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Business Travel

Business Customs

Business practice and etiquette are basically the same in Austria and America.  The main difference is the relatively formal environment in which business is generally conducted in Austria.  For example, when making appointments with prospective buyers or clients, it is customary to make initial contact well in advance, either in writing or by phone, and to offer to meet on the premises of the person in question.  Another manifestation of Austrian formality is the widespread use of titles, be they in recognition of a university degree or a position in a firm or in the government.  The most common are "Doktor" (a university degree similar to the U.S. Doctorate), "Magister" (similar to the U.S. Master of Arts), and "Diplom-Ingenieur" (similar to the U.S. Master of Science).

Austrians would prefer to have the host at a function introduce them to the other guests rather than to introduce themselves.  When Austrians do introduce themselves, they usually just give their family name.  First names may or may not come later in a relationship.  Although first names are used immediately in social situations in the United States, with many employees calling their bosses by their first names, this is not done in Austria.  There are, of course, exceptions, particularly among the younger generation. The newcomer should take his cue from the people around him.

Austrians shake hands whenever they greet or leave acquaintances; this is done with everyone in a group.  A woman offers her hand first to the man, and the older person to the younger.  Handshakes are firm with direct eye contact.  It is considered rude to have one’s hands in one’s pockets while being introduced or while talking to anyone.

Tipping

In Austria a 10 percent service charge is generally included in hotel and restaurant bills. Where this is the case, only a small amount of extra change need be left as an additional tip. The common practice is to round up to the next even amount. In a restaurant the tip is always handed to the waiter or waitress, and never left on the table.

  • Taxis – 10 percent of the fare, more if the driver has helped with baggage.
  • Hotels – moderate tips such as EUR 1 to 2 per bag or suitcase handled are in order for bell-hops or others who perform special services for guests.
  • Barber – about 10 percent for a man’s haircut.
  • Hairdresser – about 10 percent is customary, plus EUR 2 to 3 for the assistant who washes one’s hair. However, it is regarded as an insult to tip the owner of the shop.

Overall, Austrians are generally well disposed toward Americans. Showing understanding for the Austrian way of doing things will prove rewarding.

Travel Advisory

There are no travel advisories specifically for Austria. Travel warnings are issued when the U.S. State Department recommends that citizens either avoid travel altogether, or exercise various cautions, when visiting a specific country. Countries where this is recommended will have a travel warning as well as Consular Information Sheets. These sheets are available for every country of the world and can be found online here.

In addition, travelers can refer to the U.S. Department of State’s pamphlet, A SAFE TRIP ABROAD, for ways to promote a trouble-free-trip. The pamphlet is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. This document can also be viewed online.

Austria is a predominantly mountainous, landlocked Central European country, with an area of 32,378 mi² (83,859 km²) and a population of 8.2 million. It is divided into nine federal provinces: Wien (Vienna), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Burgenland, Steiermark (Styria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Kaernten (Carinthia), Tirol (Tyrol) and Vorarlberg.

The climate varies considerably from the Alpine region to the eastern plain. Summers can be hot, humid and long; cold winters bring snow and ice.

Electrical voltage

The European standard is 230 volts/50 cycles. All 110 volt U.S. appliances need a transformer in order to use Austrian current. Clocks and other appliances that require 60 cycle current will not function properly, even with a transformer. Austria uses a plug with two small, round prongs. Adapters and converters for small appliances are available at luggage or travel stores and at Radio Shack in the United States.

Safety

Although statistics show crime has risen in recent years, Vienna is often cited as one of the safest cities in Europe, and Austria is considered one of the safest countries in the world.  Violent crime in Austria is very rare.  The most worrisome crime in urban areas is having one’s pocket or purse stolen.  As in any big city, the visitor should take care when walking alone, avoiding dark and isolated places.  For the most part, the visitor will be safe any time of the day or night.

There are three separate emergency numbers:  Fire: 122, Police: 133, Ambulance (Rettung): 144.  These emergency calls are free of charge.

Arrival at Vienna International Airport

Vienna International Airport, also called Schwechat International, is located about 12 miles east of Vienna near the town of Schwechat. It is a short 20 to 30 minute ride by taxi, bus, or train from the airport to the city center.  A shuttle bus departs every 20 or 30 minutes from the lower level of the airport, with stops at Wien Mitte and Wien Nord train stations.  There is also the S-7 Schnellbahn (train) that runs from Wien Nord, via Wien Mitte, to Vienna International Airport and back, about every half hour. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs EUR 3.  Call 93000 35 398 for information in English. Information on how to get to and from the Airport is available on this website.

