Mailing To Austria: What Can You Send Internationally?

Sending mail to Austria is a straightforward process, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, the Austrian postal service offers three categories of tariffs: the European Union, Rest of Europe, and Rest of World, with varying prices and delivery times. You can also choose between priority and economy services, with priority being significantly faster. Additionally, certain items are prohibited from being sent to Austria, including live plants and animals, foreign lottery tickets, and certain books and printed materials. It is important to familiarize yourself with the prohibited and restricted items list to ensure your mail does not contain any prohibited items.

Sending mail and parcels in Austria

Stamps and Postage Rates:

To send postcards or regular letters within Austria, you will need a €1 stamp. For international mail, the rate is €1.80 for the Rest of the World. However, these rates apply only if your mail weighs less than 20 grams and measures less than 235mm x 162mm x 5mm. For heavier or larger mail, you will need to choose between priority and economy tariffs, with three price zones: the European Union, the Rest of Europe, and the Rest of the World.

Buying Stamps and Mailing Supplies:

You can buy stamps at post offices, online from the Austrian Post website, or from partner retail outlets such as local newsagents. Mailing supplies can also be purchased at these locations.

Sending Mail:

Austrian Post offers various options for sending mail, including priority and economy services. You can also choose additional services such as tracking, next-day delivery, or signature on delivery. Mail can be sent directly at a post office or dropped off at a postbox, which are usually small, bright yellow boxes attached to the walls of buildings.

Sending Parcels:

The Austrian postal service offers a range of parcel services, including express mail and specialized logistics for freight, pharmaceuticals, and temperature-controlled logistics. Parcels can be dropped off at post offices or picked up from your home with prior arrangement.

International Mail:

Austrian Post provides international mail services with priority and economy rate options. Your mail must be machine-processable, and addresses must be machine-readable. Signature-on-delivery and tracking services are also available for important items.

Prohibited and Restricted Items:

When sending mail or parcels in Austria, it is essential to be aware of prohibited and restricted items. These include live plants and animals, certain books and printed matter prohibited by Austrian courts, foreign lottery tickets, and articles made of precious metals that do not meet Austrian regulations. Additionally, medicines intended for personal use require an import license.

Customs Forms and Documentation:

When sending items to Austria, you may need to complete customs forms and provide specific documentation. Commercial shipments and personal shipments valued at $300 or more require an invoice in duplicate, affixed to the outside of the parcel or included with the customs declaration. Gift shipments valued at less than 45 EUR are exempt from taxes and duties and should be marked "Geschenksendung" or "Gift".

Delivery Times:

Austrian Post delivers mail on weekdays, with deliveries in major cities by 3:00 PM and in rural areas by 5:00 PM. Parcels are typically delivered straight to the recipient's door, but if they are not home, they may need to collect the parcel from their nearest post office or a designated pickup point.

Prohibited items

When sending mail to Austria, it is important to be aware of prohibited items, which are forbidden and must not be sent. These restrictions are set by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the destination country. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are complying with the relevant laws and restrictions.

• Arms, ammunition, weapons, and their parts and accessories, including antique weapons over 100 years old.
• Certain books and printed matter prohibited by order of the Austrian courts.
• Firearms, firearm replicas, articles resembling firearms, and toy guns, as well as their parts and accessories.
• Foreign lottery tickets and related publicity materials.
• Human remains, including organs and tissues, unless sent to a funeral director, mortician, or cemetery with the required approvals and documentation.
• Live bees, leeches, silkworms, and flies of the family Drosophilidae.
• Live plants and animals.
• Articles made of precious metals (gold, silver, or platinum) that do not meet Austrian regulations for fineness.
• Austrian coins and gold coins, which require permission from the Austrian National Bank.
• Cigars, unless imported by a business with a permit from the Austrian government.
• Meat and animal products, plants and plant parts, fruit, onion and flower bulbs, and other root plants without the necessary certificates.
• Medicines intended for personal use without an import license.
• Knives and sharp instruments.
• Perishable matter.
• Cremated remains without meeting specific conditions.
• Alcohol and beverages.
• Articles of iron and steel.
• Soiled clothing and accessories.
• Aircraft, spacecraft, or their parts.
• Electrical machinery.
• Furniture, bedding, and mattresses.
• Prepared foodstuffs.
• Inorganic and organic chemicals.
• Lac, gums, and resins.
• Miscellaneous manufactured articles.
• Non-Austrian games of chance.
• Optical, photographic, cinematographic, and measuring products.
• Offensive printed articles, books, and brochures.
• Pharmaceutical products.
• Toys, games, and sports equipment.
• Textile articles, wool, and cotton.
• Vehicles, except for railway or tramway.
• Wood and wooden articles.

