Hello, dear readers!
Just a couple of days ago we ended our trip to Austria, which I organized myself... It’s a little sad that it’s already behind us, but we had a lot of pleasant impressions and photos! Below we will share our experience and tell you how to travel to Austria on your own. To get started, I suggest watching a short 3-minute video about Austria “Taste of Austria”.
Filming this video took two whole years! But it is definitely worth your time...
Well, have you strengthened your desire to visit Austria? Where do we start? Since in order to obtain a Schengen visa to Austria you must already have air tickets, proof of residence, as well as medical insurance in your hands, let’s start with air tickets. So, you need:
Buy air tickets to Austria
For us, when choosing a place for a future vacation, one of the decisive arguments is an inexpensive and short flight. We purchased tickets to Vienna three months before the trip, so we were able to buy them at a very cheap rate from the air carrier Austrian Airlines for 8.5 thousand rubles round trip.
2 Find apartments in Vienna and accommodation near Salzburg
We were very lucky with housing in Vienna - once again airbnb helped us, and the three-room 80-meter apartment turned out to be even better than in the photographs.
The dear hostess Daria was very kind; in her letters she gave us complete and comprehensive information on how to get there from the airport, where the cheapest parking is and where it is best to go in Vienna.
The apartment even turned out to have not three, but three and a half rooms, since the little son had his own living space with a bed and toys almost in the attic. In addition, the apartment was completely ready even for long-term stay– it had everything from an iron to a dishwasher; we unexpectedly found a child’s car seat (booster) in the apartment, which was very useful to us, because we had forgotten ours in Moscow.
Just in case, let me remind you once again that you will receive a discount on your first stay of €28.
As usual, you can always find the list of documents required to obtain a visa on the official website of the Austrian Embassy; the addresses of consular departments and their work schedule can be found there.
To submit documents at the visa department of the Embassy, you must appear in person, but if travelers have two or more Schengen visas, they do not have to submit documents in person. This is exactly what happened with my dad - we submitted the documents for him, the only thing is that we need to provide copies of previous Schengen visas, and if they were in the old passport - also a copy with the original of this document.
When submitting documents through visa centers, the rules are simpler, but for this you will have to pay an additional 26 Euros per visa (except for children under 6 years old).
More one important nuance : documents for applying for a visa to the Austrian Embassy must be in either German or English!
If there are no problems with the application form - writing your first name, last name and address in English is not at all difficult, then what about certificates from work and a certificate from the bank? The Austrians propose the following solution - the website has templates for translations of certificates from the place of work and certificates from the bank to German, where you just need to tick the appropriate boxes and attach these translations to Russian-language certificates.
However, we encountered one problem. If at work it was no problem to convince the HR department employee to sign and stamp another form, the Sberbank employees were baffled by our request, and they categorically refused to do it!
This is where she came to our aid once again credit card CITIBANK – in foreign banks, please issue a certificate for English language about the condition - it’s a common thing, and after 5 minutes they were in our hands!
So, having prepared all the documents, on the day of making an appointment we came to the address (in Moscow) Bolshoi Levshinsky Lane, 7/1.
There are certain requirements for the order in which documents should be submitted - all this can be clarified with the security guard or read at the stand.
One of the photos needs to be glued to the back cover of the passport in the upper left corner - glue, scissors are on the tables in front of the entrance to the windows for submitting documents. Reception is strictly in accordance with the registration; those who arrive without it are left to wait for a free period of time.
After submitting the documents, you will be given a receipt to pay the consular fee, this can be done strictly at RaiffeisenBank, the addresses of nearby branches will be given to you there, at the embassy.
A week later we were already picking up our passports with new visas, presenting a receipt for payment of the consular fee.
5 Car rental
Since, in addition to Vienna, we were planning a trip to Salzburg and on lakes of Austria(crazy beauty, I recommend!!!), the last step in preparing our trip was booking a car. Here, as always, we turned to rentalcars.com, easily booking a car for three days, paying about 5 thousand rubles.
6 Route planning
If you want to know more about the resorts of Austria, read our article about, it will help you get your bearings.
After long walks around Vienna, it will help you not only regain strength, but also have fun from the heart, especially if you are with children.
For those who are planning to travel around Austria by car, the article about them will be very useful - from it you will learn what they are, how much they cost and where you can buy them.
Shopping lovers can't miss it, be sure to set aside a day to visit it!
That's it, ready! Have a nice trip!
January 22nd, 2017 , 01:08 pm
Our plans changed as we moved and we booked some hotels on the fly. I also want to note that we have not been on long trips in Europe since the rate took off, and this was quite confusing for us. The prices seemed exorbitant, and the pleasure offered for them was modest. But I think we were able to find a good balance between spending well and having a good time by planning a lot in advance.
From Munich we headed to the German city of Füssen, famous for the nearby castles of the strange Bavarian king Ludwig II. The city itself turned out to be an exemplary Bavarian town with ideal houses, flowers on the windows and clean streets. We were charmed by the embankment, where we sat down to have a snack.
4
5
Ordinary people live on the embankment local residents. Their houses and yards are charming.
6
7
We also went through central square and main tourist streets.
8
A couple of minutes away by car is the tourist Mecca: a huge parking lot, a whole street of restaurants and the castles of Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein towering above it all.
9
We read a lot about these castles, we knew that they were good, in general, mainly from afar. Therefore, there was no goal to go on an excursion inside. You can climb to Neuschwanstein on foot or in a horse-drawn carriage (6 and 3 euros for the ascent and descent, respectively). We, of course, chose to climb on foot, it’s more fun and cheaper.
