The land of lakes and mountains is one of our most popular neighboring countries when it comes to hiking and skiing. With all the nature and outdoor opportunities, it’s no wonder that camping is also very popular in Austria. Regardless of whether you are traveling by car, motorhome or caravan, there are a few traffic-related peculiarities to be aware of in Austria. And what about tolls, what speed limits apply and what you need to bear in mind when traveling with children? Below is an overview of the most important traffic regulations in Austria.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Maximum speeds in Austria
- Parking in Austria
- Dimensions of the vehicle and trailer size
- Tolls in Austria
- Blood alcohol limit Austria
- High visibility vests in Austria
- Low emission zones and driving bans in Austria
- Summer tires, winter tires and snow chains in Austria
- Emergency numbers in Austria
- Driving with children in Austria
- Other traffic regulations in Austria
- Good to know
Maximum speeds in Austria
Of course, speed also plays a major role in traffic regulations in Austria. Maximum speeds should also always be observed abroad. Here you will find an overview of the speed limits in Austria:
Maximum speed in Austria for cars and motorhomes up to 3.5 t
- In urban areas 50 km/h
- Out of town 100 km/h
- Expressways: 100 km/h
- Freeways: 130 km/h (at night, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on transit freeways: 110 km/h)
Speed limit in Austria for motorhomes over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t
- In urban areas 50 km/h
- Out of town 70 km/h
- Expressways: 70 km/h
- Freeways: 80 km/h
Maximum speed in Austria for caravan-trailer combinations up to 3.5 t
- In urban areas 50 km/h
- Out of town 80 km/h
- Motorway/expressway: 100 km/h
- Freeways: 100 km/h
Info
Caravan combinations with a trailer up to 750 kg GVW may also drive at speeds of up to 100 km/h outside built-up areas and on dual carriageways!
Speed limit in Austria for caravan-trailer combinations over 3.5 t GVW
- In urban areas 50 km/h
- Out of town 70 km/h
- Expressways: 80 km/h
- Freeways: 80 km/h
In Austria, fines vary depending on the offense and region. Exceeding the speed limit usually costs from 30 euros upwards . Fines of 25 euros or more are also collected in Germany.
Parking in Austria
There are special regulations in Austria not only for driving, but also for parking. I have compiled the most important ones for you here:
- Continuous yellow line on the roadside: no stopping and parking
- Dashed lines: No parking, stopping and loading permitted
- Lines on the ground are not valid if they are covered with snow. (Caution in thawing weather!)
- Blue ground markings: (paid) short-term parking zone
Dimensions of the vehicle and trailer size
In Austria, the maximum width for vehicles/trailers/caravans (with load) is 2.55 meters. The maximum length for cars and motorhomes is 12 meters. Trailers and caravans may not exceed 18.75 meters (in total). On pass roads, in tunnels or on bridges, there may be restrictions on vehicle dimensions in Austria. Please be sure to observe the signs! An exception to the dimensions is only possible after approval. These traffic regulations apply to both locals and tourists.
Tolls in Austria
Tolls are a hot topic in Austria, as most expressways and highways are subject to tolls. How the toll is paid depends on the route and the vehicle. Payment methods include vignettes, GO tolls and route tolls.
All vehicles up to 3.5 tons (gt) use vignettes, all vehicles over 3.5 tons (gt) are charged via the GO-Box. The route toll applies to all vehicles and is payable on certain sections of the route, such as the Tauern Tunnel.
There are now also sections of highway where no toll sticker is required, such as on sections of the A1 Westautobahn, A7 Mühlkreis-Autobahn, A12 Inntalautobahn, A14 Rheintal-Autobahn and the A26 Linzer-Autobahn. Here you will find a detailed overview of which stretches of highway are toll-free.
You can find details on paying the toll, automatic payment systems and special features in our article “Tolls and vignettes in Europe“.
Blood alcohol limit Austria
In Austria, the blood alcohol limit for road traffic is 0.5. For novice drivers, a blood alcohol limit of 0.1 applies for the first two years – as well as for holders of an AM driver’s license up to the age of 20 and for bus and truck drivers. Failure to comply with these upper limits is expensive in Austria and is punishable by a fine of at least 300 euros.
