Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Austria, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. Persons violating Austrian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Austria are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. If you break local laws in Austria, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws. Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may be breaking local law as well.

Arrest Notifications: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: We are not aware of any special currency or customs circumstances for this country.

WOMEN TRAVELERS:If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBT events in Austria. The LGBT community is well-developed in all larger cities, such as Vienna, Graz, Linz, Innsbruck, and Salzburg, and the LGBT organizations generally operate freely. While there is some societal prejudice against LGBT persons, especially outside of Vienna, and other major Austrian cities, the country has become more liberal with laws and social opinion concerning sexual orientation and gender identity. Antidiscrimination laws also apply to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons and civil partnerships of same-sex couples are legal under a law, which became effective January 1, 2010, but are not equivalent to marriage. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Austria, you may review Section 6 of the Department of State’s Human Rights Report. For further information on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Austria, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different than in the United States. Austrian federal law mandates access to public buildings for persons with physical disabilities; as a result, accessibility has substantially improved in recent years. While many stores and restaurants in Austria still lack ramp or elevator access, most tourist attractions are accessible. A comprehensive assessment of public buildings, including tourist sites, restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Vienna, is available at the Vienna Tourist Information website. For information regarding accessibility in other regions of Austria, please visit the Austrian National Council of Disabled Persons website, which dedicates an entire section to this topic.

Vienna Transportation:

Streetcars: Vienna’s streetcar fleet has been phasing in newer trains that are easily accessible for those who use wheelchairs. Approximately one-third of the fleet has been upgraded, although older trains with stair-like entrances are still quite common. Pedestrians need to be aware that streetcars on the Vienna circular ‘Ring’ road run counter-traffic.

Buses: Public buses in Vienna are equipped with a “kneeling” capability to permit easier passenger boarding. The center of each bus has generous space and is equipped with tether lines.

Subway stations: All subway stations in Austria have elevator access, although not at every entrance. Stations are also equipped with a ridged/raised surface to help guide sight-impaired passengers from the entrance to the platform.

Crosswalks: Motorists in Vienna are quite observant of local law and usually yield to pedestrians waiting to cross in designated “zebra” crosswalks. Major intersections also offer an audible cue for the sight-impaired to cross.

Guide dogs: Austria is a very dog-friendly country and dogs are welcome in almost every venue, including taxis, public transportation, stores, and most restaurants. In addition, guide dogs are also permitted in normally restricted venues, such as major tourist attractions.