10
11
Everyone knows that the most best view to Neuschwanstein opens from the Marienbrücke bridge. This is probably true, but I can’t confirm it, because... the bridge was closed during our visit. But I can definitely say that you shouldn’t expect anything unimaginable from visiting the castle from the inside or from visiting the square directly under the castle.
12
But the view of the surrounding area delighted us!
13
14
After visiting the castles we went to our overnight stop in the Austrian village of Osten ( Östen).
Second day. Austrian village Osten, Innsbruck
Woke up early in a fairly simple and cozy guest house Haus Gamsblick. The village of Osten, consisting of three and a half houses and not a single shop, is located in a picturesque valley between two mountain ranges. Later we learned that the mountains on both sides of the valley are of different natures and belong to different types of Alps.
15
Good early Tyrolean morning!
16
After breakfast we took a walk to get water from the spring. Sources are everywhere here. The water is the same mountain stream that flows from the peaks, forming fresh water waterfalls.
17
18
19
A waterfall is visible in the background.
20
An hour and a half was enough to happily walk around the village and even reach the neighboring one. Thus, at about 10 am we happily set off on the road to Innsbruck.
21
And by 11 we were there and checked into the “hostel” Garni-Technikerhaus. It’s difficult to call it a hostel in our understanding, because... The room, translated into rubles, cost almost 5 thousand. But this is really the cheapest official housing in Innsbruck that we were able to find. We didn’t look at apartments or couchsurfing. It is also worth noting that we were charged an additional 5 euros for parking.
22
Innsbruck is a stunningly beautiful and atmospheric city right in the middle of the mountains.
23
A simple snack in the square. The milk is very tasty and fat – 7%.
24
25
26
27
28
Innsbruck became my favorite city on this trip.
29
Day three. Stans city, trekking, waterfalls, Lake Achensee, Salzburg
In the morning, leaving our room in Innsbruck at about 9 am, we headed towards Salzburg. On the way, we stopped in the town of Stans, where there are many trekking routes. We walked along a moderately difficult route that lasts about 7 km. Along the way there was a mountain river and waterfalls.
30
31
32
33
The final point of the route is the abbey on a rock ledge.
34
I highly recommend trekking routes to everyone who will be in quiet areas. Despite the fact that it is physically tiring, there is an opportunity to see unprecedented landscapes and be closer to nature. By the way, as a person who is always a little afraid to walk through the forests because of wild animals, I specifically inquired about their presence in Tyrol. As it turns out, there have been no bears or wolves in these parts since the end of the 19th century. This fact, of course, is considered a problem, and environmental organizations are dealing with it, but tourists can rest assured.
35
After trekking we went to Lake Achensee. It is considered one of the largest and most picturesque in Tyrol. The lake coast is dotted with hotels and well-maintained beaches. There are a lot of vacationers, given the high season. We also swam and were a little disappointed: the views are stunning, but the lake itself is a bit shallow and muddy.
36
At about seven o'clock in the evening we reached our overnight accommodation in Salzburg at the guest house Kolpinghaus Salzburg.
Salzburg, like Innsbruck, simply amazed with the prices for the most modest housing, and Kolpinghaus Salzburg is no exception. It is located almost a 30-minute walk from all attractions, offers the most modest service in the form of working schoolchildren and first-year students, but its prices turned out to be about 5 thousand rubles for a double room. The only advantages I can mention are a turnkey personal refrigerator and a fully equipped shared kitchen.
Salzburg is, of course, amazing, and we saw it exactly as in the photo below, turning from the streets into the park near the Mirabell Palace and seeing the castle hovering over the city in the sunset light. Honestly, I screamed with delight.
37
Day four. Salzburg
We had the whole day in Salzburg, so we calmly went for a walk around the city. You can also get to Hohensalzburg Castle by cable car or on foot. Here the climb is really quite steep and grueling, although short. You can go up on foot, and with purchased tickets to the museum you can go down by cable car. This may be interesting, for example, if this is new to you or if you are with children. The descent lasts 15 seconds.
38
39
I wouldn't call the museum in the castle very interesting. For example, the torture device room contains devices that have never been used within the castle walls. Many exhibitions, in my opinion, are far-fetched and made to take up empty space. However, this is a good opportunity to look at the city from above from the fortress wall.
40
The entrance ticket for 9 euros also includes an audio guide.
41
42
43
The city itself is pleasant to wander around, which is what we did for the rest of the day. We had a very Austrian, very high-calorie and delicious dinner in the restaurant national cuisine Paul Stube. Order gröstl - fried potatoes with beef and pork belly, cabbage and a fried egg.
44
Day five. Lake Wolfgangsee, village of Hallstatt, road to Vienna
On the fifth day we left Salzburg immediately after breakfast and went to another alpine lake called Wolfgangsee. This lake turned out to be one of best places for swimming in my life. The purest clear water, decent depth, comfortable temperature and, of course, an unforgettable landscape around.
46
I liked that it is convenient to access the lake, directly from the main road Wolfgangsee strasse, turning into a parking lot adjacent to the road near the Haus Seehif hotel. There are benches and changing rooms on every meter of the beach, just for travelers like us who didn’t plan to sunbathe for a long time.
Our rest by the lake took us no more than three hours, but during this time we managed to get thoroughly burned, recklessly underestimating the Alpine sun. Around lunchtime we headed to the famous village of Hallstatt.
