Car rental in Austria

License and IDP

With a US or Canadian license, you need an International Driving Permit (or an official German translation) along with your license. Carry your passport too.

The vignette

Motorways and expressways need a vignette. It's digital and tied to the car's plate (the windshield sticker ends with the 2026 edition). Cars rented in Austria usually have one, so ask at pickup. Some tunnels and the Brenner motorway charge a separate toll instead of the vignette. Scenic Alpine roads like the Grossglockner High Alpine Road open only in the warmer months and charge their own toll.

Rules that surprise visitors

• Speeds in km/h: 130 motorways, 100 open roads, 50 in towns.
• Winter: from November 1 to April 15, you need winter tires whenever roads are snowy, slushy or icy. Chains may be required on some mountain roads and may only be used on snow-covered roads.
• On motorways and expressways, form an emergency corridor (Rettungsgasse) as soon as traffic slows to a crawl: cars in the left lane move left, everyone else moves right.
• Alcohol: the limit is 0.05% (0.01% for drivers with less than 3 years' experience).

Vienna

Short-stay parking zones cover almost all of Vienna and are paid on weekdays, with a time limit. Use park-and-ride or a garage.

Hallstatt and the lakes

Hallstatt's center is closed to traffic, so you'll park in lots just outside the village. You can't reserve, so arrive early in summer.

Ages

Minimum rental age is usually 19 to 21 and can be higher for some cars; drivers under 25 often pay a young-driver fee. Check your rental terms.

Cover in Austria

Your deductible, what's included.

At the counter

License, International Driving Permit (or official German translation), passport, a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit hold.

Crossing borders

Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland are all close; ask before you book, and note each country has its own vignette or toll rules.

Road trips

• Vienna to Salzburg (about 300 km, 3 h).
• Salzburg to Hallstatt (about 75 km, 1.25 h).
• Innsbruck to the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (warmer months only; its own toll).
• Vienna to Bratislava (about 80 km, 1 h, border).
• Vienna to Budapest (about 245 km, 2.5-3 h, border).