Austria Information
Austria is a land-locked alpine country in Central Europe bordering Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east and Slovenia and Italy to the south. Austria, along with neighboring Switzerland, is the winter sports capital of Europe. However, it is just as popular for summer tourists who visit its historic cities and villages and hike in the magnificent scenery of the alps.
Vienna
Vienna is Austria's capital city and has stunning modern architecture. Vienna has more museums and galleries of international reputation. In Vienna old coffee houses and rustic wine taverns stand. The sumptuous palace with the beautifully tended formal gardens, Palm house and the zoo attract hordes of visitors each year. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one the world's best.
The traditional Vienna is but one of the many façades of this city. Vienna is also a dynamic, young city, famous for its (electronic) music scene with independent labels, cult-status underground record stores, a vibrant club scene, multitudes of street performers, and a government that seems overly obsessed with complicated paperwork. However, people are willing to go out of their way or bend the rules a little if they feel they can do someone a favor.
The Viennese have a singular fascination with death, hence the popularity of the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) as a strolling location and of Schrammelmusik - highly sentimental music with lyrics pertaining to death. Old-fashioned Sterbevereine (funeral insurance societies) provide members with the opportunity to save up for a nice funeral throughout the course of their lives. This service does not exist solely to save their children the hassle and expense - it is considered absolutely mandatory to provide for an adequate burial. Vienna even has the Bestattungsmuseum, a museum devoted to coffins and mortuary science. The country’s morbid obsession may be correlated with its higher suicide rate when compared with the rest of Europe.
Vienna is also famous for its coffee culture. "Let's have a coffee" is a very commonly heard phrase, because despite incursions by Starbucks and Italian-style espresso bars, the Kaffeehaus is still the traditional place to drink a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, meet friends, or fall in love.
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts). One of the world's great art museums, and the best in Vienna, in a palace that's a work of art itself. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. The mother of all Austrian museums – there is no other word to describe the "Kunst" other than mind boggling. It contains a world-class exhibit of the Habsburgs' art collection, including Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Bosch, and Brueghel. It’s, at the very least, a full day’s worth of sightseeing, if you intend to go through it thoroughly and attempt to ponder the importance of each major work. The better approach here is to break up sections of the museum and visit them over a series of days, or if that’s not an option, pick one section and concentrate on it alone. Beginning with another section of the museum, it’s possible to have a lunch or light dinner in the café and then continue through the Picture Gallery until closing time (especially on Thursdays, because the Picture Gallery is open until 9PM). The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The coin & medals collection is also exhaustive in its scope. The Museum cafe is a bit pricey, but good, and in a beautiful setting. Like the Louvre, hand-held photography is permitted to help store and recall the numerous mind-boggling beautiful works of art at the Kunst.
Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) – Located in the Neue Hofburg, the Schatzkammer (also known as the Secular and Ecclesiastical Treasures) is the best part of the Hofburg and an absolute must on any tour of Vienna. It contains the Hapsburgs' collection of jewels, crowns, and other valuables — perhaps the best on the Continent. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum itself, of which the Schatzkammer is officially a part, there are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate feel for Hapsburg court life over the centuries.
The New Palace (Neue Hofburg) – The New Palace is the newest and largest section of the Imperial Palace. It contains the Ethnological Museum and three branches of the Museum of Fine Arts. The Ephesus Museum contains classical art from Asia Minor. The Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is self-explanatory, but the jewel of the New Palace is the Collection of Arms. This collection, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries.
Schloss Schönbrunn – Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, it is not far from the city centre. Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna, because the Hapsburg summer palace can be found here. It is comparable in grandeur to Versailles and is definitely a must-see in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit. The palace has also seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. The Palace Park offers a lot of attractions, such as the Privy Garden, a Maze and Labyrinth, and the top-of-the-hill Gloriette with its Panorama Terrace.
Hofburg Palace - This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded and redecorated as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop.
