Austria

Understand

Österreich literally means "the Eastern Realm" or "Eastern Empire" in German.

History

Today's Austria is what was once the German-speaking core and centre of power for the large multiethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire with its imperial capital in Vienna. This empire stretched eastwards from present-day Austria through much of east-central and south-central Europe. It included the entire territories of modern-day Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and portions of Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Poland and Italy, and also had a small colonial possession in Tianjin, China. While Prussia united the German states to the north into one "German Empire" in 1867-1871, Austria remained oriented eastwards towards its diverse empire. However, from the start of the 20th century, the political history of Austria has been closely linked to the misfortunes and disasters of modern German history, mainly the First and Second World Wars and their terrible aftermath. The modern republic of Austria came into being in 1918 as a result of its defeat in World War I. In its wake, the empire was split into many components. They included Austria's current borders, an independent Hungary, lands given to Italy (South Tyrol, Trieste and Trentino), lands given to southern Poland (which also came about from lands taken from the Russian and German Empires, lands which those three empires had taken from Poland in the three "divisions" that erased Poland from the map for over a century), an independent Czechoslovakia and the northern and western half of Yugoslavia. Interwar Austria was an unstable state with pro-German fascists, pro-independence clerical reactionaries and left wing social democrats fighting over control, sometimes violently and ultimately descending into the "Au

See

While Austria may be in the very heart of Europe, the country has plenty of attractions to see. There are scenic backdrops, traditional music, visual architectural styles and an ethnically homogenous culture in its range. Summer and winter, large flocks of tourists are drawn to Austria's mighty mountainous scenery. With no less than 62% of the country at an altitude of 500m or more, it's hard to miss the stunning snow-covered peaks and green valleys. Depending on the season, you'll find green mountain meadows or white landscapes as far as you can see, but either way, you won't be disappointed by the grand views. Highlights include for example the High Mountain National Park in the Zimmertal Alps, with peaks up to 3476m, narrow gorges an

Getting there

Visa

Austria is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, what countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty; there may be such controls temporarily, such as in connection with important events and various crises. The operators may carry out identity checks before passengers board international flights, ferries or trains, even between Schengen countries. Citizens of the EEA countries and Switzerland do not need visas to travel in the Schengen area, and may stay up to 90 days with no requirements other than having a valid ID card or passport. See European Union#EEA citizens. Normal visas granted by any Schengen member are valid in all countries that have signed and implemented the treaty (with exceptions for some overseas territories). The granting country may offer additional rights (such as longer stays or right to work) that apply only locally. One of the best ways to stay in the country for longer than 90 days is to study on a study visa, for example by studying on a TEFL course. As of 2026, travellers entering via Slovenia (and sometimes Hungary) are subjected to border checks by the Austrian Police. This is a temporary measure, though be prepared to show relevant ID/documentation when entering.

By plane There are six airports in Austria with scheduled flights. The most important international airport is Vienna Airport (VIE IATA) which has connection to most major airports of the world. In the neighbouring town of Schwechat, it's the hub of Austrian Airlines, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa. There are smaller international airp

Getting around

By train and bus

Trains are the best and most common form of mass transport in Austria. Comfortable and moderately priced trains connect major cities and many towns; buses serve less significant towns and lakes. The two forms of transport are integrated and designed to complement each other, and intercity coaches exist but don't provide anywhere near the level of intercity rail service. Between Vienna, Linz, and Salzburg trains run every 30 minutes or even more frequently. Trains between Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck and Bregenz operate at least hourly. The 2½-hour train ride to Graz takes you along one of the world's oldest mountain railways (Semmeringbahn). 14 tunnels and 16 viaducts were built to cross the Alps. ÖBB-operated trains, especially trains between Vienna and Graz and ICE trains to Linz and between Salzburg and Carinthia, may use coaches owned by other countries' national operators, just check the train number. Railjet (RJ or RJX) trains to Vienna Airport are split at Vienna Main Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof), with only one half of the train going to the airport and the other half going to Budapest. Be careful to board the correct part of the train! Austrian trains are operated mostly by state-owned company ÖBB. The Raaberbahn (GySEV) provides some trains across the Austrian-Hungarian border and there are some short private railways with tourist trains which supplement rather than compete with the ÖBB. The only competitor to ÖBB is WestBahn. Westbahn has connections from Vienna to all states except Burgenland. Instead of Wien Meidling and Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna Main Station) stations, it serves Wien Hütteldorf and Wien Westbahnhof (Vienna Western Station), which are otherwise mainly served by commuter trains. It depends, but the price is generally a little