Austria <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:au-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Vienna</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>federal republic<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>Euro (EUR)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 83,858 sq km <br>''water:'' 1,120 sq km <br>''land:'' 82,738 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>German</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Calling Code'''</td><td>43</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Internet TLD'''</td><td>.at</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Time Zone'''</td><td>UTC +1</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Austria''' (German: ''Österreich'') is a land-locked Alps|alpine country in Central Europe bordering with 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. ==Regions== Image:au-map.png|frame|Map of Austria Austria is a federal state comprised of nine states: * Burgenland * Carinthia (''Kärnten'') * Lower Austria (''Niederösterreich'') * Salzburg (state)|Salzburg * Styria (''Steiermark'') * Tyrol (''Tirol'') * Upper Austria (''Oberösterreich'') * Vienna (''Wien'') * Vorarlberg ==Cities== *Graz *Hall, Austria|Hall *Innsbruck *Klagenfurt *Linz *Salzburg (city)|Salzburg *Vienna (city)|Vienna (''Wien'') == Other destinations == *Hallstatt *Wolfgangsee - lake surrounded by picturesque mountain towns *Wörthersee - one of Austria's warmest lakes *Bodensee - a big lake situated in Vorarlberg/Switzerland/Germany ==Understand== Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law of that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999. ==Get in== People from countries within the EU, the United States, Canada, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand do not require a Visa to enter Austria. They are allowed to stay up to three months. People from Africa and Arabian countries as well as people from former soviet republics generally do require a visa. ===By air=== The most important international airport is Vienna which has connection to all major airports of the world. Other international airports include Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck which provide domestic flights as well as connections to some European countries. Those airports are particularly popular with cheap airlines such as Ryanair. ===By bus=== EUROLINES (http://eurolines.blaguss.at/|http://eurolines.blaguss.at/) has bus schedules from Austria to all major European countries and back. ===By car=== Austria has numerous border crossings to its neighbouring countries. Be aware that border crossings to Hungary, Czechia and Slovenia can be congested at the beginning of national holidays. ==== From Germany ==== * Motorway A8 from Munich to Salzburg. * Motorway A93 from Rosenheim via Kufstein to Innsbruck, Tyrol. * E43 from Leutkirch via Wangen to Bregenz, Vorarlberg. * E56 from Regensburg to Passau, Upper Austria. ==== From Italy ==== * Motorway A23 to Villach, Carinthia. * E54 via Brenner to Innsbruck, Tyrol. ==== From Slovenia ==== * E652 to Villach,Carinthia. * E57 via Spielfeld to Graz, Styria. ===By train=== Austria has reasonable train connections to all neighbouring countries. Check out the so-called ''intercity'' trains, which are the fastest trains available. ==Get around== ===By train and bus=== Good trains connect major cities and many towns; buses other towns and lakes. If you are under 26 and plan to spend more than 40 EUR on rail travel get a ''VorteilsCard'' (photo needed) for EUR 19,90 and have 45% discount on all trains in Austria and 25% abroad in Europe. If you have a Vorteilscard you can get a further 5% discount if you buy the tickets at the ticket machines, which sell national as well as regional tickets. The Vorteilscard is also available for those over 26 but costs 100 EUR. ===By car=== 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. Travelling on Austrian motorways (the so-called ''autobahn'') 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. ''Vignetten'' can be bought for 10 days (€7,60), 2 months (€22) or one year (about €70). Driving a car on a motorway without a ''vignette'' is punished with a fine of €100. You have to stick the ''vignette'' pass to 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'''. Take special care when driving in '''winter''', especially in the mountains. 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 tyres are strongly recommended by Austrian motoring clubs. Winter tyres are compulsory on some minor roads, occasionally even on motorways. Also take a pair of snow chains and a warm blanket in the boot in case there is heavy snowfall. 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 a 4x4 offroad vehicle in winter. In fact, small, lightweight cars are better at tackling narrow mountain roads than sluggish 4x4s. 