Car rental in Austria

Motorists who violate traffic regulations must pay the relevant penalty to the traffic police officer on the spot, either in cash or by credit card. If they refuse to do so, the amount set by the court will be increased several times, as the judge will most likely also impose an additional penalty for administrative costs.

If a motorist decides to receive a traffic ticket, the amount of the fine must be paid before the expiry date stated on it.

Standard speed limits in Austria:

1. For motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and motorcycles:
   • up to 50 km/h in any built-up area;
   • up to 100 km/h outside a built-up area;
   • up to 130 km/h as the maximum speed limit on motorways and expressways;
2. For motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes with trailers:
   • up to 50 km/h in any built-up area;
   • up to 80 km/h outside a built-up area;
   • up to 100 km/h as the maximum speed limit on motorways and expressways.

On motorways a recommended speed limit of 60 km/h applies in certain conditions. If the car is equipped with studded tyres, the speed limit is 100 km/h on motorways and 80 km/h on other main roads.

In most Austrian cities parking is chargeable and time-limited. From Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and on Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, the capital of Austria applies the following rates:

• parking for 10 minutes is free of charge;
• parking for 30 minutes costs 1 Euro;
• 1 hour costs 2 Euro;
• one and a half hours costs 3 Euro;
• 2 hours cost 4 Euro.

Parking spaces are marked with blue lines. In the vicinity of such spaces there are special kiosks called "Traffic" where it is possible to purchase a parking voucher.

If you need to leave your car for a long time, it is recommended to use an underground garage (about 25 Euro per day) or a park-and-ride car park (about 3 Euro per day).

In the case of illegal parking in a prohibited place, as well as exceeding the paid parking time, a fine of 36 Euro will be imposed.

Austria has similar traffic rules and signs to many other countries, but some of the rules are extremely strict. To avoid penalties, please familiarise yourself with the following regulations:

• It is forbidden to use a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle;
• Wearing a seat belt is compulsory;
• A high-visibility vest must be carried in the vehicle for use in the event of an accident or breakdown;
• Children under 12 years old may only be transported in special child seats;
• It is forbidden to overtake a school bus that has stopped to pick up or set down children;
• It is forbidden to overtake in the immediate vicinity of a railway crossing.

Austria has similar traffic rules and signs to other countries, but some laws are much stricter. To avoid penalties, please observe the following rules:

• it is forbidden to use a mobile phone while driving;
• wearing a seat belt is mandatory;
• the car must carry a reflective vest for use in emergencies;
• children under 12 years old may only be transported in a special child seat;
• it is forbidden to overtake a school bus with children if it has stopped;
• it is not allowed to overtake in the immediate vicinity of a railway crossing.

A litre of diesel fuel will cost a driver 1.73 Euro. Payment can be made in cash or by credit card. It is possible to reserve no more than 10 litres at one time.

Before using a motor vehicle in Austria, please familiarise yourself with the following traffic regulations. The country is known for its high level of traffic organisation and a well-developed, high-quality motorway network. However, extremely slow motorists are not welcome here. If a driver hesitates at traffic lights or at a pedestrian crossing, they are likely to hear loud horns from other vehicles.

Driving on some routes, main roads and motorways is subject to a toll. The price, period of validity and number of permitted roads are shown on a vignette. As a rule, this sticker is placed on the windscreen. It is available at almost all petrol stations and post offices.

Therefore, it is recommended to obtain a vignette for the roads you plan to use while travelling, together with your hire car in Austria. Below are the toll charges for a single journey or for annual use of certain major Austrian roads:

• Felbertauern-Tunnel 95 Euro – one journey;
• Tauern-Autobahn 10 and 100.50 Euro;
• Arlberg-Tunnel-Strasse 9 and 95.50 Euro;
• Brenner-Autobahn 8 and 95.50 Euro;
• Karawanken-Tunnel 6.50 and 21.50 Euro.

When travelling during the winter season, it is important to consider the possibility of some roads being closed. Vehicular traffic can be prohibited in order to avoid avalanche danger.