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Guides / Austria
AT

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.
Tolls & vignettes
Vignette required on all motorways and expressways.
Fine if ignored

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.
Fine if ignored

Buy the night before without ticking that box and you'll cross the border uncovered.

Equipment
Dipped 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.
Fine if ignored

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
Vienna'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
Motorway 130 km/h · rural roads 100 · built-up areas 50.

Enforced by fixed and mobile radar; visitors get the fine mailed home.

Emergency
112 — EU-wide emergency number.

Works from any phone in Austria, even with no local SIM.

133 police · 122 fire · 144 ambulance · 120 ÖAMTC roadside assistance.

Direct lines skip the EU dispatcher if you already know which service you need.

Crossing into Austria on a trip?
Routebook flags this automatically on any day your route crosses the border.
Plan a trip
Also on file: Switzerland · Slovenia