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. ===By air=== Although you miss out most of the stunning Austrian Landscape, it is possible to travel by plane within Austria. Domestic flights normally cost in the region of €500, and since the country is small, they won't save you more than 1 or 2 hours travel time compared to rail or driving. In other words, don't bother flying unless you are on a business trip. Following domestic Airports are serviced by airlines like Austrian Arrows, Intersky, Styrian Spirit: * Vienna (Schwechat), servicing Vienna and Lower Austria * Linz (Hörsching), servicing Upper Austria * Salzburg (Wals), servicing Salzburg and Berchtesgaden (Bavaria) * Graz (Thalerhof), servicing eastern Styria and southern Burgenland. * Klagenfurt (Wörthersee-Airport), servicing Carinthia * Innsbruck (Kranebitten), servicing Tyrol non-domestic Airport servicing western Austria: * St Gallen|Altenrhein Airport (Switzerland), servicing Vorarlberg, Liechtenstein, Northeastern Switzerland, and Lake Constance Area * Friedrichshafen (Germany), servicing Vorarlberg, Baden-Württemberg and Lake Constance Area ==Talk== The national language of Austria is German. The Austrian dialect is related to the Bavaria|Bavarian dialect, but distinct in accent from the German of the rest of Germany, and uses some different words and phrases. English, however, is widely spoken, and the only area most tourists have linguistic problems with is translating food. In parts of Vienna, with many foreign visitors, such languages as Italian and French will often be understood as well. Italian is also wide-spreaded in those Austrian regions bordering Italy. == See == == Do == *'''Skiing''' - see Skiing in Austria *'''Cycle Touring''' - Austria is famous for its scenic cycle routes along its largest rivers. Though Austria is a mountainous country, cycle routes along rivers are flat or gently downhill, and therefore suitable for cycling. The most famous route is the Danube cycle path from Passau to Vienna, one of the most popular cycle paths in Europe, drawing large crowds of cyclists from all over the world each summer. Other rivers with well-developed cycle routes are the Inn, Drau, Moell and Mur. Most routes follow a combination of dedicated cycle paths, bridleways, and traffic calmed roads. ==Buy== ===Currency=== Austria is a member of the European Union and the so-called Eurozone. Consequently, the national currency is the Euro. The best rates for changing money are offered by banks. ===Prices=== The prices are comparable with Western European countries, and a bit higher than the USA because of 20 % sales tax (which is included in the prices). A can of coke will you cost about 40 cents, a good meal 10 Euros. Prices in tourist areas (Tyrol, Vienna, Salzburg) are a lot higher than the averages. ===Shops=== Shops are generally open from 09.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturday and closed on Sundays except for gas station shops (expensive), shops at railway stations and restaurants. Be aware that paying by credit card is not as common as e.g. in the United States. In smaller towns and villages you normally find one or two small shops or bakeries, which carry nearly everything, called "Greißler", albeit they are more and more killed off by bigger shopping centres. ===ATMs=== ATMs in Austria are called '''Bankomat'''. They are wide-spread and you will find them even in smaller, rural villages. Many shops (and some restaurants too) offer the service to pay directly with an ATM card. ===Bargaining=== Bargaining is not common throughout Austria except at flea markets. ==Eat== Austrian food is distinctive and delicious, and is traditionally of the stodgy, hearty "meat and dumplings" variety. '''Wiener Schnitzel''' (a breadcrumbed and fried veal escalope) is something of a national dish, and '''Knödel''' are a kind of dumpling which can be made either sweet or savoury according to taste. Apart from these, Austria is renowned for its pastries and desserts, the most well-known of which is probably the '''Apfelstrudel'''. The best advice is to dive into the menu and give it a go - there are no nasty surprises! '''Restaurants''' If you want to try out traditional Austrian food go for a ''Gasthaus'' or ''Gasthof'', which serve traditional food for reasonable prices. Usually they offer menus including a soup and a main dish and in some cases a dessert too. Prices are typically around €5 to €7 for this menu. ( except for very touristy areas ) Keep in mind that tipping is expected throughout all restaurants in Austria since service is not included in the bill. Rounding up the price given on the bill is usually enough tip. Paying the ''dutch way'' (this means splitting up the bill, if your are in a group) is common except in very expensive restaurants. '''Local specialities''' * If you have the chance to try '''Kletzennudeln''' you should definitely do it. They are an exceptional Carinthian speciality you can very rarely get anywhere: Sweet noodles filled with dried pears. * Some salads are made with '''Kernöl''' (green pumpkin seed oil), a Styrian speciality. Even though it looks frighteningly (dark green or dark red, depending