Austria Visa Requirements
For 🇬🇧 United Kingdom passport holders
Entry Requirements
Passport Validity
6 months beyond stay
Blank Pages
At least 1 page required
Multiple Entry
Single entry
Work Permitted
No - requires work visa
Travel Essentials
Health & Safety
Safety Rating
Vaccinations
Routine vaccines (MMR, Tetanus, COVID-19). Tick-borne encephalitis for outdoor activities.
Tap Water
Safe to drink
Safety Tips
Austria is extremely safe - one of Europe's safest countries. Crime rates are very low. Normal urban awareness applies in tourist areas. Mountain safety is important if skiing or hiking - conditions can change rapidly and avalanche risk exists in some areas.
Money & Costs
Currency
€ Euro (EUR)
Daily Budget (USD)
Budget: $80 · Mid: $150 · Luxury: $350+
Cards & ATMs
Cards accepted most places. Some prefer cash.
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated but amounts are modest. In restaurants, 5-10% is standard - tell the server what you want to pay (e.g., "Machen Sie 20" if the bill is €18). Don't leave money on the table. Hotel porters expect €1-2 per bag. Taxi drivers appreciate rounding up.
Practical Info
Power
Type C, F, 230V, 50Hz
Driving
Right side
Emergency
Emergency: 112
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Fire: 122
Mobile/SIM
Buy a SIM card from A1, Drei (3), or Magenta stores. Prepaid packages cost €10-20 for tourists with data included. EU SIMs work throughout Austria with no roaming charges. Coverage is excellent even in mountain areas - Austria has good infrastructure.
Getting There
Main Airports
Vienna (VIE)
Airport Transfers
Vienna Schwechat (VIE): CAT (City Airport Train) to Wien Mitte (€12, 16 minutes). S-Bahn to center (€4.20, 25 minutes). Taxi €40-50. Salzburg (SZG): Bus 2 to center (€3, 25 minutes). Taxi €18-25. Innsbruck (INN): Bus F to center (€3, 18 minutes). Taxi €15-20.
Local Transport
Vienna has excellent U-Bahn, trams, and buses. ÖBB trains connect all major cities efficiently - the Railjet is fast and comfortable. Ski resorts have excellent lift networks. Buses fill gaps. Austrian rail passes offer good value for multi-day travel.
Culture & Travel Tips
Best Time to Visit
April-October for sightseeing. December for Christmas markets. December-March for skiing.
Cultural Notes
Austrians are formal until they know you - use "Sie" (formal you) unless invited to use "du." Greetings like "Grüß Gott" (God greet you) are standard. Classical music is a point of national pride. Coffee houses are social institutions with specific etiquette. Alpine traditions remain strong outside Vienna.
Insider Tips
Book opera, concert, and popular attraction tickets well in advance. Austrian coffee house culture is UNESCO-recognized - sit, order a mélange, and linger with a newspaper. Tipping is easy - just tell the server what you want to pay. The Vienna Card offers good public transport and attraction deals. Skiing is world-class December through March.
Dress Code
Smart casual. Formal for opera/concerts.