Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Austria Vacation

Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re discussing common mistakes we see from first-time tourists in Austria. Mark studied and taught here, and we’ve been back many times with our kids. We’ve learned many lessons throughout the years. If you are about to embark on your first Austria vacation, take care to avoid these travel mistakes!

Forgetting to Say Gruss Gott

Gruss Gott is the standard Austrian greeting, and you should get used to saying it anytime you walk into a restaurant or shop. Austrians are not the most friendly people, so if you start off with a “Gruss Gott” you’ll be starting off on the right foot.

Preconceived Notions of Austrians

For many Americans, the Sound of Music is the extent of their knowledge of Austria. Naturally, they expect everyone to be friendly like Maria. But that’s not the case when you visit Austria. Austrians are not effusive and their brusque nature can feel rude sometimes. This is most commonly seen in the service industry, where they are efficient but not necessarily friendly.

Not Enjoying the Cafe Culture

Of course, you want to see all the sights in Austria, and you may have a very busy travel itinerary. But it would be a mistake to not sit down to enjoy cafe culture in Austria. Austrians have a fantastic sweet tooth, and part of their culture is to enjoy coffee and cake in a cafe. Sacher Torte is the most famous cake from Austria, as it was created in Vienna. It’s a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam and a ganache outer layer.

Don’t pass up the bakeries in Austria, either! The bread and baked goods are phenomenal.

Link to: What to Eat in Austria

Missing a Live Performance

One of the best things to do in Austria is to attend a performance. Salzburg has tons of Mozart productions as well as a marionette theater. There are dozens of fantastic theaters in Austria, and of course the Opera House in Vienna is beautiful.

Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Vienna

Comparing Austria to Germany

Yes, there are similarities and shared history between Austria and Germany, but many travelers see Austria as “Germany Junior.” Although they share a language, the culture, the people and even the accents in their German are different between the two countries. The Holy Roman Empire was once based in Austria, so they have their own history and culture to be admired.

Missing Austria’s Natural Attractions

The cities of Austria have beautiful architecture and culture, but it would be a mistake to miss the natural attractions of Austria. The Austrian Alps are spectacular in every season. From winter ski resorts to hundreds of lakes to enjoy in summer. Even the cities have beautiful parks where you can get some fresh air and take in the scenery.

Only Visiting Salzburg and Vienna

Salzburg and Vienna are the two most popular destinations in Austria, but they aren’t the only Austrian cities to visit. Linz, Graz, Innsbruck, and Hallstatt are just a few of the smaller towns worth visiting in Austria. The people tend to be friendlier in the smaller towns, and there is a great network of trains in Austria.

That said, though, Hallstatt is a bit overrated; it supposedly served as the inspiration for the town in Frozen. This tiny town of less than 1000 residents is overwhelmed by thousands of tourists daily.

Not Researching Museums to Visit

Austria has so many fantastic museums. You really need to do some research before your trip and narrow down which museums you want to visit. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed with choices. There are lots of cool museums for kids, too.

Expecting Free Water

Most restaurants want you to pay for water and don’t automatically bring free water. They may ask if you want still or sparkling, which indicates bottled water that you will pay for. You can ask for tap water, but it doesn’t always go over well with your server.

Not Having Coins on Hand

In most destinations, there’s hardly a need to carry cash. We are so used to swiping and tapping our credit cards, that we often don’t bother to have local currency on hand. But in Austria, you need to have some coins in your wallet. Train station bathrooms often require a small entry fee that can only be paid in coins. The train restrooms aren’t always the cleanest, so it’s worth the splurge to pay for the bathroom at the train station.

Not Using the OBB

OBB is the train system in Austria, and it will get you pretty much anywhere you want to travel to. Even the smallest towns have train, bus, or ferry services. It makes traveling around Austria so easy. They aren’t always the most punctual trains, but they will get you wherever you want to go. Their trains are clean and their employees are some of the most helpful people in Austria. Paying extra for seat reservations is definitely worth it, especially on busy travel days!

If you upgrade to the First Class car, you might also have access to the First Class lounge at the train station. It’s a nice place to relax, just like the club lounges at airports.

Taking the CAT Train from the Airport

The CAT is the City Airport Train, and it’s an express train from the airport to the city center. This more expensive option only saves you 5 – 10 minutes. If you’re trying to save money on your trip, the regular train is just as good. If you have a lot of luggage, you may want to pay the premium as there is more space on the CAT train.

Other Train Travel Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to check the departure and arrival times. Not all trains are the same, so you might have a faster train that leaves later and arrives earlier. Make sure you weigh all your options.
Picking the wrong train station can be a costly mistake. Larger cities have more than one station, so make sure you know which train station to travel to.
Skipping the ticket kiosk can cost you time and money. If you need help, the Reisezentrum is great. But the lines can get pretty long, so for simple tickets, use the kiosk! (There will be additional language options if you don’t understand German.)
Skipping day trips along your train route would be a mistake. A lot of train stations have luggage lockers, so you can store your luggage and explore the town before continuing on your journey.
Stopping at the top of the escalator is a big no-no. Get out of the way for other people exiting behind you and take care not to cause a traffic jam!
Talking in the quiet cars or being loud in any train car is not advised. Keep your voices low, even if you’re not in a quiet car.
Don’t use other seats for your luggage. There is overhead storage for your luggage; which is a great reason to make sure you pack light!
Forgetting to push the green button at the train door; all the doors are not automatic, so they won’t open unless you push the green button.
Not checking the board to find out the exact location of your wagon so that you’re in the right area of the platform when it’s time to board.
Planning a tight connection when transferring trains is not recommended due to frequent delays on the trains.
Booking your tickets same-day will cost a lot more, up to double in some cases. The earlier you book the train tickets, the more you will save.
Not having a ticket to show can land you in trouble. They employ ticket checkers in a lot of trains in Austria, and the fines are more than the ticket would have been!

Trying to Shop on Sundays

For the most part, stores in Austria are closed on Sundays. Shops at the train station are open every day, so that’s a good backup plan, but try to plan your shopping around Sunday. It’s a great day to visit museums instead. When you go shopping, don’t pass up some of the handmade souvenirs.

Falling For These Scams and Tourist Traps

In general, Austria is a very safe country to visit. There aren’t a ton of scams to warn you about, but there are a few things to look out for.

While we love the Salzburg Card, the Vienna City Card doesn’t feel as valuable. It seems like you would have to visit a lot of museums in order to make the card worth the price. It’s not a scam, but you might spend more than you need to.
Horse Drawn carriages are a very popular tourist trap. They are also extremely expensive, and only you can decide if it’s worth it or not. You can see many of the same sights by walking around Vienna.
Don’t accept help from a stranger, especially at the train station. People might try to help you out, but it’s usually a scam. If you actually need help, go to the ticket office (Reisezentrum) and they’ll be happy to help you.
The Salzburg Sound of Music tours may seem like they are a tourist trap, but there are some really great ones. Choose a tour that takes you outside of the city to some of the more rural locations. Otherwise you can see the city landmarks on your own.
Some of the most popular tourist sites have a handful of pickpockets or scam artists. It’s the same game as every other European city. Just be aware of your surroundings and you’ll be fine.

Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!

Don’t wait to start planning your first Austria vacation! It’s such an amazing country full of culture, nature, and great food. For more tips on travel in Austria, check out these other blog posts: