Tips for Driving Your Rental Car in Austria

Driving Overview

Breathtaking vistas are common as you travel the highways of Austria. You can drive in the Alps, cruise along the Danube, or rent a car in Vienna and visit ancient castles in this centrally located country.

Requirements

To rent a car, you must be at least 18 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year. An International Drivers License is required for car rentals in Austria. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Seatbelts are mandatory and children up to age 12 are required to use an appropriate restraint.

Speed Limits

Speed limits in Austria are as follows: City 31mph/50kph Open Roads 62mph/100kph Highways 81mph/130kph

Rules of the Road

Traffic travels on the right and a car will indicate its desire to pass by flashing it's headlights. Streetcars passing on the left have the right of way.

Gas

Gas stations are generally open 8am to 8pm with some stations in major cities open 24 hours.

Tolls

Austria requires all vehicles using the autobahn to display a highway toll sticker. Rental companies in Austria charge approx US$0.65 per day for a toll sticker. Stickers are available at the border or gas stations when entering from another country

Parking

“Blaue-Zone” parking areas noted by blue lines on the road. The zones require a time imprinted parking disc, as there is a 3 hour parking limit. Parking discs can be obtained in banks, nearby shops, or from automated disc machines in the parking area.

Insurance Information

Car rental insurance varies widely, so please review the information below prior to making your reservation. Regulations of the country where you rent the car will be in effect for the duration of your rental.

All our car rental rates include fire and third party liability insurance. Our inclusive rates also provide collision and/or theft coverage at an advance purchase discount. You may elect to decline collision and theft coverage. If you plan to take advantage of coverage offered by your credit card, please contact your card issuer directly for details. Specific insurance information for your reservation will be printed on your confirmation voucher.

The following guidelines apply to rentals commencing in Austria.

Required Coverage

Fire and third party liability insurance is mandatory and is included in all rentals. Third party liability insurance covers from US$1,800,000 - US$6,600,000 in case of damage or injury to people or property outside of the rental car.

Optional Coverage

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and/or theft protection are included in our inclusive rates at a discount. The CDW and theft coverage will carry deductibles of US$650 to US$1600, depending on vehicle type. If CDW is purchased at the rental counter, the cost is approximately US$30 to US$50 per day, depending on car class. If theft protection is purchased at the rental counter, the cost is approximately US$10 to US$15 per day depending on car class. Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) is available at the rental counter for approximately US$15 per day. Super CDW may be offered locally to reduce the collision deductible to as low as zero. Optional insurance coverage is available with select suppliers only, rates subject to change without notice.

Rental Restrictions

Most car categories can be driven anywhere in Western Europe without restriction. Due to insurance regulations, there are restrictions on luxury rental car categories and on travel in certain countries. Auto Europe has special rental programs for driving into Eastern Europe. An additional surcharge may apply. Please take a minute to ensure that your intended itinerary will be possible with the car you plan to rent.

Restricted Countries

Cars rented in Austria are not allowed into the following countries: Albania, Bosnia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Yugoslavia. Luxury cars are not allowed into Italy.

NOTE: For an additional fee, travel into most or all of these countries can be arranged for specific car categories with advance notice.

One-Way Rentals

Domestic one-way car rentals in Europe are available between select locations in Austria, additional fees may apply. There are fees for international one-way rentals, and not all vehicles are permitted.

Auto Europe's Map of Austria

Each map of Austria on this page is designed to be user friendly. Whether you choose to download one of the image based maps to the right (click to enlarge) or prefer to use the embedded Google map to plot directions on your mobile device in Austria, we hope this page will be a useful travel resource. You can find information about Austria's most popular destinations by zooming in on the Google map below, locating nearby points of interest that others may overlook. Get directions to Melk Abbey, which is situated high atop a mountain in the Danube River area; the Vienna State Opera, located in the capital city; the Hohensalzburg Castle; the Hofburg Imperial Palace; or beatiful Schonbrunn Palace. Explore the region without reservations or setbacks, and without the burden of hiring expensive public transportation services to get you where you need to go. No matter what you have in mind for a fantastic trip abroad, our map of Austria is available to enhance your journey!