47
This village is as crowded with tourists as Neuschwanstein Castle. It will take you no more than an hour to explore it if you do not plan to have lunch here. The village is famous for the fact that people have lived here for more than seven thousand years, mining salt. It is one of the oldest known settlements in the world. Today it is a popular attraction for tourists from all over the world, especially from China.
The place is actually very crowded in the summer, and personally it reminded me of Venice: it’s just as captivatingly beautiful, but it’s completely impossible to concentrate and, so to speak, stop the moment.
48
49
Of course, it is definitely worth walking to the edge of the village to see the famous landscape.
50
51
52
53
At about four o'clock in the afternoon we left the village of Hallstatt for Vienna and by seven o'clock we had already checked into the Park Inn. It was this Park Inn that we really remembered for its rooms on the ground floor with a courtyard, where we drank tea in the evening and surfed the Internet.
54
Days six and seven. Vein
It reminded me a lot of St. Petersburg, and many times I heard the same comparison from people I knew.
56
Vienna is elegant, bright and festive.
57
We walked around all the most Famous places in the city on the first day. And in the second we managed to visit the Museum of Natural History, which simply shocked me! You could walk there all day. If all the museums in Vienna are as interesting, then I will return here for at least a week.
Day eight. Cesky Krumlov, Mondsee
On the evening of the seventh day we left Vienna and headed to the Czech city of Cesky Krumlov, where we spent the night in a very nice guest house Penzion Weber.
A city that, perhaps, did not fit into our trip at all and was initially perceived by me as very controversial. Not far from the border of the Czech Republic and Austria, this, one might say, toy city, attraction city was created to attract tourists from all nearby countries of the European Union. Everything about it is so unreal, touristy and enticing.
58
People come to Cesky Krumlov because medieval castle with a moat around which the old city was built and “preserved” for any changes.
59
60
In many ways it resembles Tallinn or Riga, only, I would say, even a little less well-groomed.
61
One evening and time until lunch the next day was enough for us to see everything that seemed interesting to us in the Czech city. Even the night before, we realized that this city had been chosen somewhat in vain, and we wanted to go back. Initially, we had a plan to go to Ingolstadt, Germany, but some disappointment in the Czech Republic made us change our plans.
We decided to stay another day in the Alps and again headed towards Salzburg, stopping along the way at the resort town of Mondsee on the shores of the lake of the same name.
62
63
64
75
By lunchtime, however, it had become very hot and sunny again, and it was time for us to return to Munich. On the way we stopped at Hohenwerfen Castle. And again, having climbed the mountain path to the castle, we concluded that it is better to look at the castles from afar!
77
78
79
To summarize, I would like to note the mistakes we made. When going on such a trip and planning to spend the night in very different places, it is worth taking a lot of clothes. We had situations when during the day we walked through the mountains, drove for two hours in a car, then walked for several more hours. As a result, we were even forced to buy new clothes, because there was nowhere and no time to wash them.
I complained many times that I didn’t take disposable tableware, because products in Austria are high-quality and inexpensive, and for some reason it was very difficult to find plastic tableware. The photo below shows a grocery basket priced at less than twenty euros. With this set we had lunch on the lake.
Of course, the obvious conclusion was that we had chosen too many places to explore. Rather, it would be worth excluding a couple of cities from the route and leaving time for leisurely contemplation. You must definitely count on your strength so that you can still relax during the trip and not get tired.
And the final conclusion. Our trip cost about two thousand euros for two. However, we did not have dinner in restaurants many times and most of the hotels we chose were rather modest. I think these numbers can be considered starting points when planning such a route.
Thanks to those who read this long story to the end =)
Austria is a country of mountains and music. Both Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss were born here, and Beethoven lived for a long time. The Vienna Opera and autumn balls, classical music festivals are famous all over the world.
There are 422 museums and many art galleries in Austria. The most sophisticated art critics will find interesting and exquisite creations here. More than 50 large forts and palace complexes have been preserved in Austria. Fans of medieval romance will not only be able to admire the castles, but also rent luxurious apartments in some of them. The rich architecture of Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck impresses with its variety of styles, neatness and harmony of lines, solemnity and chic. Modern Austria is trying, without rejecting the past, to take a step into the future. Impressively modern showroom Graz in the form of a spaceship, the Giant's Treasures museum near Isbruck, where sparkling Swarovski crystals are exhibited.
Most of the country is occupied by the Alps. The indescribable beauty of the mountains in summer and winter can be observed from countless observation platforms, castle and church towers. The Austrians have long learned to live in harmony with nature, without disturbing the landscape, to build modern buildings and create your own life. Even under the highways, tunnels are built for migrating frogs.
Austria is a universally recognized ski capital with a huge number of mountain and balneological resorts. There are about 70 tourists at their disposal ski slopes of varying difficulty, many offers for cyclists, climbers, kayakers, kayakers, and hikers. You can rent any sports equipment, a convenient system of general tickets (ski pass) for ski resorts. Everything is thought out here down to the smallest detail: where to go and what to do with children, or what to do after skiing. Pubs, cafes, and restaurants are famous for their local wines and delicious dishes. Be sure to try something from the national cuisine: trout baked in dough, schnitzel, Sachertorte.
And you can buy Swarovski crystals, Tyrolean bells or Salzburg chocolate as souvenirs for your home. Local wines, of course, do not need advertising.
Popular hotels and inns at affordable prices.
from 500 rubles/day
What to see in Austria?
