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Austria
Living in EuropeAccess to the culture of the host country/language coursesAustria

Daily life

Description

What should you know to make it easier to get used to life in Austria? In this section you will find information about various aspects of life in Austria such as public transportation, driving licences, entry and re-entry of pets, culture and leisure in Austria's provinces, maps of Austria's main towns and other useful links.

See also our pages on Language Courses and Banking.

Living in Austria

oesterreich.gv.at is your government agency help site on the Internet. It offers you information which is necessary for living and working in Austria.

The official travel portal for Austria: www.austria.info/en

 
OEBB Railjet

Public Transportation

Airline
National airline company: Austrian

Railway
Austria has a highly developed rail network. Trains in Austria are operated by ÖBB and Westbahn.

National railway company ÖBB
Private train company in Austria Westbahn

Bus
Buses can be used for transport within Austria or for transport to other European countries.

National bus company Postbus
For international bus connections see Eurolines or Flixbus

Public Bikes
In some bigger cities like Vienna, Salzburg or Graz you can hire public bikes for very little money:
Vienna | Salzburg

Boats
You can take a boat on Austria’s biggest river, the Danube to various various sight seeing destinations in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Wachau.

www.ddsg-blue-danube.at/
 

The Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region (VOR) Gesellschaft m.b.H. (in German) is a service provider for local public transport in the eastern region of Austria (Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland).

 

Validity of Foreign Driving Licences
Driving Licence © Pixelio | Hermsdorf

Driving Licences
 

Validity Period of Foreign Driving Licences in Austria

* From an EU or EEA state: for an unlimited period (EEA or EU driving licences are recognized in Austria, and may be converted at any time on a voluntary basis.)

* From a non-EU or non-EEA state:

In case of establishing a residence in Austria: six months starting from establishment of the residence, if the owner has reached the age of 18

Without residence in Austria: up to twelve months starting from the entry in the county, if the owner has reached the age of 18

Here you will find FAQs concering Brexit with regard to driving licenses and registration of a vehicle in Austria. 

Please note: If the foreign driving licence is not written in German, it is only valid in combination with an international driving licence or a translation.

Important: Foreign drivers who commit three recordable offences (Vormerkdelikte; in German only) will be banned from driving in Austria.

Further information:

Conversion of a Foreign Driving Licence (in German only)

System for Recording Driving Offences (Demerit Points System)

Additional information can be found at oesterreich.gv.at

 

 
Cat and dog

Entry and re-entry of pets to Austria

 

You find further information on the website of the Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection:

From third countries

Movement of pet dogs, cats or ferrets between Member states of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland

Movement of other pets between Member states of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland

 

 

 

Culture and Leisure in Austria's Federal Provinces

Dürnstein

The following pages offer an overview of sights, music and shows, shopping and dining opportunities as well as information on hotels and travel in Vienna:

Vienna Tourism

City of Vienna

The public transport system in Vienna is particularly well developed and enables you to get from one point to another quickly. The Wiener Linien is running most of the public transportation system in the city of Vienna.