Austria travel guide
Austria rewards travellers with a rare mix of imperial grandeur and Alpine scenery. In a single trip you can hear classical music in Vienna, ride a cable car above Innsbruck, walk beside the still lake at Hallstatt and trace Mozart's footsteps through the Baroque lanes of Salzburg. Vienna is the cultural heavyweight, with palaces, museums and coffeehouses. Salzburg and Graz bring old towns and a gentler pace, while Innsbruck and Zell am See put you at the foot of the mountains for skiing and hiking. Along the Danube, Melk and the Wachau valley offer a golden abbey, vineyards and gentle cycling, and Hallstatt adds a lakeside village below the peaks. Winter suits skiers and Christmas-market fans, while late spring to early autumn is best for lakes, hiking and city sightseeing. Austria works for couples, families and music lovers alike, with efficient trains between most of its cities. Zippy Trips can help you plan the itinerary city by city.
Capital: Vienna.
Visa for Indian passport holders
Visa required, apply before you fly.
Before you go to Austria
- Currency
- EUR €
- Bargaining
- Not expected
- Card networks
- Visa, Mastercard
- ATM fees
- Usually free at bank ATMs; avoid Euronet
Cities in Austria
- Salzburg Baroque city on the Salzach, birthplace of Mozart and setting of The Sound of Music, crowned by the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
- Innsbruck Alpine capital of Tirol framed by the Nordkette range, known for the Golden Roof, Imperial history and world-class skiing.
- Hallstatt Postcard lakeside village in the Salzkammergut, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its salt mine and mirror-still lake.
- Graz Austria's second city and a UNESCO City of Design, with a red-roofed old town, the Schlossberg clock tower and modern Kunsthaus.
- Zell am See Lakeside alpine resort beside the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a year-round base for skiing, hiking and watersports.
- Melk Gateway to the Wachau valley on the Danube, dominated by the golden Baroque Melk Abbey above the town.
- Vienna Capital of Austria, the imperial Habsburg city of palaces, coffeehouses and classical music.
Frequently asked questions about Austria
- Do Indian citizens need a visa for Austria?
- Visa required, apply before you fly.
- What currency is used in Austria?
- The currency in Austria is the Euro (€). €1 is about ₹107.
- Can I use cards and ATMs in Austria?
- Accepted card networks: Visa, Mastercard. Typical ATM fees: Usually free at bank ATMs; avoid Euronet. Decline dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and card machines.
- Can I get a SIM or eSIM in Austria?
- SIM cards available in Austria.
- What is the capital of Austria?
- The capital of Austria is Vienna. Time there: IST - 3 h 30 min.