High visibility vests in Austria
Drivers of cars and motorhomes are required to carry high-visibility vests in Austria. In the event of a breakdown or an accident on a country road, expressway or highway, the driver must (at least) put them on. Although it is recommended that all occupants wear high-visibility vests in the event of a breakdown or accident, this is not mandatory in Austria.
In addition to the safety vest, it is mandatory in Austria to carry a warning triangle and a first aid kit in the vehicle!
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Low emission zones and driving bans in Austria
There are currently environmental zones in six different federal states and regions in Austria. These zones may only be entered with the appropriate environmental badge. However, this is only required for vehicles that are registered as commercial vehicles. If your camper is registered as a truck, you will need the sticker. You can find more information in our article Camping in Austria.
Summer tires, winter tires and snow chains in Austria
Anyone who knows the mountain pass roads in Austria knows that it makes perfect sense to check the tires and brakes before setting off.
Tire tread
Summer tires (for vehicles up to 3.5 t) must have a tire tread of at least 1.6 mm. This regulation also applies to trailers (up to 3.5 t). A tread depth of at least 2 mm is required for motorhomes and combinations with a trailer over 3.5 t.
In Austria, winter tires must have a tread depth of at least 4 mm for radial tires and 5 mm for cross-ply tires.
Winter tires
In Austria , winter tires are mandatory in winter road conditions from November 1 to April 15. All-weather tires with the “M+S” label are also sufficient. However, the minimum tread depth must be observed.
Snow chains
Snow chains are permitted in Austria as long as the road is continuously covered with snow or ice. Under certain circumstances, snow chains may be mandatory. In this case, you must observe the corresponding signage: a round, blue sign with a snow chain symbol. With snow chains, a speed limit of 50 km/h is recommended.
Spikes
Studded tires may be used for vehicles up to 3.5 t from the beginning of October to the end of May. In this case, the studded tires must be mounted on all tires – even on the trailer, if present. If studded tires are used, a standardized studded sticker must be affixed to the rear of the vehicle. The speed limits with studded tires are 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on freeways.
Emergency numbers in Austria
Info
Emergency numbers in Austria:
European emergency number: 112
Police: 133
Fire brigade: 112
Emergency doctor: 144
From cell phone: Austrian area code 0043 + emergency number
ADAC breakdown assistance: 0049 89 22 22 22
Driving with children in Austria
Children up to 14 years and 1.35 meters must be secured with an appropriate restraint system/child seat that corresponds to their weight and height. Transportation in the front passenger seat is permitted, but the front passenger airbag must of course be switched off when using a rear-facing child seat. Larger children up to 1.50 m should be secured with an appropriate child seat, but do not have to be, regardless of the seat belt requirement.
Another important traffic rule in Austria is that children under the age of 12 must wear a helmet on bicycles – in Lower Austria even up to the age of 15. Regardless of whether they are riding themselves or sitting in a child seat.
Other traffic regulations in Austria
- Seat belts are compulsory in Austria.
- It is forbidden for the driver to hold a cell phone to their ear while driving. Phone calls are only permitted with a hands-free system.
- No smoking in the vehicle if a person under 18 is in the vehicle.
- Carrying speed camera warning devices that influence or interfere with speed cameras is prohibited. (Speed camera warning devices, on the other hand, are still permitted).
- In Austria, a breakaway cable / safety cable is mandatory for caravans (both braked and unbraked). You can find out more about“Breakaway cable” here.
- Overtaking is prohibited in front of level crossings.
Good to know
- The Arlberg Tunnel is the longest road tunnel in Austria and will unfortunately have to be closed for several months in the summer of 2022 and 2023. The road closure will start in May 2022. If you are planning a trip to Tyrol and Vorarlberg, find out about alternative routes well in advance.
- No red/white warning sign is currently required for the bicycle carrier on the motorhome, provided that the normal dimensions (up to 1 meter above the rear of the vehicle) are not exceeded.
- Driving with lights on in Austria is also recommended all year round during the day, but is not compulsory.
- Every country has its own special traffic signs. Austria also has its own special features. Here you will find an overview of all traffic signs that are used in Austria.
I hope this overview of traffic regulations in Austria is helpful for you. As you can see, the traffic regulations in Austria are generally very similar to those in Germany. Nevertheless, some information about driving and safety there is certainly interesting to know. I wish you a good and safe motorhome or car trip in Austria.
All information is as of February 2020.
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