Karlskirche (St.Charles Cathedral) - Largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps, designed by the famous architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Frescos done by Michael Rottmayr and paintings from the Italian Baroque painters Sebastiano Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Pellegrini, and the Austrian painter Daniel Gran.
Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) - Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic. None of the original construction remains—the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The 448 ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl's intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm), was never finished. In 1511, building in Gothic style ceased due to being out of fashion. Over fifty years later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St. Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. The organized tour is worth it, since some of the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide, such as Emperor Frederick III's red marble sepulchre and the immense Gothic carved Altar of Wiener Neustadt. The aborted North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where legions of bishops and Habsburg body parts are buried (the intestines, specifically).
The Old Synagogue — Underneath the Judenplatz (The Jewish Square), you'll find this underground medieval synagogue excavation. Amazingly, the synagogue was destroyed centuries ago, but its existence was remembered by the area's inhabitants up to the 20th Century. If you are interested in Vienna's Jewish side you can buy a combined ticket with the Jewish Museum and the Stadttempel, a well preserved 19th Century synagogue, which is being used as the main city's synagogue by the current growing Viennese Jewish community.
Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) — The Opera House is probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era. It was built from 1861-1869 under the direction of architects Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg for then-emperor Franz Josef I. After ten years of Allied control after the end of World War II, many cultural institutions reopened to celebrate the birth of the new Austrian state. The lush curtains and overall elegance contribute to the atmosphere of the Opera.
Prater (Park) including the Giant Ferris Wheel. The Prater Park began its life, as so many European parks did, as a carriage-riding area for the nobility. It is still a popular place to spend a weekend afternoon with family. An English engineering firm (Walter Basset) built the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) from 1896-97. Others of the same era, built for world exhibitions and other parks in Chicago, London, Paris, etc. have long since been torn down. The Riesenrad has become a well-known symbol of Vienna, featured in many movies (most famously The Third Man; also Before Sunrise and Ethan Hawke and picture postcards. It has 15 gondolas, some of which are incredibly ornate and large enough to host an extended family inside, offering a spectacular panorama of the city. The weirdest attraction in the Prater, though, is the Kugelmugel, a spherical house (diameter 7.68m) that, after failing to get a planning permit, declared independence from Austria. Originally built elsewhere, it was forcibly carted off to the Prater by Austrian authorities and now sits uninhabited and fenced off with barbed wire.
Secession Building. Architect Josef Maria Olbrich built this Jugendstil (German-style Art Nouveau) building 1897-98 as a display space for artists working in the new Secession artistic movement. It is topped by a giant, frothy golden ball, lovingly called "Krauthappel" by the Viennese, but the building was definitely not loved when it first opened. The Opera building too was hated at first, but at least it wasn't called a "temple for bullfrogs" or "a bastard begot of temple and warehouse" as the Viennese Secession building was. The entryway features the motto of the Secessionist movement: Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit (To the time, its art, to the art, its freedom). Olbrich's mentor Otto Wagner, and also Gustav Klimt, whose astounding Beethoven Frieze is partially preserved in the basement, inspired the building’s design. The ceremonial front entrance is separate from the functional glass and steel exhibit hall in back.
The Naschmarkt, right at the U4 subway station "Kettenbrueckengasse", is the biggest of Vienna's 22 market places and provides a unique blend of typical Vienna costumely and oriental flair. Stroll through the market and be part of the amazing ambiance. If you like to cook, you will find all the spices you could possibly want at the Naschmarkt. The side of the Secession tends to be more touristy (and thus more expensive) than the side of the "Kettenbrueckengasse". Remember that it is illegal to export antiquities outside of Austria, even if you legally buy them at a market. A nice part of the Naschmarkt are the small restaurants with fresh Italian, Japanese, Greek, and Turkish food. In the summer, they have nice open-air gardens.
