Climate
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
Terrain
mostly mountains (Alps) in the west and south; mostly flat or gently sloping along the eastern and northern margins
Highest point
Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower
Natural hazards
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
National symbols
eagle, edelweiss, Alpine gentian
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Austria
The default speed limits in Austria are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside built-up areas and 130 km/h on motorways. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.5‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 5050 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and citiesWith a trailer: 80 km/h
- 100100 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roadsWith a trailer: 80 km/h
- 130130 km/hMotorwaysMotorways / freewaysWith a trailer: 100 km/h
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 Vienna, 1949 Geneva, 1926 ParisCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05% BAC)0.1‰ for young / novice drivers
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsRequired by law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)4.6 per 100,000 peopleSafer than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Austria safe to visit?
Yes — Austria is generally safe to visit: the US State Department rates Austria Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: Updated information on European Entry-Exit System (EES) (‘Entry requirements’ page).
Updated 11 Aug 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Austria
The best time to visit Austria is June to August, when daytime highs in Vienna are around 24–27°C. May and September are also a good time to go. July is the warmest month (27°C by day), January the coldest (-5°C at night), and June the wettest with about 91 mm of rain.
- Jan2°C-5°C
- Feb4°C-4°C
- Mar9°C-1°C
- Apr15°C4°C
- May20°C9°C
- Jun24°C13°C
- Jul27°C15°C
- Aug26°C15°C
- Sep20°C10°C
- Oct15°C5°C
- Nov8°C1°C
- Dec3°C-3°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Austria
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
112 works from any mobile phone, even without a SIM card in most networks. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ski resorts
324 ski resorts in Austria
- 7,171 km of slopes
- 3,062 lifts
- up to 3,423 m
Biggest: Ski amadé · Ski Arlberg · Skicircus Saalbach-Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn
National parks
9 national parks in Austria
- 3,311 km² protected
- oldest from 1981
Largest: Hohe Tauern National Park · Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Kernzonen Land Salzburg · Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Außenzonen Land Salzburg
Currency · 26 October 2026
Euro exchange rates today
Austria uses the Euro (EUR, €). One US dollar buys 0.8911 EUR; over the last 30 days the EUR has lost 1.5% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in EUR
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Austria ranks
How Austria compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Austria
188 airports and airfields — 6 large, 3 medium and 55 small, plus 123 heliports. 6 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Austria borders 8 countries along 2,524 km of land borders. It is landlocked.
Military
Austrian armed forces
Austria ranks #84 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $6.4 billion (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Vienna (2.0 million)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and paper, electronics, tourism
Export partners
Germany 25%, USA 9%, Italy 7%, Switzerland 5%, Hungary 4% (2023)
Top exports
cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, vehicle parts/accessories, nitrogen compounds (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Austria
Next public holiday
All Saints' Day — Sunday, 1 November 2026. Then Immaculate Conception (8 Dec).
Austrian passport
Ranked #14: 123 countries visa-free, 33 with visa on arrival, 9 with an eTA and 19 with an eVisa.
Austrian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Austria's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Austria
Dial +43 before the local number. Internet domain .at.
Climate footprint
56.4 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 6.18 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Austria: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Austria
Croatian Citizenship by Descent: Old 'Austrian' Papers Do Not Rule It Out
Descendants of Croatian emigrants may still qualify for citizenship even when family records list an ancestor as Austrian, Hungarian or Italian. Croa…
Tel Aviv-Vienna flight diverted to Bulgaria after bomb threat
An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Bulgaria after a bomb threat, disrupting passengers on the route. Few details on …
Tel Aviv–Vienna flight lands in Sofia after bomb threat; search finds nothing
Austrian Airlines Flight OS82 from Tel Aviv to Vienna, carrying 57 people, made an unscheduled landing in Sofia on 18 October 2026 after a bomb threa…
Frequently asked questions about Austria
What do I need to travel to Austria?
How long must my passport be valid for Austria?
Where is Austria?
What is Austria known for?
What is the capital of Austria?
What language is spoken in Austria?
What currency does Austria use?
What is the calling code of Austria?
Which countries border Austria?
How strong is the Austrian passport?
What is the speed limit in Austria?
Is Austria safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Austria?
What plug type does Austria use?
How many airports does Austria have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.