Tips and recommendations on a trip to Austria

Austrians – a very law-abiding nation, almost obsesses the triumph of the law. Moreover, this is observed literally at all levels – no one in the right mind quit the garbage on the street, no one goes the road in the wrong place, and the presence of the police is almost unnoticed. However, recently, the overall level of crime in the country is growing steadily, so when visiting Austria, conventional reasonable security measures should be taken.

Almost all the problems faced by tourists in Austria are associated with small scaling and fraud. In large cities, pockets and small thieves should be feared, often cases of transport fraud. You should not carry with you large amounts of cash or remove them from an ATM in front of everyone. Documents and money is recommended to store hotels in safes or, if necessary, placed in the most difficult place. It is not recommended to leave anything valuable in the car, while the car itself is better to park on guarded parking or well-lit streets.

In case of direct contact with the robber, it is recommended to submit to all its requirements and not to enter into direct confrontation. It is not recommended to run away from the robbers, screaming or entering with them into confrontation (although it is not excluded – the law in any case will be on the side of the victim), but most of the locals prefer to give money in such cases, and then cause police.

Interestingly, according to federal laws, vagrancy and prostitution are not criminalized acts, but are pursued at the local level.

There are several areas that are not recommended to visit alone, especially – women. In Vienna, this is the Gurtel district and Sudbahnhof train station after the onset of darkness, in Graz – the south-west area from the main station, in Salzburg – Western outskirts and so on. OBB (Austrian Railways) even introduced special sections only for women (Damenabtelen) on the expressings of InterCity and Eurocity, going late in the evening. At the ticket office, when buying a ticket, you can ask to provide a place in such a compartment – it will provide greater safety when landing and disembarking.

Police

Austrian law enforcement bodies have several branches – directly the police (Polizei, dark green uniforms of the army style) or a federal police that controls the capital and other cities of the country. Members of these divisions are well armed and pretty severely react to all cases of violation of the law, including by the tourists themselves. The jurisdiction of gendarmerie (GENDARMERI) includes all other areas of Austria, as well as many other tasks, starting with the control of provincial roads and ending with a search and rescue service.

Powered by the police usually takes some time. With yourself, it is necessary to have any identity card (ideally – a passport or driver’s license, from which a photocopy will be removed). You may also need the original or a copy of the hotel and tickets for flights or departure from the country – suspicions in the presence of intention of illegal emigration from local guards of the order have already become a habit. In addition to German, many police officers speak English, but all other languages ​​are hardly able to succeed, and the translator will have to wait for quite a long time, since they all work in part-time police. Sometimes the police of Slavic origin (Czechs or Croats) themselves, but their extremely few, and the similarities of our languages ​​are pretty conditional. Therefore, it is worth thoroughly thought out and formulate the essence of your appeal.

Toponyms and addresses

Street names in Austria are always written in front of the house number on signs and signs. There are double numbers – the first digit indicates the building number, the second is the room number or apartment.

Vienna is divided into 23 "Postal Areas" (Bezirke), and the numbering goes on a spiral from the Inner Stadt (Innere Stadt) clockwise. When writing the address here first write the number of the postal area, then the name of the street, then the house number and then, through the slash, the apartment number. For example, the address of the species 9, LOBLICHGASSE 11/14, denotes apartment number 14 in the house number 11 on Löbgasse street in the ninth district.

Luggage and storage chambers

Large stations have automatic storage chambers (SchliessFacher), whose services are usually estimated at 2-5 euros per day. At large stations there are also ordinary luggage storage (GEPACKAUFBEWAHRUNG) with a welcome and special employees – here usually have to pay 2.5-5 euros per unit of baggage per day.

The foundation bureau (Fundamte) is usually located in the local police department.

Smoking

Austria is one of "Smoking" countries of Western Europe, and modern trends on restrictions in this area are traced while weakly. There are some restrictions on smoking in public places (first of all – in public catering sites) and in transport, as well as in zones adjacent to children’s institutions. However, the sale of cigarettes is limited (in restaurants or bars, for example, it is quite difficult to buy), and the police may well make a suggestion (but no more!) for smoking at the entrance to a large store or bank. Tobacco products are usually sold only in large stores or specialized vending machines (designated Tabak sign).