Graz
Graz is the second-largest city in Austria, with a population of about 285,000. Some 40,000 of this population is made up of students, as Graz is home to no less than six universities (four "standard" universities and two dedicated solely to applied sciences), and is associated with names as illustrious as Johannes Kepler, Erwin Schrödinger and Nikola Tesla. The roots of Graz can be traced back to Roman times, when a small fort was built where the city centre is today; Slovenians later built a larger fortress in the same place.
Graz the birthplace (in nearby Thal) of actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Its UPC-Arena was renamed in Schwarzenegger's honor in 1997, but was renamed again in 2005 following controversy over the governor's support of California's death penalty.
The historic old town has been designated a World Heritage site.
The Schlossberg (Schloßberg) - the castle perched upon a hill in the middle of the city around which Graz sprang up. The funicular (Schloßbergbahn) and elevator (Schloßberglift) will take the effort out of the walk to the top, although to use them would be to miss the wooded paths and some spectacular views.
Eggenberg Castle (Schloss Eggenberg) - Early Baroque architecture, lavish state rooms. There is a small (€ 1.00) fee for entering the park surrounding the castle, which they likely will not charge you if you say you intend to take the castle tour. The castle tour is highly recommended though, as it contains dramatic wall and ceiling paintings, elaborate ceramic stoves, and inlaid wood floors.
Armory Zeughaus, in the Herrengasse - Contains an amazing collection of arms and armor, from large two-handed swords and maces to the more modern pistols. Originally the local armory ready to equip the people in the event of an attack, the weapons you'll see here were made for use, not show.
There are some remarkable churches in Graz: The oldest one is the romanesque Leechkirche with its tympanon Madonna. The highest building of Graz is the Herz-Jesu-Kirche, designed down into the last detail by architect Georg Hauberrisser in Gothic Revival style. Except the altar area, which had to be re-modeled after the liturgical renewals of the Second Vatican Council, everything still retains the original conception. On the other side of Mur river there are some beautiful Baroque churches like Mariahilf or Welsche Kirche. In St. Andrä, Baroque and modern elements combine, whereas St. Lukas, situated at one of the largest traffic routes of Graz, is a great example of contemporary sacred art.
Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt is located near one of Europe's largest and warmest alpine lakes and is one of Austria's prettiest old towns. There are many museums and galleries and highly recommended is a guided tour of the castle which takes you back to the Middle Ages.
Lindwurm - Neuer Platz, in the centre of the city. The lindworm is the town's landmark. According to a legend, an evil dragon infested the region where Klagenfurt is located today. The duke of Karnburg promised land to those who would catch and kill the dragon. Eventually a group of menials achieved to kill the dragon by a trick. They got the promised land and set up a village at the place where the dragon was killed. The monument was built in the 16th century. The head of the lindworm was shaped after the head of an glacial rhinoceros found in the same century in this region.
Linz
Stroll through Linz's Old City with its cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture where there is wonderful shopping and cafes. Travel on the steepest traction railway which will take you up Pöstlingberg where you will find a panoramic view of the city which when the visibility is good enables you to see all the way to the Alps.
When strolling through the heart of the city, one can literally sense its history. The lanes of the old town, which lies directly at the foot of the castle, communicate the feeling of past ages. Splendid town residences and chapter houses are worthy of closer scrutiny, as are the many inner countryards hidden discretely behind arched gates. Moreover, the spacious, baroque main square with its lively hustle and bustle is never far away.
Linz is also a city of churches. With its 134m tower and space for 20,000 people, the New Cathedral is Austria´s largest church. In addition, the city landmark, the pilgrimage basilica on the Pöstlingberg, is also clearly in view. A symbol of Linz is the Lentos Museum of modern art, which has a striking glass facade that is illuminated at night with alternating colours.
