Austria Life Companion

🚨

Emergency Numbers

LIFE SAVER

🚔

133

Police

🚒

122

Fire Brigade

🚑

144

Ambulance

🇪🇺

112

EU Emergency

🏔️

140

Mountain Rescue

SOS

141

Doctor on Call

🍷

142

Crisis Helpline

👨‍👩‍👧

116 111

Child Helpline

🔥

120

Gas Emergency

⚖️

0800 222 555

Legal Aid (free)

📅

Public Holidays

2025 / 2026

1 Jan

Neujahr (New Year's Day)

🎆

6 Jan

Heilige Drei Konige (Epiphany)

👑

Apr 18

Karfreitag (Good Friday)

✝️

Apr 21

Ostermontag (Easter Monday)

🐣

May 1

Staatsfeiertag (National Day)

🇦🇹

May 29

Christi Himmelfahrt (Ascension)

🕊️

Jun 9

Pfingstmontag (Whit Monday)

🕊️

Jun 19

Fronleichnam (Corpus Christi)

⛪

Aug 15

Maria Himmelfahrt (Assumption)

🙏

Oct 26

Nationalfeiertag (Independence)

🏳️

Nov 1

Allerheiligen (All Saints')

🕯️

Dec 8

Mariä Empfangnis (Immaculate)

✨

Dec 25

Weihnachtstag (Christmas Day)

🎄

Dec 26

Stefanitag (St. Stephen's Day)

⛪

🏫

School Calendar

2026/27

🎩

Austrian Etiquette

🤝

Greetings: Use "Gruss Gott" as a universal greeting. Shake hands when meeting someone. Use "Sie" (formal you) unless invited to use "Du".

punctuality

Punctuality is sacred. Arriving late is considered very rude. Being 5 minutes early is the norm. Germans call it "Punktlichkeit" — Austrians take it even more seriously.

🚪

Doors & Elevators: Always hold the door for the person behind you. In elevators, greet everyone with "Gruss Gott" when entering.

🍷

Coffee house culture: Sit as long as you like in a Cafe. But never rush a waiter — order at the table. Tipping: round up 5-10%.

🗣️

Language: German is official. Many Austrians speak dialect (Wienerisch). Basic German phrases earn huge respect. "Danke" and "Bitte" go a long way.

🏠

Visiting homes: Bring a small gift (flowers, chocolate, wine). Remove shoes at the door — look for the Schuhschrank (shoe cabinet).

🛍️

Shopping Hours

🏬

Supermarkets

Mon-Sat: 7:30 - 19:30
Sun: Closed

🛒

Large Malls

Mon-Fri: 9:00 - 20:00
Sat: 9:00 - 18:00

🏪

Small Shops

Mon-Fri: 9:00 - 18:00
Sat: 9:00 - 13:00

🍽️

Restaurants

Lunch: 11:30 - 14:00
Dinner: 18:00 - 23:00

☕

Cafes

7:00 - 19:00 (daily)
Some open later

⛔

Sunday Rules

Shops closed! Only gas stations,
bakeries, train stations例外

🌤️

Weather & What to Wear

🌸 Spring

8-18°C

Mar - May

Layer up, light jacket, umbrella handy

☀️ Summer

20-32°C

Jun - Aug

Sunscreen, sunglasses, light clothing

🍂 Autumn

5-15°C

Sep - Nov

Warm layers, waterproof jacket, boots

❄️ Winter

-5 - 3°C

Dec - Feb

Heavy coat, scarf, gloves, thermal layers

🧥 Fohn Wind

Warm gusts

Alpine phenomenon

Can raise temps 15-20°C in hours. Dress light!

💱

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🚆

Transport Tips

🎫

Annual Ticket (Klimaticket)

E995/year for ALL public transport nationwide — trains, buses, trams, U-Bahn. The best deal in Europe. Under 26 pays ~E525.

🚇

Vienna U-Bahn

Runs 5AM-12:30AM. Night buses (N lines) run all night on weekends. Single ticket: E2.40. 24h pass: E8. Always validate your ticket!

🚌

Regional Buses (Postbus)

Connect rural areas. Buy tickets online at oebb.at or from the driver (surcharge). Check the Postbus app for schedules.

🚄

Trains (OBB)

Westbahn competes with OBB on Vienna-Salzburg route — often cheaper! Book Sparschiene tickets early for huge discounts.

🚗

Driving Rules

Drive on the right. Headlights mandatory 24/7. Winter tires required Nov-Apr. Vignette (highway sticker) mandatory — buy at gas stations or online.

🚲

Cycling

WienRadl in Vienna, many cities have bike-sharing. Helmets required for under-12. E-bikes are hugely popular. Use marked bike lanes.

♻️

Recycling Guide

📦

Gelbe Tonne (Yellow)

Plastic bottles, cans, tetrapacks, plastic packaging, metal lids, aluminum foil

📄

Blaue Tonne (Blue)

Paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, paper bags, egg cartons

🍶

Grune Tonne (Green)

Glass bottles (green & brown), jars — NO white glass, NO ceramics

🍂

Biomull (Brown bin)

Food scraps, fruit/veg peels, coffee grounds, garden waste, eggshells

🔋

Sondermüll (Special)

Batteries, electronics, paint, chemicals — bring to designated drop-off points

🗑️

Restmüll (Gray bin)

Non-recyclable waste: dirty packaging, hygiene products, broken ceramics