Driving in Austria
Motorways are unmarked toll roads — the vignette is your ticket, headlights stay on everywhere, and winter tires depend on the weather, not the calendar.
Rules current as of September 2026 — verify before you go.
Before you cross
3 checks- Vignette / toll
- Sticker vignette required
- Winter tires
- Nov 1 – Apr 15, conditional
- Emissions zone
- None nationwide
- Highway limit
- 130 km/h
Tolls & vignettes
3 rules · 2 fine risksVignette required on all motorways and expressways.
Autobahns and Schnellstraßen have no toll gate — just a sticker or digital pass tied to your plate.
10-day vignette €12.80 · annual €106.80 (car, 2026).
For a one- or two-week trip, the 10-day option covers you without paying for a full year.
Buying online activates 18 days later unless you select immediate validity.
Buy the night before without ticking that box and you'll cross the border uncovered.
Equipment
3 rules · 1 fine riskDipped headlights on at all times, day and night.
Applies on every road in every season, not just tunnels or bad weather.
Winter tires required Nov 1–Apr 15 whenever roads are snowy, icy, or slushy.
It's condition-based, not calendar-based — a cold snap in October counts too.
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest required in the car.
Both need to be within reach, not buried in the boot under luggage.
Low-emission zones
2 rulesVienna's IG-L zones cap speed and restrict older diesels on some approach roads.
Signposted separately from the normal speed limit — easy to miss if you're not looking for it.
Tyrol runs sectoral driving bans for trucks on parts of the A12 Inntal.
Mainly affects freight, but worth checking if you're towing a heavy trailer.
Speed limits
km/h- 130Motorway
- 100rural roads
- 50built-up areas
Enforced by fixed and mobile radar; visitors get the fine mailed home.
Emergency
Tap to callDirect lines skip the EU dispatcher if you already know which service you need.
You won't need to remember any of this.
Routebook flags these rules on any day your route crosses into Austria — right on the day it matters, no separate check.
Plan a trip through Austria