Please note that restrictions may change, so it is essential to check the UPU prohibitions and restrictions or contact the relevant authorities in Austria for the most up-to-date information.

International mail services

Austrian Post offers plenty of options for international mail. The company has three categories of tariffs: the European Union, Rest of Europe, and Rest of World. You can opt for Priority or Economy services, and although there is only a small price difference, Priority Mail is much faster. Your mail must be machine-processable and addresses must be machine-readable.

There are many other international mail services available in Austria. If you are sending something important, for example, you can choose signature-on-delivery or tracking services. There are also special parcel services available for wine and military mail.

Many international courier companies also operate in Austria. Although these are often far more expensive than Austrian Post, they usually offer more secure and much faster delivery services. These companies include GLS, UPS, TNT, DPD, DHL, and FedEx.

Sending mail internationally from Australia

Australia Post provides a detailed list of prohibited and restricted items for sending to Austria. Some of the items on the list include:

• Animals and animal products
• Alcohol and beverages
• Articles of iron and steel
• Electrical machinery
• Furniture, bedding and mattresses
• Pharmaceutical products
• Tobacco and tobacco products

Sending mail internationally from the UK

Royal Mail offers several international mail services for sending letters and parcels to Austria. These services include:

• International Tracked & Signed: added peace of mind for sending important or valuable items, with a delivery aim of 3 to 4 working days. This service includes tracking, signature on delivery, online delivery confirmation, and compensation cover.
• International Tracked: tracked service for peace of mind, with the same delivery aim and features as International Tracked & Signed but without the signature on delivery.
• International Standard: an affordable service for everyday international mail with a delivery aim of 3 to 5 working days. This service includes compensation cover of up to £20 and free returns for undelivered items.
• International Economy: for heavier parcels that don't need to arrive quickly, with a delivery aim of up to 15 days. This service also includes compensation cover of up to £20 and free returns for undeliverable items.

Receiving postal deliveries in Austria

Austrian Post delivers mail on all weekdays. In major cities, you can expect to receive your daily mail delivery by about 3 pm; in rural areas, however, this could be as late as 5 pm. Parcels and other special mail services may also operate on Saturdays.

Parcels sent through Austrian Post are usually delivered straight to your door. However, if you are not at home, you may receive a notice to collect your parcel from your nearest post office. The same applies to parcels sent by courier services such as DHL, but instead of a post office, you might be directed to a designated pick-up point.

It is important to remember that parcels are subject to customs, so you may have to pay taxes and duties on certain goods. If this applies to you, you may have to pay a customs fee before you can receive your parcel.

Mail redirection services

If you are moving to a new neighbourhood or city in Austria, Austrian Post offers mail redirection, allowing you to have any mail sent to your old address forwarded to your new home. You can usually choose a redirection period of between three to 12 months.

Postal codes in Austria

Here's a breakdown of what each digit in an Austrian postal code represents:

• The first digit indicates the state:
• 2xxx: Lower Austria (east of Vienna)
• 3xxx: Lower Austria (west of Vienna)
• 5xxx: Salzburg and west Upper Austria
• 6xxx: Tyrol and Vorarlberg (without East Tyrol)
• 9xxx: Carinthia and East Tyrol
• The second digit indicates the regional area within the state.
• The third digit defines the routing allocation, following railways and post car routes.
• The fourth digit indicates the specific post office within the routing city, as each post office has its own unique number.

It's important to note that there are exceptions to this general pattern, especially in border regions and certain municipalities. Additionally, Vienna has a unique postal code structure, with the second and third numbers indicating the district, as there are 23 districts in Vienna.

Some notable postal codes in Austria include:

• 1300: Vienna International Airport
• 1400: Vienna International Centre (United Nations complex)
• 5020, 5023, 5026, 5061, 5071, 5081, 5082: Salzburg
• 6060: Hall in Tirol
• 9913: Abfaltersbach

When sending mail to Austria, it's crucial to ensure that you have the correct postal code to facilitate efficient delivery.

Frequently asked questions