Exploring Austria: Transportation And Travel Options

Austria has a range of transport options for getting around the country. Trains are the main way to get around, with two companies, ÖBB and Westbahn, operating services. Trains are fast, affordable, and environmentally friendly. Buses are also available, with Postbus operating services to smaller towns and regional areas. In addition to public transport, hiking is a popular way to explore the country's rolling valleys and mountain regions. Cable cars, funiculars, and gondolas are also available to help travellers get from ground to vista in minutes.

Trains

Austria's overnight train, Nightjet, has destinations including Salzburg, Vienna, Innsbruck, Bregenz, and Arlberg, as well as more than a dozen other countries.

Rail travel in Austria is environmentally friendly, accessible and reliable. Gliding across the Tyrolean Mountains on a high-speed train is just one of the many transport options in the country.

Austria's most extensive service, Postbus (a subsidiary of ÖBB), is often combined with a rail transfer, connecting harder-to-reach places on alpine passes, lake region byroads, and hiking and biking trailheads.

Buses

In Vienna, the WienMobil app is the most popular way to navigate local public transport. The app brings together all of Vienna's transport systems, including buses, and allows users to plan their trips and book tickets, taxis, and car shares.

Booking platform Omio is another useful resource for finding different travel options and comparing a range of transport modes, including buses. It lets users explore new destinations and buy tickets with just a few clicks.

Trams

Public transport is a popular way to get around Austria. Trams are one of the many ways to travel around the country. In Vienna, WienMobil is the most popular website and app for local public transport. The app brings together all of Vienna's transport systems, including trams. It allows you to plan your trip and make bookings for tickets, taxis and car shares.

Cable cars

Outside of the ski season, mountain regions can have anywhere from half a dozen to 20 summer operations. The Hintertuxer Gletscher cable car in Tirol and Styria's Dachstein-Gletscherbahn full-glass panorama gondola are particularly noteworthy experiences. You can pay at the cable car station or take advantage of discount or free travel with city, regional and resort cards.

Austria's most extensive service, Postbus, is often combined with a rail transfer, connecting harder-to-reach places on alpine passes and lake region byroads. This makes it an ideal way to get around if you're looking to explore hiking and biking trailheads.

While cable cars are a fun and unique way to travel around Austria, it's worth noting that trains are the main way to get around the country. Two companies operate these services: ÖBB and Westbahn.

Driving

Although trains are the main way to get around Austria, many people choose to drive. Austrian motorways are a pleasure to road trip through, and there is almost no need to drive in the country.

If you are driving in Austria, you must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license. You must also have your vehicle registration and insurance documents with you at all times. The speed limit on Austrian motorways is typically 130 km/h (80 mph), but it may be lower in certain areas, so be sure to obey all posted speed limits. It is also important to note that driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited, and the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05%.

Tolls are common on Austrian motorways, and you will need to purchase a toll sticker (Vignette) to use these roads. The cost of the toll sticker depends on the type of vehicle you are driving and the length of time you will be using the motorway. You can purchase toll stickers at gas stations, post offices, and some shops near the border.

When driving in Austria, it is important to be aware of the priority rules. At intersections, vehicles coming from the right have the right of way, unless otherwise indicated by signs or traffic lights. It is also important to yield to pedestrians and cyclists, who have the right of way at crosswalks and bike paths. In addition, it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, unless it is in a hands-free system.

Frequently asked questions