The most interesting and Beautiful places, photographs and brief description.
The center of Salzburg is included in the UNESCO list. Baroque and Gothic, Renaissance and Classicism are organically combined here. The famous Spanish masters Vincenzo Scamozzi and Santini Solari worked on the creation of architectural compositions. It was in the center of Salzburg on Getreidegasse street at number 9 that Mozart was born. The Hohensalzburg Fortress has become a unique symbol of the city, it’s interesting to see Cathedral, square 17v Residenzplatz.
Belverdere was built in the 17th and 18th centuries as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Consists of two parts: the Upper and Lower Palace, between which it is divided beautiful park. Cascading fountains, sculptural compositions, intricately trimmed bushes, and herbal designs carry a special royal chic. The halls made of red and white marble, the Golden Cabinet, and the Grotesque Hall are impressive.
Temple musical capital– Vienna State Opera – opened in 1869. Mozart's Don Giovanni. The interior decoration is impressive with lush interiors. Each box has its own wardrobe and mirror. During intermission you can drink champagne. All seats are equipped with an electronic screen on which you can select the translation language of the opera. It is better to buy a ticket in advance by ordering it online.
The Wachau region is located 80 km from Vienna. In 2000 it was included in the UNESCO list. Ancient towns with monasteries, churches, castles, and palaces have been preserved here. The valley in the Danube Delta is surrounded by forest, and there are vineyards on the mountain slopes. Local monks are famous for their long, almost Roman-era winemaking traditions.
The monastery occupies an area of more than 17 thousand square meters, and the southern wall stretches for 362 m. There is a museum on the territory, a restaurant, parking, a huge park, the plants in which are over 300 years old. The most significant places in the monastery are Marble Hall, church and library. The church's gilded altar represents the scene of the farewell of Peter and Paul, a magnificent hall. The church has 5 bells, one of them weighs more than 7000 kg.
Even in summer, the glacier functions as a full-fledged winter resort. There are excellent ski slopes for beginners and professionals. Equipment can be rented. There is a restaurant, casino, swimming pools, tennis, and ski school on the plateau. From here you have a beautiful view of the Alps. Mount Kitzsteinhorn rises 3000m above sea level.
Vienna's inner city is luxurious, rich and beautiful. Castles, palaces, sculptures, churches, parks and gardens are included in the UNESCO list. It is better to start your walk from the square in front of the Cathedral of St. Stefana, you can rent a bike or take the tram that goes around historical center. Don’t be surprised if you see an old carriage next to the cars - all the best from past centuries has remained in Vienna.
One of the best mountain resorts Austria and Europe. Hiking routes along Alpine trails, rope and climbing parks for climbers, ski holiday, bicycle racing over the pass, paragliding, ice skating rinks, there are tennis courts, swimming pools, a golf club - Arlberg is rich in offers. In addition, availability mountain lakes and rivers allows for the development of kayaking and rafting. Elite holiday appreciated by world celebrities. Here you can easily meet a movie star or even a prince on skis or a bicycle.
The prototype of Schönbrunn was the Parisian Versailles. Around the luxurious palace there is a constantly blooming park, with green galleries, a ceremonial arch, an even green wall of trees, and rows of sculptures. Visit the green labyrinth - there are many pleasant surprises there. Views from the pavilion on Glorietta Hill amazing view to the palace. The palace itself has more than 1000 rooms, but only 40 are open to the public. At one time, Napoleon lived in the palace.
The castle on Mount Hohensalzburg was built by Archbishop Gebhardt. Since 1077, the building has been constantly expanded and strengthened. In the 19th century there was a barracks here, later a German prison. Inside is a large collection of weapons and ancient torture devices. The castle is connected to the city of Salzburg by a functioning funicular. From here there is a beautiful view of the dark city roofs, valley and mountains.
Innsbruck is a city with a rich history. It was founded before 1200. Maximilian I was crowned here, the first pan-European thaler was minted here, the city is famous for the magnificent decoration of its churches and monasteries. Modern Innsbruck sports resort tourist centre. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and its stadiums are open to international competitions and tournaments.
From a height of 380m, with a deafening roar, one of the most beautiful waterfalls Europe. You can admire how Kriemler rushes to the foot from April to October - in winter the waterfall freezes, and natural Park High Tower n closed to visitors. Here you can take a taxi and go up to the second cascade, and from there walk down to the first threshold. You need to have a raincoat with you.
The main temple of Vienna, one of the symbols of Austria, was built in 1147. Due to reconstructions and additional rooms at a later time, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles were organically intertwined in the architecture of the cathedral. An organ and carved choirs were installed inside. The modern organ of the cathedral has 10 thousand pipes. There are 23 bells in the bell tower. Among the treasures of the temple you can see the icon of the Virgin Mary of Pecs, a carved pulpit from the 15th century, the relics of St. Valentine, a piece of fabric from the tablecloth of the Last Supper. The cathedral contains the tombs of princes, church rectors, and representatives of the Habsburg dynasty.
Tauern is one of the largest mountain reserves in Europe - its area is about 181,500 hectares. Here is the most high peak in Austria - Grossglockner (about 4000m), the narrowest gorge of the Alps - Lichtensteinklamm, and in addition about two hundred peaks up to 3000m, glaciers, waterfalls (one of them is almost 400m Kriemler waterfall), caves, rivers and lakes. A mountain road runs like a serpentine through the park. It is short in length and turns 36 times. Through nature reserve There are many different tourist routes.