Linz castle. The Linz castle is first documented in 799. It was entirely rebuilt in 1477 by Emperor Friedrich III, and there are partial remains of the defensive walls, the bastions and the west entrance (Friedrichstor). The latter is adorned by a stone coat-of-arms (1481) bearing the inscription "AEIOU" ("The whole world is subject to Austria") and the imperial initials. Around 1600, during the rule of Rudolph II, the castle was redesigned and expanded according to plans by the Dutch master builder Anton Muys. The powerful four-story block with two inner courtyards and the main gate to the city (Rudolfstor 1604) date from this time. During the Napoleonic wars the building served as a military hospital, and it was here that the great city fire of 1800 broke out (destruction of the south wing and a part of the transept). Beginning in 1811, the remaining buildings were used as the provincial prison and from 1851 until 1945 as a barracks. Between 1953 and 1963, the fortress was rebuilt and restored as the Upper Austrian Castle Museum. It contains permanent exhibitions of art from the Middle Ages to the present day, historical weapons and musical instruments, coins, folklore and technical history, as well as the Kastner collection. There are special exhibitions each year.
Salzburg
Salzburg has many churches, castles and palaces and was the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozaart. You can visit Getreidegasse where you will find his birthplace "Mozarts Geburtshaus".
Schloss Hellbrunn - Once an archbishop's summer palace with lots of clever fountains and pretty gardens. When you take the tour stand next to the guide otherwise you'll get wet. Hellbrunn is surrounded by vast gardens, including a good children's playground with swings and flying fox, and a cold wading pool, and is a perfect place for a picnic or a long walk through the green.
Getreidegasse — A long yet narrow street running parallel to the river in the centre of town, with lots of shops, famous for the old (or old-style) signs of profession outside each store.
Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festung) - ocated on top of a mountain, the Festung offers breath taking views of Salzburg and the Alps. One area of the fortress offers visitors the chance to look down on a field below to find only one house, the executioner's residence. It was believed to live anywhere near the executioner was bad luck. Inside the fortress is a museum of medieval weapons, life on the fortess, and torture instruments. Public concerts are often held here in the evenings, reservations are recommended. On nights with concerts, it is possible to remain within the walls past dark. To avoid the vertical hike up to the Fortress, a funicular is available to ride, for a fee.
Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's birth house) - The Mozart family lived in this house in the heart of Salzburg from 1747-1773, where W.A. Mozart himself was born on 27 January 1756. The house is now a popular museum devoted to Mozart and his family, with interesting memorabilia and letters. Well worth a quick visit.
Schloss Mirabell - Located right next to the Salzach river and the Mozarteum University of Music and Arts lies a beautiful castle with gardens, built by an archbishop for his beloved courtesan. Watch out for the "Garden of Dwarves" and the Garden of Roses. Inside, you find the marble stairs of Raffael Donner, and the world's most beautiful wedding hall, the Marble Hall.
The Untersberg — The mountain is perennially popular with tourists due to its proximity to the city of Salzburg, less than 16 km (10 mi) to the north of the mountain and within easy reach by bus. A variety of paths lead to the top, but most people use the cable car that lifts passengers over 1300m to the Geiereck peak. The cable car runs from the 'St Leonhard' station in the town of Gartenau to the station at the Geiereck peak.
Innsbruck
Innsbruck was the host of two Winter Olympic Games and is a major winter sports center with skiing, skating and snowboarding available. Highly recommended is a gondola ride up Seegrube (2000m) with spectacular views of the Inn valley. In summer you can enjoy such outdoor sports as walking, hiking, cycling and paragliding.
