Austria: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Austria feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 336 written places.
Formal, tidy and proud of its coffee-house pace; titles and greetings are used seriously.
✓ Considered polite
- Say Gruss Gott when entering small shops
- Linger in coffee houses - one melange buys you the afternoon and the newspapers
- State the rounded total with tip when paying, as in Germany
- Dress a notch smarter for concerts and good restaurants
✗ Better avoided
- Call Austrians Germans - shared language, distinct country
- Expect Sunday shopping - nearly everything closes
- Be loud in public transport
- Skip greetings with hut wardens and lift operators in the Alps - courtesy runs uphill
Worth knowing
- Tipping is 5-10%, said aloud when paying
- Tap water is superb alpine water and restaurants serve it without fuss
- The Vignette toll sticker is required on motorways if you drive in
- Cash remains popular; small cafes may be cash-only
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.