Planning to travel to Austria? Things you need to know

Austria is in top 10 most visited countries in Europe and it is open for travel right now. Read more to find out who can enter Austria, what are the conditions for entry and what is the pandemic situation in the country.

Who can visit Austria?

At the moment Austria only allows visitors from the Schengen area, and there are different conditions for entry depending on the country of origin. Austria decided not to follow the European Commission recommendation to open for the selected third-party nations. Only residents from the following countries of origin are allowed to enter Austria.

In addition, essential-only travel is allowed but not recommended, from the following countries: Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

What are the conditions to travel to Austria?

Travelers arriving from the allowed countries don't need to quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test result upon entry to Austria. It is important to know that only residents of the country of origin or Austria can enter Austria. Moreover, passengers must have not traveled to Austria or other countries in the past 14 days.

There are special rules for visitors arriving from Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They must present a negative PCR test taken in the past 48 hours or self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Austria. Moreover, passengers from Gütersloh district in Germany must follow the same rules.

What is open in Austria?

The country is following a gradual reopening of attractions and hotels. Museums and restaurants have opened on May 15th, and places of accommodation on May 29th. The use of masks is only mandatory on public transportation and taxis, as well as whenever social distancing measures cannot be applied.

Even though borders are now open, cross-border travel to Austria is strongly discouraged.

There are also some specific regulations in place for travel to specific regions in Austria. The use of masks is mandatory between 9 PM and 2 AM in the region of Carinthia. In the Upper Austria region you must also wear a mask if social distancing is not possible. Furthermore, you must also wear a mask in this region at restaurants, hotels, shops, on public transport and in municipal buildings.

What is the pandemic situation in Austria?

To date, Austria has cumulated 18.948 COVID-19 cases and 708 deaths. In the past two months, the country managed to contain the virus, having an average number of 50 new cases per day. The number of active cases at the moment is 1,240. You can find daily detailed information here.

The top 5 cities to visit in Austria

Find below a list of the most cities in Austria.

Salzburg is one of the top attractions in the country, and it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Find places to stay in Salzburg.

Innsbruck is another city worth visiting. Situated in the Alps, usually tourists visit it during their ski trips. Check out places to stay in Innsbruck.

Vienna is the capital city of Austria and a truly amazing place, definitely worth visiting. Find places to stay in beautiful Vienna.

Bad Gastein is a city you should definitely visit if you want to relax. It is mostly known as a spa-town due to its numerous hot springs. Check out hotels in Bad Gastein.

Hallstatt is another beautiful place that made our shortlist. Fun fact, China was so impressed by the city's beauty that created a replica of it. Find the best places to stay in Hallstatt.

How to stay safe during your travel to Austria

Austria advises travelers to respect the general recommendations for avoiding infection with COVID-19, such as:

• Keeping social distancing measures.
• Maintaining high-levels of hygiene, such as washing hands frequently.
• Avoiding touching any parts of the face.
• Staying at home or accommodation if you feel sick and avoid contact with others.

Did you find this article useful? You can also check out which countries are open now in Europe or what travel insurance companies cover for COVID-19.