The majestic fortress on a 160m cliff in Carinthia has 14 gates and five drawbridges. Each pair of gates has its own history, name and purpose. Part of the castle is open to the public. A museum has been created on its territory, which has a good collection of knightly armor, a wooden statue of the mythical giant defender of the fortress, and medieval interiors have been preserved. In courtyard There is a 20m cistern carved into the rock to collect water.
The turquoise Lake Faker See became this way because of the inflowing river Voronitsa, which carries limestone from the mountains. The beauty of the water and surroundings inspires photographers and tourists. This place is great for family vacation. Here you can fish, swim, hiking, boat. In summer the water warms up to 27 degrees. There is a tourist center with shops and bars next to the lake, and accommodation is available in the local villages of Egg and Drobollach.
The Großglockner panoramic road runs through the High Tower Nature Reserve. You can rent a car or motorcycle and climb the serpentine road. The tourist route is paid, it is open from 5 a.m. and from May to October. The road rises to a height of 2500m. Steep descents, climbs, turns allow you to feel the fullness of adrenaline from mountain road. There are many panoramic spots and observation platforms along the way.
Near the city of Werfen, at an altitude of about 1600m, there is the largest ice cave in the world - Eisriesenwelt (trans.: world of the ice giants). You need to climb partly by cable car, partly on foot, be sure to take warm clothes - it’s cold in the cave, and the excursion lasts about an hour. The path inside is equipped with railings. The first ski lifts began to be built in 1920. Since then, interest in this place has been constantly growing. Huge ice columns, towers, frozen rivers, waterfalls, bizarre boulders, stalactites and stalagmites gradually change their shape due to penetrating air currents and water seeping through the limestone.
A visit to the castle can be combined with a visit to the Eisriesenwelt ice cave. From here it is not far to Salzburg, and Werfen is clearly visible. The castle was built on the 155th mountain back in the 11th century. It changed hands many times and was restored in the 16th century after complete destruction. Now in Hohenwerfen it is interesting to see the falconry museum, climb the bell tower, and explore the medieval halls.
Bad Gastein is sometimes called the Monte Carlo of the mountains due to its operating casino. The resort was chosen by the rich and famous. There are many luxury hotels here, proud of their thousand-year history or famous visitors, who try to please tourists with the most exquisite treatments and massages. Bad Gastein is famous for its radon galleries and thermal springs.
Traveling around Austria by car is a wonderful opportunity to visit various parts of the country. Particularly attractive are the “non-tourist” authentic Austrian villages, crystal clear Alpine lakes and majestic mountains. Many such places, as a rule, are not included in “standard” excursions around the country from travel companies. But it was they who became the brightest and brightest for our family. an unforgettable experience from Austria.
Advantages of traveling around Austria by car:
Possibility to create your own route
We ourselves plan time for rest and sightseeing during the trip,
flexibility in time (if we like the place, we can change the original plan a little and stay longer or, conversely, leave earlier)
traveling around Austria by car is a more economical option for a family of 3-4 people compared to traveling by transport - trains or buses.
all “non-tourist” places are accessible
hotels in small villages or suburbs are cheaper
in village “non-tourist” restaurants the prices are pleasantly pleasing; you can try real authentic cuisine. At the same time, the food is very tasty, because it is prepared for local regular customers.
Of course, there is more responsibility when traveling by car and time to prepare for the trip than in organized tour. But such a unique opportunity to see the country on your own is a great pleasure for the whole family.
We traveled around Austria in our car. Our route from Ukraine ran through Hungary.
Car rental in Austria – another option for independent trip around the country. There are inexpensive and good options for this website .
Where to stay in Austria.
We book accommodation when traveling on the Booking website. You can book hotels for your trip using this link:
Read how to book a hotel online
Roads of Austria
Austria has excellent quality roads of various levels: from village roads to motorways. Expressways connect Austria to all neighboring countries. 200 thousand km is the total length of all roads in Austria. Almost 2,200 km of them are toll roads.
For the safety of drivers, road repairs are indicated road signs and flashing lights are already ten kilometers before this section.
There is service on toll roads. Every 10-15 km next to the road there are parking lots with drinking and technical water, with free clean water!!! toilets (with toilet paper, soap)))), recreation area (tables and benches). Surprisingly, it seemed to us that the quality of such service on toll highways in Hungary is better.
All highways are toll roads. Several tunnels and mountain alpine roads are also paid for.
Map of toll roads and special sections - tunnels in Austria.
Payment for roads.
enjoy toll roads All types of transport are possible only after payment. To do this, you need to purchase a vignette at any gas station when entering Austria.
This is what a 10-day vignette looks like.
This is a vignette valid for two months
This is a vignette that is valid for one year
Vignette cost:
For motorcycles (A): for 10 days - 5.30 euros, for 2 months - 13.40 euros, for 1 year - 35.50 euros.
For cars up to 3.5 tons (B): for 10 days - 9.20 euros, for 2 months - 26.80 euros, for 1 year - 89.20 euros.
From January 1, 2019, it became possible to purchase electronic vignette. At the moment, traditional vignettes operate in parallel with electronic ones. Electronic vignettes have the same validity period and the same cost. But you need to take into account that when purchasing an electronic vignette, its validity can begin no earlier than after 18 days. While the expiration date has arrived, you can change various parameters. For example, car number or expiration date.
You can purchase an electronic vignette at official website But on this moment, the site is not working for some reason.
