Austria's Border Policy: Open Or Closed?

Austria is a landlocked country in the heart of Europe, surrounded by Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia. The country has a population of over 8.8 million people and is a member of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).

Austria has open borders with its neighbouring countries, with the exception of Italy, with which it had temporarily restricted travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Austria is part of the Schengen area, which allows entry into the country without a visa in some cases.

During the European migrant crisis, Austria constructed border barriers and migration management facilities on its borders with Slovenia and Italy. These barriers were aimed at controlling the flow of refugees and migrants and included police facilities for screening and processing migrants.

Austria's borders with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy

Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe with eight neighbouring countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy.

Austria's border with Switzerland is 164 km long and is divided into two segments by Liechtenstein. The northern segment begins at the tripoint with Germany and Switzerland, and the second portion begins south of Liechtenstein, ending near the Resia Pass. The Austria-Switzerland boundary is the outcome of the establishment of the Helvetic Republic around 1798.

The Austria-Liechtenstein border is 37 km long and creates two additional tripoints: one on the Rhine and one on the summit of Naafkopf. Liechtenstein is bordered by Austria to the north and east and Switzerland to the south and west. It is the smallest nation surrounded by two countries.

Austria's border with Germany is 784 km long, making it the longest border for both countries. The border begins in the northwest at Lake Constance and moves east to the tripoint with Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The border mainly consists of Alpine mountain ranges.

The Austria-Czech Republic border is 466 km long and begins at the border tripoint formed by the Austrian, German, and Czech borders. It then turns east and ends at the tripoint formed by the meeting of borders between Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The border crosses the rivers Inn and Morava.

The Austria-Slovakia border is the second shortest Austrian border at 107 km long. It begins at the tripoint formed by the Czech, Slovak, and Austrian borders and runs southwards before turning east and following the Morava River.

The Austria-Hungary border is 355 km long and is situated in the northwestern section of the country. One important natural feature along the border is Lake Neusiedl.

The Austria-Slovenia border is 330 km long and separates the countries from east to west, lying mostly in the Alps. It begins at the tripoint formed by the Austrian, Slovenian, and Italian borders and ends at the tripoint marking the crossing of the Austrian, Hungarian, and Slovenian borders.

The Austria-Italy border is 430 km long and has existed since 1919 with the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The border is characterised by mountains and passes such as Brenner and Birnlucke.

Austria's border barrier with Slovenia

Austria is a landlocked state in central Europe, surrounded by eight countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy. In 2015, during the European migrant crisis, Austria announced its intention to build a "technical barrier" on its border with Slovenia to help control the flow of thousands of migrants crossing into Austrian territory daily.

The barrier on the Slovenian border is several kilometres long and is located near the busiest border crossing, Spielfeld-Šentilj. It includes police facilities for screening and processing migrants. The fence was initially built along 3.7 kilometres (2.3 miles) at the busiest crossing from Slovenia into Austria, and construction began in early November 2015. The barrier is 2.2 metres high, and preparations are in place to enable the construction of a fence along a 25-kilometre (16-mile) stretch of the border if needed. The border barrier was completed in January 2016.

In February 2016, Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner announced that Austria would allow a maximum of 80 asylum applications per day and a maximum of 3,200 asylum seekers to cross the Austrian border if they applied for asylum in another country. If either of these numbers is reached, Austria will close its borders. This announcement came at a time of growing domestic pressure to restrict immigration.

In October 2023, Austria notified the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the member states of its decision to reintroduce border controls at the internal Schengen border with Slovenia from 12 November 2023 to 11 May 2024. Austria cited the unstable migration and security situation in the EU, a significant increase in the number of illegal migrants on the Balkan route, and the resulting overload of the national asylum system as reasons for this decision. Slovenia requested a formal consultation to examine whether Austria's extension of border controls was excessive and disproportionate.

Austria's border barrier with Italy

Austria shares its borders with eight countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy. The Austria-Italy boundary is about 251 miles long and is located along the Alps. The border begins in the west at the 'Dreilanderpunkt' tripoint, where the borders of Austria, Italy, and Switzerland meet. The demarcation of the border follows the ridgeline of the Carnic Alps mountain range. The border ends at Monte Forno, the summit that marks the tripoint between the Austrian, Italian, and Slovenian borders.