Innsbruck also boasts a large number of historic buildings, including churches, castles, monuments and museums. Innsbruck's Hofkirche has the most important emperor's tomb monument (of emperor Maximilian I) in Europe. Especially characteristic are the larger-than-life bronzes ("schwarze Mander") that show members of different dynasties. The Cathedral at Saint Jacob (Dom zu St.Jakob), is a Baroque styled cathedral, with works of Lucas Cranach the Elder. The Wiltener Basilika is a Baroque styled church with Rokkoko-stucco, built from 1751-1756. Stift Wilten is a Premonstratensian monastery with a baroque collegiate church, not far from Wiltener Basilika. Schloss Ambras is a renaissance style castle that was built on behalf of archduke Ferdinand II of Tyrol. Interesting things to see are portrait- and armor-collections, art and curiosity cabinets, the spanish hall and the palace garden. Bergiselschanze - The Bergisel jump was replaced according to plans of the Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid in 2001. Because of its design and prominent location (on Bergisel, south of Innsbruck) it is considered a new city landmark. There is a cafe on top, which offers views of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains.
Zell am See
One of the most important alpine tourist towns in Austria. Zell am See is at the foot of some fine ski slopes. During the summer, the lake offers some activities too, in addition to mountain walks. The Kaprun ski resort is nearby. Near Kaprun, there are many remarkable mountain railways. One of them is Glaial Aerial Tramway Kaprun III, the third section of the aerial tramway up to Kitzsteinhorn mountain.
Wörthersee
The Wörthersee is Carinthia's biggest lake and one of Austria's top tourist attractions in Summer. The visually stunning setting is reason alone to stop by for a few hours, though the only way to truly experience it is to take a dip.
Many consider it Austria's best destination for bathing and swimming, for several reasons: a) With water temperatures averaging 21-23 C (often reaching a pleasant 25 C in August), it is one of Austria's warmest lakes. b) Its water is clear, has a characteristic blue-green colour, and is clean enough to be safe for drinking, at least in early June, before the tens of thousands of swimmers arrive in high season. c) Its location south of the Alps means it gets one of the highest number of sunny days in Austria, and it is also protected from strong winds, making ideal bathing weather in the months of July and August.
Ever since Austria's aristocracy has chosen the Wörthersee as their summer retreat in the 19th century it has been associated with glamour, though in recent decades it has lost a little of its shine. Nevertheless, the lake still attracts the rich and famous, and food and accommodation prices along its shore are very high compared to the rest of Carinthia.
Bodensee and Konstanz
Lake Constance (Bodensee) is a lake on the Rhine River that forms part of the border between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The Bodensee and its shores are very beautiful in a quiet, cultivated way. The views are serene, not spectacular. Konstanz, a nearby city on the German side of the German-Swiss border, is a beautiful city, noteworthy for its cathedral and ancient houses and shops. Its vibrant centre (in which live music almost always plays during the day) and harbour, dominated by the statue of Imperia (who holds the Kaiser in one hand and the Pope in the other) make Konstanz a fantastic city to visit. Konstanz has a palpable Mediterranean feel to it.
St. Anton
A popular ski resort in Austria on the Vorarlberg-Tyrolian border. St. Anton is widely regarded as the leading ski resort destination in Austria. It has an outstanding provision of advanced skiing, a reliable snow record and an extensive ski area that caters for a mixed level of abilities.
Pinswang
One of the most ancient settlements of the North Tirolean Ausserfern, on the border with Bavaria and a short walk or drive to King Ludwig's castles.
Pinswang is a quiet, lovely village located in the northern-most region of the Austrian Tirol known as the Ausserfern. With a population of around 430, Pinswang sits in a lush verdant Alpine valley mid-way between two major marketing towns; Reutte, located about 5 miles to the south in Austria and Füssen lying about the same distance to the northeast in Germany.
Pinswang is a most popular and inexpensive jumping off point for visits to a host of local sites. From there, visit the castles of Bavarian King Ludwig (Neuschwanstein and Hoheschangau) in Füssen, about a 1 to 1.5 hour walk from Pinswang. Hiking there is a most memorable experience, as you find yourself walking on lovely fairytale forest paths across the border into Germany.