Toilets

Unlike many other European countries, the problems of public toilet deficit in Austria are practically no. As a rule, free and invariably flawlessly clean, they are located in all cities of the country, usually focusing around the main square, major attractions and train stations. However, they are often closed relatively early – in 19.00-20.00, only the station works around the clock.

Electricity

Voltage in the power grid is 220-230 V, 50 Hz. Standard European Plugs with Two Pins (Type C) and similar grounding connectors are used (Type F, Schuko).

Post office hours

Visit Museums and Gallery

Museums and galleries of Austria do not have a single schedule of work. It should be borne in mind that most museums, locks and galleries have a paid entrance. There is no single pricing policy here, but in general the ticket is usually worth not more than 10 euros. The exception is only all sorts of musical ideas, balls and gala concerts, most of them are quite in-depth entertainment. However, various discount systems operate (students, children under 16 years old and pensioners, for example, have a fifty-percent discount of almost everywhere), subscriptions and local tourist cards that allow you to seriously save when visiting the most interesting objects. On some ideas, right before the start, you can buy unsold tickets with a discount, as well as standing or detachment sites (Stehplatze, usually no more than 2 euros). Almost all collections and collections of Austria work free 17 May – on International Museums Day.

It is characteristic that almost all local meetings are marked and accompanied by explanatory signs only in German. Even in large urban museums, instead of an English-speaking guide, they will most likely be presented a specially translated booklet (usually 3 euros), the same picture in most castles and monasteries. Although recently the number of English-speaking guides are growing rapidly, a certain lack of them is still feeling. But get an explanation in other languages ​​can only with a very big luck.

Visiting tourist offices

Visiting churches and monasteries

Shopping time

Austrian laws strictly limit shopping hours, as a result in the evening or in the weekend it is not easy to buy even products or objects of everyday demand.

All stores are open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 18.00, on Saturdays – from 12.00 to 17.00 with an hour break for lunch. Most of the outlets in small cities and villages closes on Saturdays during the day, everything is closed on Sundays. Only in resort regions shops from Monday to Friday open from 8.00 to 21.00, on Saturday and Sunday – from 8.00 to 18.00. At the same time, pharmacies, train station stores and airports work all week. For some goods near the stores, vending machines are installed, but their little (usually only tobacco).

Nudism

Maps of tourist

Austria offers its guests numerous discount cards that provide access to many popular attractions with significant discounts. It may be a map covering only a certain region or city and individual tourist complexes.

In Vienna, buying Wien Card (18.5 euros), you can get over 200 discounts that provide free travel on city transport within 72 hours, visiting Schönbrunn, the museum quarter and many other popular attractions, bonuses in a number of shops, restaurants, cafes and Theaters.

Karnten Card allows you to visit more than 100 sights of Carinthia and gives discounts about fifty other services. Weekly card costs for an adult 34 euros, for children – 14 euros; At the same time, many hotels give it for free for the entire period of stay.

Innsbruck Card allows for free or discounts to visit most of the major museums and sights of Innsbruck and the nearest surroundings, provides the right of free travel on transport, excursion by Sightseer bus to Tyrolean Mint in Halle or "Crystal Worlds Swarovski" in the town of Wattens. The cost of the daily Innsbruck Card – 25 Euro.

Tourist cards are sold in local rounded and except discounts when visiting museums provide additional benefits for public transport, as well as visits to excursions and other attractions. Together with them can be issued schemes of work of transport, all kinds of explanatory booklets and brochures (including in our), free maps of cities and the most popular tourist routes and so on. Therefore, their acquisition can be considered one of the most successful ways to save on common expenses.

Tips

Tips usually make up 5-10%. Even in the case of an order of a single drink in the bar or cup of coffee in large restaurants, it is customary to leave 10% of the account amount. At the expense for lunch or dinner in a good institution, 10-15% are usually included on the payment of services, but even in this case, leave a small (within 5%) to the surcharge personally is considered a good tone rule. At the same time, the waiter itself returns delivery to the cent, and the money is pressed personally just on the napkin or in the folder with the score.

Also, tips are expected in hotels, theaters, taxis, most private cafes (with the exception of street), bars and coffee shops, even at servicing gas stations. There is no single scheme here, usually the amount of the account is simply rounded into the biggest, and how much – depends on the quality of service.