Austria Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving In Austria
Austria drives on the right and you can use an EU photo licence. Other countries drivers need their own licence plus an International Driving Permit. Speed limits range from 130kmh on motorways to 100kmh on non urban roads and 50kmh in built up areas.
Austria has a well maintained road system largely based on toll highways , classed as A1-A25 and expressways classed S1-S37. The tolls operate on a vignette system with a sticker in the windscreen showing you’ve paid the charge which was around 9 euros in 2020 for a 10 day vignette. Rental cars should all come with a vignette but if you are travelling through Austria you will need to purchase one at a petrol station or tobacconist. There is also a process for purchasing a vignette online at https://www.asfinag.at/toll/
Driving standards in Austria are generally as efficient as the road system, though expect the usual rush hour congestion in major cities. During the winter,roads in alpine areas may become dangerous due to snowfall, ice, or avalanches. Some mountain roads may be closed for extended periods and tire chains are often required. You should check whether you’ll need special equipment with the rental company.
Many travellers drive in or through Austria as part of a bigger driving trip through Europe. Some driving times and distances within Austria and to neighbouring countries are as follows-
Vienna- Salzburg– 301 km, estimated travel time, 3 hours
Vienna- Prague– 295 km, estimated travel time, 3.5 hours
Vienna- Budapest– 243 km, estimated travel time, 2.5 hours
Vienna- Bratislava– 79 km, estimated travel time, 50 mins
Vienna-Ljubljana– 382 km, estimated travel time, 4 Hours
Salzburg–Munich 145 km, estimated travel time, 1.5 Hours
Vienna–Innsbruck 479 km, estimated travel time, 4.5 Hours
Innsbruck- Zurich 278 km, estimated travel time, 3.25 Hours
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Austria Car Rental –
Sixt ,Hertz, Europcar, Alamo, National,Avis, Budget, Dollar,Thrifty, have outlets here. Also usually features on Car rental broker sites and Web discount sites.
We currently have no local car rental partners in Austria. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com
Austria Self Driving Rules–
Cross Border Rentals are generally allowed within Europe but there may be restrictions on taking the vehicle into certain Eastern European countries, especially with high spec vehicles. Some companies will allow one way rental to neighbouring countries upon request at the time of booking but will charge for this.
