Austria

Quick Facts

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Local name

Oesterreich

Capital

Vienna

Government

Federal Republic

Nationality

Austrian

Population

8,188,000

Languages

German

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant), Islam

Currency

Euro (EUR) €

Calling Code

+43

Time Zone

CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

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Introduction

Konigstetten - the view from the balcony

© All Rights Reserved Rish_n_Ben

Though Austria's political power has diminished over the 20th century, the legacy of its once mighty Habsburg empire remains intact, most notably at Vienna. The city, once the undisputed cultural centre of Europe, still bears the signs of its glory days: majestic architecture, a haven of Western musical tradition (from waltzes, to classical music, to operatic creations) and museums dedicated to its artistic heritage. But while Vienna's past glory makes it an must-see destination, Salzburg is the nation's most popular destination, both for Austrians and tourists; like Vienna, it boasts a rich cultural heritage.

Away from the cities, Austria's countryside beauty is as majestic as the Habsburg empire was. Whether it's the graceful Danube stretching across the north, the Eisriesenwelt ice caves (the largest accessible ice caves in the world), or the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Alps, visitors will find it impossible to deny Austria's great beauty.

Brief History

Geography

Austria is a landlocked mountainous country located in Central Europe, bordering Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and the Czech Republic. It occupies a total area of 83 871 km².

The country can roughly be divided into three geographic areas; the majority of the country in the west is occupied by the Austrian Alps. These give way to foothills and low lying regions, including the valley around the river Danube. North of the river Danube is the Bohemian Forest (Böhmerwald), a low mountain range occupying about 10% of the country.

Provinces

Austria is divided into nine provinces:

• Burgenland
• Carinthia (Kärnten)
• Lower Austria (Niederösterreich)
• Salzburg
• Styria (Steiermark)
• Tyrol
• Upper Austria (Oberösterreich)
• Vienna
• Vorarlberg

Cities

• Vienna
• Salzburg
• Graz
• Innsbruck
• Bregenz
• Linz

Sights and Activities

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) in Vienna, was once home to the Habsburg family. The grounds include Europe's largest greenhouse, Wagenburg as well as the world's oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn.

Salzburg's Old City

Salzburg's Old City (Altstadt) is world famous for its baroque architecture and a tourist hot spot.

Skiing

Austria has a very high concentration of ski resorts and is one of the major winter sports destinations in Europe. The Tyrol is the main area for skiiers, but there also resorts in Vorarlberg and around Salzburg.

Events and Festivals

From June 7 till June 29, UEFA Euro 2008 will be co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland. The tournament will see 16 European countries play football against each other to decide who will be European Champion.

Austria hosts some great music festivals, mostly during the summer months. Donau Insel Festival in Vienna, Fm4 Frequency in Salzburg, Nuke in St. Polten, are some of the largest Festivals.

Weather

Austria's climate is similar to other countries in Central Europe, with distinct seasons. Summers are from June to August, which is the hottest, but also wettest time of year. Winters can get very cold. Although spring and autumn's weather is changeable, it is most often the most comfortable in terms of temperatures.

Getting There

By Plane

Vienna International Airport (VIE) is the busiest airport in Austria. It is the main hub of Austrian Airlines and services flights from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Salzburg Airport (SZG) is the second largest airport, servicing flights to and from places in Europe. There are four other airports in Austria at Innsbruck, Linz, Klagenfurt and Graz.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

If you are travelling between major centres, it is hard to beat the convenience of the Austrian railroads. The trains are clean, efficient and reasonably priced. Some of the train routes are attractions unto themselves, like the world famous Semmering railway line.

ÖBB (Österreiche Bundesbahn) is Austria's national rail system and operates on 5,700 km of tracks. You should be aware of the following special tickets that really make train travel in Austria very cheap.

• The Einfach-Raus-Ticket (ERT) costs 28,- EUR and provides a full day travel for groups of 2-5 people. You can travel anywhere you like within the country between 9am and 12pm Mon-Fri and all weekend.
• The VorteilsCard will allow half price travel within Austria for a year and a further 25% discount on many cross-border train trips in Europe. If you are under 26, the ticket costs 19,90 EUR. If you are 26 or over, the deal isn't quite as good, costing 99,90 EUR. There are also VorteilsCards for Families, Senior citizens and people with limited mobility. ^[1]

By Bus

In the areas where there are no rail connections, a Postbus (a division of ÖBB) is generally available. Buses are usually reliable. The VorteilsCard, which is also valid on trains, can provide up to 50% discount on bus fares as well.

By Car

By Boat

By Bicycle

Cycling is a popular way to experience Austria and cyclists are generally well looked after. There are often separate bike tracks provided in cities and throughout the countryside as well. If you want to do some serious kilometres on the bike, the Danube Bike Trail, one of Europe's most popular cycling routes, is a good option.

Red Tape

If you are a European Union (EU) citizen, you may enter without any restriction as per your EU citizenship rights. If you are not an EU citizen and Austria is the first stop on your visit, you will need to obtain a Schengen Visa. This visa is valid for any country in the Schengen zone.

Money

See also: Money Matters

Austria has adopted the Euro (ISO code: EUR, symbol: €) as its official currency. One Euro is divided into 100 cents, which is sometimes referred to as eurocents, especially when distinguishing them with the US cents.

Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500. The highest three denominations are rarely used in everyday transactions. All Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides throughout the Eurozone.

The Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, €1 and €2. Some countries in the Eurozone have law which requires cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. All Euro coins have a common design on the denomination (value) side, while the opposite side may have a different image from one country to another. Although the image side may be different, all Euro coins remain legal tender throughout the Eurozone.

Work

Study

Language

The official language in Austria is German. But it would be fair to say most Austrians speak English. Austrians learn English at school as of age 6.

Eat

If eating out, a tip of 5% is the standard.

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

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