There are many people who have the Austrian country as a favorite destination on their vacations, perhaps because of its great climate in summer or also because of the cordiality and kindness of its people.
If you are among those people, in this article we will tell you in detail and in detail what you should know if you travel to Austria this summer. These are some notes that sometimes go unnoticed but are necessary to know.
Austria
- Capital: Vienna
- Official language: German
- Religion: Catholic (practiced by 85% of the population), Protestant minority.
- Currency: Austrian shilling.
- Area: 84.000 km²
- Population: 8.150.835 inhabitants
- Visitors: 12-13 million annually
- Time deviation: +1 hour (+2 hours from the end of March to the end of September).
Climate
They have a continental climate, with great variations in temperature according to altitude. It varies between -4 ºC that can be in January on average to 25 ºC that they have in July.
They have regular rains between the months of April and November; It snows between the months of December and March and there is a warm and sunny temperature between the months of May-October.
Entry requirements
- Visas are not required for most foreigners on visiting trips for a period of less than 3 months.
- Health: They are required vaccination certificates if traveling from areas infected with major diseases.
- Currency: Euro (currency exchange controls have been abolished).
How to get
- By air: With regular flights operated by most airlines.
- Main international airport: Schwechat (Vienna) 18 km southeast of Vienna.
- International airports: Graz (GRZ) 12 km from the city, Salzburg (SZG) 4 km west of the city, Innsbruck (INN), Klagenfurt (KLU), 4 km north of the city, Linz (LNZ) 15 km from the city.
- Other means of transport: Good rail and road links with all surrounding countries. Travelers choosing the road to travel to Austria should check the road conditions, especially in winter.
Hotels
- Generally of a good standard with a large selection in most cities.
- Rated from one to five stars.
- Rates vary by category and season, being cheaper outside the capital.
Some hotels to stand out for their quality are:
- Himmlhof, in St. Anton am Arlberg.
- Hotel Alpin Spa Tuxerhof, in Tux.
- Hotel Schloss Thannegg, in Grobming.
- Hotel Alpenhof Hintertux, in Hintertux.
- Der Wiesenhof, in Pertisau.
- Hotel Kowald, in Loipersdorf.
- Hotel Schloss Monchstein, in Salzburg.
- Wellnesshotel Engel, in Gran.
- Hotel Rita, in Langenfeld.
- Hotel Helga, in Tirol.
Car Rental
There are services of car rental with driver at train stations, airports and major cities. The rates depend and vary according to the size of the car, in addition to charging you a supplement for mileage and fuel.
You have promotions for requesting them weekly, with lower rates.
The speed limit is 100 km / h on most conventional roads, 130 km / h on motorways and highways and 50 km / h in urban areas unless they indicate something different under the signs.
Urban transport
- There is a good public transport network throughout Vienna: frequent bus, tram, rail and underground services.
- It is advisable to buy tickets in advance both at the official sales points and at the tobacconists ('Trafik').
- There are special cards with the multi-trip option with transfers included.
- Taxis available in reserved places or by radio-telephone.
Holidays
- Fixed dates: 1 of January New Year); January 6 (Epiphany); May 1 (Labor Day); August 15 (Assumption Day); October 26 (National Day); November 1 (All Saints' Day); December 8 (Day of the Immaculate Conception); 25th December, Christmas); December 26 (Saint Stephen's Day).
- Each province has a festival on its patron's day.
- Variable dates: Easter Monday, Ascension, Pentecost Monday and Corpus Christi.
Working hours
- Public administration and companies: Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m. (although many agencies and companies do not work on Friday afternoon).
- banks: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 15:00. On Thursdays they usually open until 17:30.
- Commerce: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 (outside the center of Vienna, lunch break between 12:30 and 15:00, half-day on Saturdays. Every first Saturday of the month, many shops open until 17:00) .
Customs and habits
- Shaking hands with everyone as a group when meeting or leaving.
- Address executives by title.
- Present flowers or cakes to the hostess.
Fairs and exhibitions
The most important is the Vienna International Fair held every spring and every fall. Other important calls are the biennial industrial fair in Graz, the International Young Fashion Fair every March and September in Salzburg, the annual wood fair in Klagenfurt, the Tourism and Food Fair in Innsbruck, the textile fair in Dornbirn and many others that cover a great variety of economic activities.