on lightning conditions) it has an interesting nutty taste. A bottle of good, pure Styrian Kernöl is very expensive (around 10-20 Euros), but maybe one of the most Austrian things to take home. (Beware of cheap Kernöl, sometimes sold as "Salatöl". be sure to seal the bottle appropriately, the oil expands when slightly heated and leaves ''non removable'' stains. Just in case, sun light occasionally removes them, though.) Kernöl or pumpkin seed oil is also available in some online shops. * '''Manner Schnitten''' are a very Viennese sweet speciality, but just the square form factor and pink packaging are really unique. You can buy them everywhere. (Maybe you've already seen these as a product placement in some Hollywood movies or for example in "Friends" and wondered what they are.) * '''Sachertorte''' is chocolate torte with chocolate icing and filled with apricot jam. It should be be served fresh with freshly beaten, lightly sweetened cream, which the Austrians call "Schlagobers". It is available in Vienna in the Cafe Sacher, but also on the internet. ==Drink== Vienna is famous for its café culture, and there are coffee houses all over the city, many of which have outdoor terraces that are popular in the summer. Visit them for coffee (of course), hot chocolate and pastries. Most famous is Sacher-Torte. Most likely you will find the "top" coffee houses at the Ring, the Kärnter Strasse, Graben, and some other (maybe difficult to find) places in the first district (Innere Stadt). Austria has also some first class wines, mostly whites, slightly on the acid side. ==Sleep== Although hotels can usually even be found in smaller cities they are quite expensive (even more so in bigger cities) cheaper possibilities in big cities are youth hostels (http://www.jgh.at/) and in smaller towns you can often find families renting flats (http://www.netland.at/wien/) in bed and breakfast style (look for ''Pension'' signs). You can also find a lot of camping grounds (some of them are open the whole year round) but while they are exceptionally clean and often provide additional services, they are also a bit more expensive than in other countries in Central Europe. Austrian law requires anyone to '''register''' at their resident address, even if it's only for one night and even if it's a campsite. Hotels will therefore ask you to hand over your passport or driving license and may refuse to give you accommodiation if you don't have any ID on you. Don't worry too much about handing over your passport. In many countries such a practice would raise concern but in Austria it's a standard procedure. You passport ''will'' be returned. ==Learn== Austria has many great universities, and Graz in particular is renowned as a centre of learning, with no less than six universities. Only Vienna has more universities: * Universität Wien * Medizinische Universität Wien * Technische Universität Wien * Universität für Bodenkultur Wien * Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien * Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien * Akademie der bildenden Künste * Universität für angewandte Kunst in Wien * Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Wien ==Work== Good work is difficult to find for non-fluent German speakers. If you speak no German at all the best option is probably looking for jobs advertised ''outside'' Austria. Another possibility is giving private tuition in foreign languages, though you are unlikely to earn a full time income this way and it takes several months to build up a base of clients. There is plenty of unskilled work in the tourism industry. As long as you have a work permit, finding a job can often be as easy as simply turning up at a hotel and asking. ''Seasonal'' work in large ski resorts is the most promissing option. ==Stay safe== Austria is one of the safest countries in the world. Violent attacks are extremely rare and normally limited to Vienna. Small towns and uninhabited areas such as forests are totally safe at any time of the day. ==Cope== Beware of pickpockets in crowded places. Like everywhere in Europe they are becoming increasingly professional. Racism can also be a problem and make your stay an unpleasant experience. However, levels of racism are comparable to other Western nations and it is almost never seen in a violent form. In more remote parts of Austria people of non-white origin are a rare sight. If you see locals giving you strange looks here don't feel threatened. They are probably just showing curiosity or a distrust of foreigners and have no intention of doing any physical harm. A short conversation can often be enough to break the ice. ==Stay healthy== Certain regions in Austria (Carinthia, Styria, Lower Austria) are affected by tick borne encephalitis. For those who plan doing outdoor activities in the summer months a vaccine is strongly recommended. ==Respect== Austrians (especially those over 40) take formalities and etiquette seriously. Even if you are the most uncharismatic person in the world, old-fashioned good