The vignette must be glued to the windshield. And not just stick it on, but in the right ones!!! places. Instructions are on the back of the vignette. 
If the vignette is attached incorrectly or not at all, it will be considered as an unpaid road. Austria imposes significant fines for such violations.
Fines for unpaid roads
The fine on the spot is 120 euros, and if you don’t want it, through the court the fine can be from 300 to 3000 euros.
10-day: For example, you bought a vignette on May 11, which means it is valid from 00-00 hours on May 11 to 24-00 hours on May 20.
A 2-month vignette is valid from 00-00 hours on the date you purchased it until the end of the day 2 months later. For example, bought on May 15, which means it is valid from 00-00 hours on May 15 to 24-00 hours on July 15.
The annual vignette is valid from December 1 of the previous year until January 31 of the following year. For 2018 it looks like this - valid from December 1, 2017 to January 31, 2019. In fact, the annual vignette is valid for 14 months, but for this you need to buy it in December.
Payment for special sections of roads and tunnels.
Done upon entry. Payment is accepted in cash or card. You drive up to the barrier and pay at the booth through the window. The price depends on the duration of the section and the number of trips.
For example, the cheapest tunnel is Bosruck on the A9 highway and will cost 5 euros. But an annual trip through this tunnel plus the neighboring one on this route will cost 100 euros.
We drove through a cycle of tunnels on the A10 Klagenfurt-Salzburg highway. There are two of them, the fare is 11 euros. The tunnels have everything for the safety and convenience of drivers: good lighting, exits and rest areas, road signs and traffic lights.
In Austria, such sections have a special payment (travel through tunnels)
Tariffs for 2018:
Autobahn A9 – Pyhrn
One trip Glenalm tunnel– 9 euros, Bosruck tunnel b – 5.50 euros. Ticket to both tunnels, valid for a whole year - 103.50 euros
Autobahn A10 Tauern
One trip Tauern tunnel– 6 euros, Katschber g tunnel b – 6 euros. Both tunnels – 11.50 euros
Ticket to both tunnels, valid for a whole year - 108.50 euros
Autobahn A11 Karawanken
One trip Karawanken tunnel–7.20 euros.
Autobahn A13 Brenner
One trip Section 1 – 1 euro, Section 2 – 2.50 euros, Section 3 – 3.00 euros, Section 4 – 4.50 euros. The entire route costs 9.50 euros. A ticket for one month for the entire route is 41.00 euros, for the whole year – 103.50 euros.
Section 1: Innsbruck – Zenzenhof or Brennerpaß – Brennersee
Section 2: Innsbruck – Patsch/Europabrücke and back
Section 3: Innsbruck – Stubaital and back Section 4: Matrei – Brennerpaß and back
Autobahn S16 Arlberg:
One trip – 10.00 euros, ticket for one year – 103.50 euros
Road 108 Felbertauerntunnel:
Motorcycles one trip – 10.00 euros, one day ticket – 16.50 euros, one year ticket – 105.00 euros
Passenger cars up to 9 seats, including car trailers, one trip – 11.00 euros, one day ticket – 16.50 euros, one year ticket – 105.00 euros
Paid high mountain roads
- This tourist routes with stunning views.
The main attraction of Austria for road travelers is the panoramic high alpine Großglockner High Alpine Road. It is named after the highest mountain peak in Austria, Großglockner. The height of the mountain is 3798m. The mountain serpentine with sharp turns stretches for 48 km and rises to a height of 2.5 km. Website
To be paid upon entry. The cost for motorcycles is 26 euros per day and 45 euros per month. Passenger cars pay 36 euros per day and 56 euros per month. The road is open from May to October, during the daytime. Weather conditions also affect the accessibility of the road.
Who would have thought that at the end of June the Grossglockner road would be covered in snow. This was the “picture” on the track webcam.
We had to cancel our planned trip along this road and limit ourselves to visiting the ancient town of Heiligenblut at the beginning of the Großglockner road. And the road to Lake Weissensee turned out to be very picturesque, free and with many sharp turns in the mountains))) Read more about this here:
Admire mountain peaks and forbs alpine meadows It is also possible on other high alpine roads. The most famous of them:
Gerlos Alpine Road– road to Krimml waterfalls. Website
Silvretta High Alpine Road- one of the most scenic roads for connoisseurs of the beauty of mountains and lakes. Located in the Tyrol region. Website
Austria and Italy are connected by road Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road. It goes from the Tyrol region of Austria to the Italian province of Bolzano. Website
Not far from the A10 Klagenfurt - Salzburg highway there are several panoramic roads:
Nockalm Road– length 34 km, elevation 2 km. Website
Villach Alpine Road– near the town of Villach. Height 1.7 km. Length 16.5 km Website
Malta High Alpine Road. It turns out that Malta is not only a country in the Mediterranean Sea.
We wrote about the trip to the “real” Malta here:
The name Malta is also found in Austria. Photo - on the A10 Klagenfurt-Salzburg highway
The length of the Maltatal panoramic road is 14 km, the height is almost 1 km. Is in national park High Tower. It leads from the village of Malta into the mountains to the largest reservoir in Austria, Kölnbrein, and the high dam on it. Website
Car equipment for a trip by car to Austria:
- First aid kit in a clean and durable box.
- Warning triangle according to EU 27 regulations
- A reflective vest (according to European standards EN 471) must be worn during an emergency stop and installation of a warning triangle on the road
- In winter (1 November to 15 April) winter tires with M&S marking on the side and 4mm tread depth are required. The use of snow chains is also permitted. They are worn on two driving wheels during snow and ice on the road.
