Traffic In Vienna: September Conditions Explained

Vienna, Austria's beautiful capital city, is a popular tourist destination. With around 2 million inhabitants, it is a large city with a well-developed road network. However, when visiting in September, it is important to be aware of potential traffic conditions that could impact your journey. Vienna has a lot of roadworks, accidents, and closures that may affect your travel plans, so it is always good to be prepared.

Roadworks and accidents

Vienna has a well-developed road network, but roadworks and accidents can still cause delays and disruptions. Here is some information about roadworks and accidents in Vienna, Austria, in September:

Roadworks:

• Mariahilfer Straße: Between Reindorfgasse and Westbahnhof, there is a new roadworks layout in both directions.
• Erdbergstraße: Water main work is taking place in both directions between Franzosengraben and Schlachthausgasse, as well as in the opposite direction between Schlachthausgasse and Franzosengraben.
• A4: Roadworks are taking place between Stadionbrücke and Simmeringer Haide for drivers heading towards Budapest, Hungary.
• Johnstraße: There have been accidents in both directions between Hütteldorfer Straße and Linzer Straße, affecting traffic towards Schönbrunn.
• Zweierlinie: A new roadworks layout is in place in both directions between Landesgericht - Alser Straße and Florianigasse.
• Schwarzspanierstraße: The road is closed in the direction of Nationalbank between Garnisongasse and Otto-Wagner-Platz. Roadworks are also taking place in the same area.
• Langobardenstraße: The road is closed in the direction of Aspern between Zschokkegasse and Asperner Heldenplatz. Roadworks are also ongoing in the same area.
• Augartenbrücke: The bridge is closed in the direction of Augarten between Roßauer Kaserne and Untere Augartenstraße. Roadworks are also taking place in the area.
• Engerthstraße: The road is closed in the direction of Friedrich-Engels-Platz between Ausstellungsstraße and Mexikoplatz. It is also closed in the direction of Wehlistraße between Mexikoplatz and Ausstellungsstraße. Roadworks are taking place in both areas.
• Währinger Straße: The road is closed in the direction of Gersthof between Aumannplatz and Gersthofer Straße. Roadworks are also taking place in the same area.
• Breitenleer Straße: A new roadworks layout is in place in both directions between S2 - Breitenleer Straße and Kagraner Platz, as well as between Kagraner Platz and S2 - Breitenleer Straße.
• Leopoldauer Straße: The road is closed in the direction of Floridsdorf between Angyalföldstraße and Angerer Straße. Roadworks are also taking place in the same area.
• Matzleinsdorfer Platz: There is a new road layout in both directions near Gürtel.
• Landgutgasse: The road is closed in the direction of Gürtel between Sonnwendgasse and Laxenburger Straße.
• Donaustadtstraße: Roadworks are taking place in the direction of Kagran between Neuhaufenstraße and Erzherzog-Karl-Straße.
• B8: A new roadworks layout is in place in both directions between Wagramer Straße - Donaustadtstraße and Wagramer Straße - Donaufelder Straße.

Accidents:

• Johnstraße: There have been accidents in both directions between Hütteldorfer Straße and Linzer Straße, affecting traffic towards Schönbrunn.
• Schloßallee: There have been accidents in the direction of Schmelz between Hadikgasse and Johnstraße - Linzer Straße.

Gripping the steering wheel in frustration won't make the roadworks disappear, but hopefully, this information will help you navigate Vienna's roads more smoothly.

Public transport

Vienna has a well-developed public transport system, with buses, trains, trams, and an underground metro. The municipal transport authority, Wiener Linien, operates five underground metro lines, 29 tram lines, and 127 bus lines, 24 of which are night lines. The network is cheap, frequent, fast, clean, efficient, and rarely overcrowded.

The five underground metro lines are U-Bahn, the local train or S-Bahn, Straßenbahn (trams), and Autobus (buses). Trams have been part of the public transport system since 1865, with the completion of a 2 km route to industrial estates near Simmering. The current tram network is about 176.9 kilometres long and has 1,071 stations. Trams run on standard-gauge track and have been powered by electricity since 1897.

The bus network has over 450 buses and 4,414 bus stops. The bus network is so well-developed that in 2022, 32% of all journeys made in the city by locals were on public transport, compared with 25% in a car.

Tickets for the underground, trains, trams, and buses can be purchased online, from ticket machines at stations, or on board. A single ticket costs €2.40 and is valid for one journey in one direction, with changes allowed. There are also passes available for 24 and 72 hours, or as weekly, monthly, or annual passes. Children under six do not need a ticket and children under 15 can travel for free on weekends, public holidays, and during school vacations.

Driving rules and regulations

Documents and Licences

To drive a car in Austria, you must have a valid driving licence, the vehicle's registration, insurance policy and inspection. If you are an EU citizen, you can legally drive in Austria with the licence you received from your home country. Non-EU citizens must have an international IDP driving licence.

If you are driving your own car, you must have vehicle registration papers. Foreign licence plates and registration are permitted for up to six months, after which they must be changed to Austrian ones.

You must also have a local insurance policy, known as Haftpflichtversicherung. Foreigners must obtain an insurance policy that is valid in Europe before entering the country. This can be issued from 15 days to a full year at a time.

Vehicle Requirements

Your vehicle must pass a technical inspection before you can receive your registration papers. In Austria, there is an inspection requirement known as '3-2-1' that requires cars to be inspected 3 years after the first inspection, then 2 years after that, then once annually.