Schloß im Loch is a medieval fortress built into the rock face towering over the foothills between Pinswang and Füssen. Visitors to the Schloß im Loch will find the forested trail leading up to the Schloß located at the Erschbach am Burgschrofen. There you will find a lovely placid pond and an ancient Celtic "mound". If you are in Pinswang in September, don't miss the wonderful Pinswanger Erschbach Festival. Attendees will be able to enjoy food and drink of the region, a day of music and a guided tour up to the Schloß im Loch.
Nearby mountains offer skiing and mountain biking, hiking and other outdoor activities.
Driving in Austria
We offer car hire and luxury car hire throughout the country. Click on our suppliers above for full details. The following is a guide to driving in Austria.
Rural or sparsely populated regions in Austria are easier to explore by car as bus services can be infrequent. Many popular spots in the mountains are only accessible by car or on foot/ski. Renting a car for a couple of days is a good way to go off the beaten track. Driving in Austria is normally quite pleasant as the country is small and the roads are in good condition, not congested and offer fantastic scenery. Beware of dangerous drivers, however: Austrians are generally a very law-abiding bunch, but when behind a wheel they seem to make an exception to their considerate attitude. Comprehensive maps of Austria, specific regions within Austria (including city maps), as well as maps from neighbouring countries can be bought at any petrol station. (expect to pay around €7 for one map)
As in many European cities, parking in cities is subject to fee on work days. Usually those parking zones are marked by blue lines on the street. Some cities have area-wide zones which are not denotated by blue lines). Fees vary from town to town as do the fines, which are charged if you have no valid ticket. (generally between €20 and €30) Tickets can be usually bought from kiosks, some cities (e.g. Graz) have ticket machines on the street. A cheap alternative is to park your car a bit outside of the town in parking garages called Park and Ride which can be found in any bigger city.
Traveling on Austrian motorways (autobahnen) or Schnellstraßen means you are liable to pay tolls. You have to buy a Vignette toll pass, in advance, which can be purchased at any petrol station or at the border. Vignetten can be bought for 10 days (€7,60), 2 months (€21,80) or one year (€72,00). Driving a car on a motorway without a vignette is punished with either payment of a substitute toll of €110 (that allows one to travel on the motorways for that day and the day immediately following) or a fine of upwards of €400, and if the fine is not paid on the spot, valuables may be seized from your vehicle and person to ensure that the fine is paid. You must affix the vignette to the top-center or on one of the driver's side corners of the windscreen of your car, otherwise it is not valid, which is a common mistake made by foreigners in Austria. The motorway police regularly check for vignetten. The maximum speed allowed on motorways is 130km/h.
Additional tolls are payable on certain roads, especially mountain passes, which you need to pay in bank notes (not coins!), as they got mad if you give them a hand of coins.
Take special care when driving in winter, especially in the mountains (and keep in mind that winter lasts from september to may in the higher parts of the alps and snowfall is in general there possible any time of the year). Icy roads kill dozens of inexperienced drivers every year. Avoid speeding and driving at night and make sure the car is in a good condition. Motorway bridges are particularly prone to ice. Slow down to 80 km/h when going over them.
Winter tires are strongly recommended by Austrian motoring clubs. When there is snowfall, winter tires or snow chains are required by law on some mountain passes, and occasionally also on motorways. This is indicated by a round traffic sign depicting a white tire or chain on a blue background. It is always a good idea to take a pair of snow chains and a warm blanket in the boot. Drivers often get stuck in their car for several hours and sometimes suffer from hypothermia.
Contrary to popular belief there is no need to rent an off-road vehicle in winter (though a 4x4 is helpful). In fact, small, lightweight cars are better at tackling narrow mountain roads than sluggish off-road vehicles. Virtually all roads in Austria open to the public are either covered in tarmac or at the least even surfaced. The problems normally encountered are ice and steepness, not unevenness. When driving downhill the only remedy against sliding are snow chains no matter what vehicle you are in.
Petrol is cheaper in Austria than in some neighboring countries, but still expensive compared to American standards.
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