- Studded tires are allowed to be used only on passenger cars with a permissible weight of no more than 3.5 tons. From October 1 to May 31. Local authorities may change these deadlines
In Austria it is prohibited to use a radar detector. This threatens with confiscation of the device and a very large fine.
It is permissible to use a DVR, but only for personal purposes.
Traffic Rules in Austria
Speed Limit:
In populated areas the maximum permitted speed is 50 km/h,
Top speed is beyond us. points – 100 km/h
Speed on autobahns: minimum – 60 km/h and maximum – 130 km/h (and 100 km/h for cars with trailers).
If the car has studded tires, then settlements speed up to 80 km/h, on the autobahn – up to 100 km/h
Photo upon entry into Austria:
Low beam
It is not necessary to turn on the low beam during the day. The exception is conditions of insufficient visibility in bad weather. In bad weather, driving with the lights on is prohibited. At night, low beams must be turned on.
Children in the car
For the safety of children, the car must have special child seats. They are used for children under 12 years of age and below 150 cm in height. If the child is taller than 150 cm and is under 12 years old, then it is already possible to wear seat belts for adults.
Paths for cyclists in Vienna
Gasoline prices
As practice has shown, gasoline on highways is more expensive than the same on regular roads. Price from 1.39 to 1.58 euros per liter. Refueling is simple: you pay the required amount at the gas station cash desk, and then refuel the car.
Parking in Austria.
In many Austrian cities, parking is paid and the time spent in them is limited. The electronic display at the entrance to the parking lot is very convenient for the driver. It displays the number of available seats. It’s immediately clear whether it’s worth coming here. And in the popular tourist town of Hallstatt, they also indicate the parking number.
Parking in Vienna.
Vienna is divided into short-term parking zones. For which you need to have a prepaid parking voucher/pass ( Parkschein)
Short-term parking zones They unite entire neighborhoods, and each has its own rules.
- Districts 1-9 and 20: parking from Monday to Friday, except holidays, from 9-00 to 22-00. Maximum parking period 2 hours
- Districts 12 and 14-18: parking from Monday to Friday, except holidays, from 9-00 to 19-00. Maximum parking period 3 hours
- District 15, near the City Hall (Stadthalle) parking from Monday to Friday, except holidays, from 9-00 to 22-00. Maximum parking period 2 hours. Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 18-00 to 22-00 Maximum parking period 2 hours
Parking tickets are required in all areas, even for short stops. For example, to unload luggage near the hotel, for this you need to take a free parking pass from the hotel for parking for 15 minutes.
Signs about parking zones should only be posted when entering and exiting these zones.
You need to keep in mind that there are no additional signs inside the parking zones. Also in areas: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th there are parking areas only for residents of this district. Which are prohibited from being occupied, even with a valid parking ticket.
Parking tickets
They can be purchased:
- at tobacco kiosks
- cigarette vending machines
- gas stations
- at ticket pre-sale points public transport Vienna lines
- at the pre-sale machines of public transport tickets of the Vienna Lines.
More details about the location of places for selling coupons can be found on the website
Rates– the free tariff is valid only for up to 15 minutes, 1 euro will have to be paid for half an hour, 1 hour of parking costs 2 euros, 1.5 hours - 3 euros and 2 hours - 4 euros.
The coupons differ in color and each corresponds to the duration of parking
Violet– free parking for 15 minutes, Red– 30 minutes of parking, Blue- 1 hour, Green- 1,5 hour, Yellow- 2 hours.
The parking ticket must clearly indicate the start time of parking, which is rounded up. For example, parking started at 12-06, then you need to indicate 12-15. If two tickets are used at the same time, the same parking start time must be indicated on both tickets.
The first column is the month, the second is the day (tag), the third is the hour (stunde), the fourth is the minute, they are indicated at 15 minute intervals. The year is also indicated separately.
Purple free 15 minute parking pass
You need to indicate here exact time start of parking. Parking ticket must be posted in a visible place under the windshield
For long-term parking you need to use underground parking. Their network is very large. The presence of such parking is indicated by numerous road signs that display the amount of free space. You can park in these parking lots without any time limit.
Here is a sign near the Vienna Opera 
For example, in Vienna we parked under the Technical University. It's a 15 minute walk from the center.
An interesting situation happened to us. When entering the parking lots of Salzburg, and then Vienna, we inserted a credit card into the machine, but it was empty. When leaving, we again inserted the same credit card into the cash register machine, and the machine “handed” us a check. We leave further, near the barrier we again insert the same “empty” credit card and we are free. The money has already been written off in Ukraine.
We wrote about our trip to Vienna here:
IN major cities In Austria there are parking lots on the outskirts of the city. They are called Park and Ride, are indicated by the sign P+R. For example, there are several of them in Vienna and Salzburg. They are located on the outskirts of cities. The parking price is very attractive, only 3.70 euros per day. P+R parking lots were built specifically to relieve the city center from “guest” cars. Near each such parking lot there is a public transport stop. The addresses of all P+R in Vienna and their prices can be found
Parking map P+R Vienna
Fine for illegal parking.
If you are “lucky” to get a fine. Then you can pay it at home, through swift payment.