manners (''Gutes Benehmen'') can take you a long way in a social situation. On the flip side, there are endless possiblities to put your foot in it and attract frowns for breaking an obscure rule. In public many people can be impolite and pushy however. Many tourists perceive Austrians as unfriendly on the street and in shops, but in many cases this is directness and formality mistaken for unfriendliness. You may find for example that a shop assistant tells you off only to be extremely helpful a minute later. In Vienna a cafe isn't considered a real cafe without bad-tempered and arrogant waiters. Perhaps surprisingly for a rather conservative Nation, Austria's attitude towards '''nudity''' is one of the most relaxed in Europe. The explicit display of nudity in advertising can be a shock for many visitors, especially those from outside Europe. It is not uncommon to see women bathing topless in beaches and recreational areas in summer. Though swimming costumes must normally be worn in public pools, when invited to a private beach or pool it is normally OK to take one's clothes off. Nudity is compulsory in Austria's many nude beaches (''FKK Strand''), health spas and hotel saunas. Some basic Etiquette (Of course most of this doesn't really matter when you are in a younger crowd) * When entering and leaving public places Austrians always say hello (''Guten Tag'' or ''Gruess Gott'') and goodbye (''Auf Wiedersehen''). * Don't raise your voice or shout in public. In Austria raising one's voice normally signifies aggression. * When being introduced to someone, always shake them by the hand, keep the other hand out of your pocket, say your name and make '''eye contact'''. Failing to do so is considered condescending and rude, though foreigners may get away with it far more often than nationals. * When drinking alcohol you don't drink until you have toasted ("anstoßen"). Say "prost" or "cheers" and most importantly '''make eye contact''' when toasting. * If you have drunken all your wine and want more it's okay to pour some more into your glass, but '''only''' after you've kindly asked everyone around you at the table if they need any more. * If you really want to show your manners while eating, let your unused hand rest on the table next to your plate and use it occasionally to hold your plate while eating, if necessary. * In some Austrian households it is customary to take off one's shoes. This is partly because Austrians value cleanliness, but also because grit and slush from the pavements can cause havoc to a flat in winter. * Autrians love their titles like no other European nation. People always expect to be addressed by their proper title, be it Prof., Dr., Mag. (Master's), Dip.Ing (Master's in Engineering) or even Ing. (Technician). This is especially true for older people. ==Contact== ===Calling Austria=== International code is +43 From the UK Austria can be called at local rate by dialling 0845 2442442 followed by the phone number. When calling Austria from abroad, if the number starts with the city code 0222, it's in Vienna. Drop all four of those digits and replace it with a 1, then dial the remaining digits of the phone number. 0222 was the former dialing prefix for Vienna. It should be replaced by 1 also for domestic calls to Vienna. If the number doesn't start with 0222, simply drop the initial zero from the city code and dial the remaining digits. ===Phones=== Public phones are available in postal offices.Phone boxes are getting rare since the use of cell phones got very popular over the last years. Phone boxes usually operate with prepaid cards which can be obtained from postal offices and kiosks (German:''Trafik''). ===Cell phones=== Austria has a perfect network coverage of nearly 100%. If you bring your own cell phone with you assure yourself that it operates on 900Mhz or 1800Mhz. There are cell phones that operate at 1900Mhz (e.g. networks in the United States) which are not supported in Austria. If you plan a longer visit in Austria it might be useful to buy a new mobile with a prepaid card from a local cell phone network provider. Be aware that some remote areas (especially mountainous areas) do not have network coverage yet, though this rather the exception than the rule. 3G has now been successfully rolled out in Austria. Calling rates are considerably cheaper than for 2G mobiles, but 3G connections are not yet available on pay-as-you-go. ===Internet=== Internet cafes are common in bigger cities. Hotels in cities do normally have internet terminals, more expensive hotels provide internet access in the rooms itself. ==External links== * [http://www.hotel.or.at Hotel Organizer Austria] * http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/oebb.w02/query.exe/en|http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/oebb.w02/query.exe/en - Query Austrian train schedules online. de:Österreich fr:Autriche ro:Austria WikiPedia:Austria First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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