Tips for visitors of Austria
Entry Requirements
A valid passport is need for entering to Austria. However, nationals of EU member countries and some other countries only need an official identification card or, in special cases, a passport that has expired within less than five years. Accompanying children either need their own passport or must be registered on one of their parent's passports.The following countries do not need a visa for entering Austria; nationals of any of Austria's neighbouring countries, all EU member countries and many other countries. Information may be obtained from the Austrian Embassy or Austrian consulate in your country as well as the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs. An current list can be found at www.aussenministerium.at.
According to the Schengen Agreement of non EU member countries who require a visa, travellers can travel to Austria with a valid Schengen visa issued in any of the Schengen countires, without having to obtain an additional Austrian visa.
Beginning from April 1998, border controls are no longer made at the borders of the Schengen countries of Germany and Italy. The same rule also applies to flight traffic at the Austrian airports for flights to other Schengen countries. However, to be able to present proof of identification in case of random passport checks, travellers of Austria must carry their travel documents in the Schengen regions.
Transportation
Austrian Airlines is the leading airline in Austria for over 40 years. The company sets very high quality standards with respect to safety as well as to service. There are 104 destinations in the world that have direct flights to Austria. The following airports have international connections:Wien-Schwechat
Graz
Innsbruck
Klagenfurt
Linz
Salzburg
There are daily internal flights within Austria between these airports. All the airports have bus/train connections to the city center.
The Austrian Federal Railway network is more than 5,800 km long and is directly connected to the European railway network. There are connections within almost all European mojor cities.
You can take your car with you with the motorail trains in Austria. Austrian motorail trains operate daily between,
Vienna to/from Salzburg, Villach, Innsbruck, Feldkirch
Graz - Feldkirch
Feldkirch – Villach
Vienna - Berlin
Vienna - Hamburg
Vienna - Düsseldorf
On specific days also Vienna – Lienz, Vienna - Schwarzach-St.Veit routes operate.
The SparSchiene tickets lets you travel with very low prices like 29 EUR to all neighbouring countries of Austria. SparSchiene trains operate at certain daytime hours and overnight. The SparSchiene offers include the ticket plus seat, couchette or sleeper reservation. Since the prices are so low, there is only a limited number of SparSchiene tickets for any one train.
Rent a Car in Austria
Cars can be rented at all airports, major railway stations and in almost all cities in Austria. Moreover, international car rental agencies have reservation offices in all countries, from which tourists can make reservations out of their own country at special rates.Requirements for renting a car in Austria
The driver must have a valid driving license (that is valid for Austria) for at least one year. For several groups of vehicles a minimum age of 21 to 25 years is a prerequisite for renting a car.
Special Regulation for Rental Cars out of Switzerland:
Travellers of the EU countries can use a vehicle rented in Switzerland to travel into Austria for a duration of only 8 days from the start of the rental contract in the entire toll region of the European Union for private or professional (not commercial) purposes.