Routes around Austria by car
We took our 5-day family trip to Austria along the following route:
Day 1: Lake Balaton - Klagenfurt - Sachsenburg
They wrote about this in detail here:
Day 2. Sachsenburg - Haligenblut - Lake Weissensee - Sachsenburg
Read about it here:
Day 3. Sachsenburg - Hohenwerfen Castle - Liechtenstein Gorge - Salzburg - Voecklabruck
Day 5. Voecklabruck - Vienna - Budapest
The magic of Viennese music is hidden here:
Our video with all the roads along the route - Ukrainian, Hungarian and Austrian. Kiev-Lvov-Mukachevo-Beregovo-Budapest-Klagenfurt-Salzburg-Hallstatt-St. Gilgen – Vienna
We called a trip to Austria « On the road with the clouds." Why? Watch the video)))
Expenses for gasoline, payment for parking, roads and tunnels:
Gasoline 75 l – 110 euros, Parking – 28.50 euros, Road + tunnel 18.30 euros.
General impression - All!!! the roads are excellent. Everything is thought out for the safety of people. During our travels in Austria we only encountered traffic police a couple of times. If the rules are followed, they will not stop))). Drivers in Austria are polite.
Traveling by car in Austria is very comfortable, and the views outside the car window are simply stunning - the exquisite and pompous architecture of large cities, which is described as “frozen music”, majestic mountains, crystal clear clean lakes, colorful alpine villages.
These articles may also be useful to you:
Travel routes in Austria from Vienna
all rights reserved.">
Vienna Hotels
Routes
Vienna Photos
Vienna is a luxurious city, rich in history and culture. This is a separate world to which you can devote more than one day. Therefore, if you are going to Austria for one or two weeks, then you can spend all this time in Vienna, and there will be something interesting and unforgettable for every day. But Vienna, no matter how multifaceted it may be, is not all of Austria. Your stay in Vienna can be diversified by visiting other cities and villages located nearby. You can also plan a more complex route, not limited only to Vienna and its surroundings. The best places to stay in the Austrian capital are discussed here. As a matter of fact, we will next consider some of the range of possible options for independent travel from Vienna to Austria.
Places to visit in the vicinity of Vienna
In the immediate vicinity of Vienna you can find several rather interesting towns. These are, in particular, Klosterneuburg, Krems an der Donau, Melk and Sankt Poelten or St. Pölten. In addition, between Krems and Melk there is the so-called Wachau Valley, which is included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. All these places can be reached by rail (see www.oebb.at). But you can find more interesting options. So, if we talk about the Wachau Valley, then there is a special combined ticket. including travel to Melk or Krems and back, a boat trip from Melk to Krems and a visit to Melk Abbey. You can buy such a ticket (Wachau-Ticket) at the railway ticket office.
You can do without a combined ticket and plan a trip around the Wachau Valley in any other way. The corresponding possibilities are available. In particular, draw Additional information on this occasion, and also buy tickets for river cruises between the cities of the valley can be found on the website www.ddsg-blue-danube.at. On the same site, by the way, you can also buy tickets for cruises departing directly from Vienna. For example, you can move up the Danube into the same Wachau valley, say, to Krems or Dürnstein. If you have time, it’s worth staying here for a few days to immerse yourself in the life of the Austrian province and enjoy the local beauty to the fullest. You can stay for this purpose, for example, in Krems (see the article on choosing hotels in this town here).
There is an option to go for a walk in the opposite direction - down the Danube, for example, to Hainburg, from which it is a stone's throw to the border with Slovakia. As a matter of fact, if you wish, it is quite possible to get to the Slovak capital - Bratislava. The above-mentioned website sells tickets for the corresponding cruises (see here. In addition, to travel from Vienna to Bratislava, you can use other types of transport (more on that here).
Another interesting day trip option from Vienna is Puchberg am Schneeberg. This is a small town where you can spend a couple of hours. Further from here it is worth climbing the mountains to an altitude of more than 2000 meters (you can see the schedule and buy tickets on the website www.schneebergbahn.at). This area is no less picturesque than the Danube banks, but picturesque in a completely different way. It takes about an hour and a half to get to Puchberg if you drive from Vienna via Wiener Neustadt. You can plan your route in more detail using the Austrian website railways www.oebb.at.
To further diversify your impressions, it’s worth a trip to Baden, which is not far from Vienna. It is often even called that – Baden near Vienna (Baden bei Wien). This town is known as thermal resort and, in addition, is located in the middle of the Vienna Woods. You can get to Baden by train or bus, but you can also take the Wiener Lokalbahnen tram. These trams are painted in blue and white. They depart from the Vienna Opera (the stop is located near the Bristol Hotel, across the street from the opera). The drive is about 40 minutes. The final stop is Josefplatz, the center of Baden.
From Vienna to Austria
Hotels
Routes
By and large, from Vienna you can go for a day to Linz, Graz, and even Salzburg. Of these three cities, the closest to Linz is an hour and a half by train. Graz and Salzburg are 2.5–3 hours away. However, in our opinion, all three cities are worthy of more than day trips, especially since there are also many interesting places that are worth visiting. Therefore, with an eye on Linz, Graz and Salzburg, it makes sense to plan more complex travel itineraries.
So, having started your trip to Austria in Vienna, you can move to Linz for one or two days and then to Salzburg for another two or three days. It is quite convenient to travel along this route by train. Hotels can be found here: hotels in Linz. Salzburg hotels. From Salzburg you can return to Vienna, but you can also continue your journey to the above-mentioned Graz or, say, Innsbruck. Of course, other route options are also possible. In this regard, Austria provides very wide scope for imagination.
Hotel search and best prices online hotel booking sites