If you are driving someone else's car, you must have a power of attorney from the owner.

Items to Keep in Your Car

If you are stopped by the police, you may be asked to show a first aid kit, an emergency stop sign, and a reflective vest.

Tyres

It is important to always drive with the appropriate tyres for the season. From 1 November to 15 April, you must have winter tyres on your vehicle. You can drive with summer tyres throughout the rest of the year.

Winter tyres are marked with M+S, M.S., M&S, or with a snowflake symbol. You cannot use tyres with studs from June to September. If you need to put them on your car at other times of the year, you must affix a special Spikeaufkleber sticker in a visible place on the back of the car.

Roads and Tolls

Austria has both free and toll roads. Toll roads include expressways and autobahns and will have the Vignettenpflicht sign visible at the entranceways.

To drive on the toll roads, you must have a special permit, known as a vignette. This can be in either digital or non-digital format. If you have a vignette sticker, it must be placed in the windshield, while the digital version should be adhered to your licence plate.

Vignettes can be purchased at most gas stations, post offices, tobacco and newspaper stands, and auto shops.

Road Signs

Road signs in Austria are typically placed on the right-hand side of the road, or overhead, though sometimes they are placed on both sides of the road.

There are a few signs that are only used in Austria. These include:

• The white, inverted letter 'T' in a blue square means 'dead end'.
• 'EINBAHN', written in a white arrow on a blue rectangle, indicates one-way traffic, with the arrow indicating the direction of traffic.
• The Rettungsgasse sign means that an open median between the lanes of a two-way road has been created to allow emergency vehicles through and should not be driven on.

Speed Limits

Speed limits are based on the type of road being driven on. For passenger cars up to 3.5 tonnes, the speed limits are as follows:

• Residential/urban areas: 50km/h unless posted otherwise
• Freeways (Bundesstraße): 100km/h
• Highways (Autobahn): 130km/h

Alcohol Limit

The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.5mg/100ml. For drivers under the age of 20, the limit is 0.1mg/100ml.

Mobile Phone Use

It is illegal for the driver to hold a mobile phone in their hand while the car is moving or even when it is stopped at a traffic light. You can only use your phone if it is on speakerphone or if you are using headphones, or for navigational purposes.

Seat Belts

Everyone in the vehicle, including the driver, must wear a seat belt. If there are children in the car, each child must be in a separate seat. They must also be sitting in the age- and size-appropriate seat: booster and car seats must be used for children under the age of 14 and under 135cm tall. These seats can be in the rear or front passenger seat of the vehicle.

Parking

There are special parking zones in Austria where you can park your car for up to 15 minutes for free. Anything longer requires a parking ticket, which can be purchased at gas stations, post offices, tobacco shops, ticket offices, and Wiener Linien machines.

The cost of a parking ticket depends on the length of time needed:

• 30 minutes — EUR 1.25
• 1 hour — EUR 2.50
• 1.5 hours — EUR 3.75

Fines for Violating Traffic Rules

You may be fined or have your licence revoked if you break traffic rules. If you receive a fine, the police may ask you to pay immediately on the spot. If the fine is particularly large, you can pay part of it upfront and the remaining part within two weeks of receiving the fine. If you fail to pay the fine on time, it will double in price.

• Not wearing a seat belt: from EUR 100 to EUR 140
• Transporting a child without a child’s safety seat: from EUR 100 to EUR 140
• Driving with out-of-season tyres: from EUR 35 to EUR 5,000
• Using toll roads without a vignette: from EUR 300 to EUR 5,000, loss of licence
• Driving under the influence, above the legal limit: from EUR 300 to EUR 5,900, loss of licence
• No first aid kit,

Parking

Vienna has a single street "paid parking" zone system, meaning that nearly all of Vienna is covered by a paid parking zone. This has made it easier to find parking spots, but you will almost certainly have to pay for parking.

Where to Park

There are public car parks in Vienna, and many hotels also have their own parking. Tourist attractions, however, rarely have an attached car park, but they may be located near a commercial alternative.

How to Pay

You can buy parking tickets at gas stations, post offices, tobacco shops, ticket offices, and Wiener Linien machines. The cost of a parking ticket depends on the length of time needed:

• 30 minutes — €1.25
• 1 hour — €2.50
• 1.5 hours — €3.75

You must write the date and time you parked your car on the ticket and put it in a visible place, such as behind the windshield.

Rules and Regulations

In Austria, there are special parking zones marked with a specific sign. Parking in these zones is free for up to 15 minutes. Anything longer requires the purchase of a parking ticket.

Speed limits

There are, however, exceptions to this standard, indicated by typical speed limit signs. Some areas in Vienna have a lower speed limit of 30 km/h (approximately 18 mph), which is common on side streets. This lower speed limit may also be painted in white on the road as a reminder. These 30 km/h zones are often found in suburban areas, perpendicular to the main roads.

On the other hand, higher speed limits of 70 km/h or 80 km/h can be found on some big roads and autobahns (motorways) crossing or skirting the city. The default speed limit outside settlements is 100 km/h, and it increases to 130 km/h on motorways.

It is important to note that different speed limits apply to other types of vehicles, such as cars with trailers, mopeds, and motorcycles. Additionally, temporary speed limits may be implemented to manage traffic flow or due to weather conditions, especially in rural and Alpine areas during winter.

Frequently asked questions