The Austrian-Italian border has existed since 1861, but the current demarcation has only been in place since 1919, following the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1920, a peace treaty was signed between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Republic, and South Tyrol was made part of Italy instead of Austria. The border mutated into an Italian-German border when Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938, but it reverted to an Austrian-Italian border after the Second World War. The border was last changed in 1947, and it has been an EU internal border since 1 January 1995.

In 2016, Austria constructed a migration management facility with barriers on its border with Italy near Brenner, South Tyrol, in response to the European migrant crisis. Both Austria and Italy are members of the EU and the free-travel Schengen Area, which allows visa-free movement between member states. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Austria initially kept its border with Italy closed while opening its borders to other neighbouring countries. The Italian state consumer protection agency took Austria to court, arguing that Austria's non-compliance with EU treaties on the free movement of persons disadvantaged Italy, which had already opened its borders to Austria.

Austria's COVID-19 entry regulations

As of May 2022, Austria has lifted its COVID-19 entry requirements. No proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test is required for entering Austria. Additionally, no Pre-Travel Clearance is required when entering Austria. However, it is important to note that individual countries may still have their own travel restrictions and requirements. Therefore, it is recommended to check the official government websites of your country of origin and Austria for the most up-to-date information.

Previously, Austria had opened its borders to its neighbouring countries except Italy. Some of its western neighbours, such as Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, maintained their entry restrictions until mid-June 2020. For travel to these countries, individuals were required to provide proof of a negative corona test or undergo a quarantine period.

The Austrian government had implemented the "3-G" rule, which required individuals to be vaccinated, recovered, or tested to enter the country. This rule was lifted on May 16, 2022, for arrivals from all countries.

Indian nationals can now enter Austria for holidays after staying 10 days in any safe country or being double vaccinated with Covishield. The Indian vaccine Covishield is accepted for entry into Austria, and quarantine is no longer required.

For those transiting through Austria by car, train, bus, or flight, no restrictions apply as long as proof of fulfilment of entry requirements for the next destination can be provided upon entry. No Pre-Travel Clearance, PCR or Antigen test, medical certificate, or declaration of quarantine is required for transit passengers.

Austria's driving bans

Austria has a number of driving bans in place to improve road safety, traffic flow, and reduce the risk of accidents. Here is a summary of the key driving bans in Austria:

Lorry Driving Ban on the Third and Fourth Lane

Since June 1, 2014, a driving ban has been in effect in Austria for lorries on the third and fourth lanes of motorways and expressways. This ban is based on an expert report by the Austrian Road Safety Board from 2013, which found that lorries are more often involved in accidents than cars on these roads. The report also noted that lorries made up 11% of the vehicles on Austrian motorways and expressways, and that 22% of accidents involved personal injury, especially on three and four-lane motorways.

Weekend Driving Ban Throughout Austria

A weekend driving ban is in place throughout Austria from Saturday 3 pm to Sunday 10 pm, and on public holidays from midnight to 10 pm. This ban applies to lorries with trailers and a maximum permissible weight (mpw) of more than 3.5 tonnes, as well as lorries, articulated lorries, and self-propelled agricultural machines with an mpw of over 7.5 tonnes. However, certain food transports, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, milk and dairy products, meat and fish, eggs, and baked goods, are exempt from this ban if a consignment note or loading list can be provided.

General Nighttime Driving Ban

There is a general nighttime driving ban in place on all Austrian roads for heavy goods vehicles with an mpw of more than 7.5 tonnes between 10 pm and 5 am.

Lorry Overtaking Bans

Overtaking bans for lorries may be imposed to prevent traffic congestion or accidents, particularly in bad weather conditions. However, these bans are adjusted by ASFINAG to improve overall traffic flow. Seasonal lorry overtaking bans are issued selectively in areas with sensitive winter road maintenance and on steep stretches with an increased risk of accidents.

Additional Summer Bans

During the summer months, additional driving bans are implemented on specific roads and highways to manage traffic flow and reduce congestion. These bans typically apply to heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and trucks with trailers exceeding certain weight limits. For example, the A12 Inntal motorway and the A13 Brenner motorway have driving bans in place during the summer for vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes that are travelling to or from Germany.

Special Local Traffic Restrictions

There are also special local traffic restrictions in certain provinces and municipalities within Austria. For example, in Vienna, Burgenland, and Lower Austria, all vehicles registered before January 1, 1992, are subject to a total traffic ban. Additionally, in the state of Styria, there is a stricter traffic ban in place for all vehicles with a Euro 2 standard, which has been effective since January 1, 2014.

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