The City Airport Train (CAT) is an express train service to and from “Wien Mitte”.  The ride lasts 16 minutes and costs EUR 8 one way, EUR 15 round trip. Trains leave every 30 minutes.  Luggage can be checked in the city. Further information on CAT: http://www.cityairporttrain.com//langen

Tourist information is available in the arrival area of Vienna International Airport, as well as at train stations.  The Vienna Tourist Information Office is located behind the State Opera House at Kaerntner Strasse 38 in the 1st district.  There is also a City Information Office at the City Hall (Rathaus).

The currency used in Austria is the Euro and cents (1 Euro = 100 cents).

The Austrian National Tourist Office, Inc. in North America conducts nationwide and regional promotions and co-op marketing programs, and offers numerous support services.  Details are available on their website: www.austria-tourism.at/us

Business travelers to Austria seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Vienna officials should contact the Commercial Section in advance, as visitors are accepted on an appointment basis only.  The Commercial Section can be reached by telephone at +43 1 313 39-2297, fax at +43 1 310 69 17 or E-mail at vienna.office.box@N0SPAM.mail.doc.gov  

Visa Requirements

A visa is not required for U.S. citizens who wish to stay in Austria for up to two three-month periods during one calendar year.  At the conclusion of the six-month stay, the visitor must leave the country.  The exception is if he or she has already submitted and received a residence permit.

For further detailed information, visitors should consult the website of the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.

U.S. companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that security options are handled via an interagency process.  Visa applicants should go to the following links:

State Department Visa Website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html

United States Visas.gov: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/

U.S. Embassy Vienna Consular Section: http://www.usembassy.at/en/embassy/cons/index.html

Telecommunication

Telecommunications services are reliable in Austria. The phone system is fully automated, and direct dialing is available to most countries in the world at varying international rates. The system was for many years monopolized by the government-owned and operated company Telekom Austria. A few years ago the government deregulated the system and new companies entered the market. Telekom Austria still exists as a partially government-run agency, but now it has competition.

Public telephone booths are conveniently located throughout cities and the countryside. You can use coins or a pre-paid calling card (Telefonwertkarte). The card can be bought at post offices or Tabak-Trafik shops.

Direct Long Distance

To make a direct call outside Austria, the caller should first dial “00” and then the country code (e.g. 0044 for Great Britain), the area or city code, and finally the phone number.  International country codes are listed at the front of the white pages in the Vienna telephone book.  For the United States and Canada, 001 is used instead of 00+country code.  The country names in the telephone book are in German.  Area codes for major cities within the specific countries are also listed.  The list also provides the time difference (Zeitunterschied) given in numbers of hours between Austria and the destination country.  For credit card calls, the caller should dial 0802 34 56 or 0800 287 874 21 (toll-free).  For long distance information, he should call 11 88 77 for Austria, Germany and the EU countries, and countries bordering Austria.  For other countries, the caller should call 0900 11 88 77.  Online telephone information for Austria is also provided by Herold Business Data AG  under  http://www.otb.at

Internet Calling

For inexpensive Internet phone service, the caller should use the following sites: http://www.dialpad.com, http://www.iconnecthere.com or http://www.skype.com

Call-Back Long Distance Services

There are also call-back long-distance carriers that offer reasonably priced calls to the United States. They are known as “call-back” services because the caller calls a phone number, hangs up, and waits for it to call back. It then connects the caller to an open U.S. phone line. For this service visitors should contact:

InCom Austria
Claudia Poetzl (business provided in English)
Tel.: +43 1 979 23 98,
E-mail: claudiainaustria@N0SPAM.hotmail.com

Cellular phones

These phones are called “Handys” in the German speaking areas of Europe. Austria uses the GSM standard for its cellular service. Unless the visitor is in a very remote area, s/he will most likely have coverage. A tri-frequency cell phone will provide service in Austria and the United States. Drivers are not allowed to drive and use a hand-held cellular phone at the same time. If caught without a hands-free system (Freisprechanlage), the driver will be fined. During traffic jams, drivers are exempt from this law.

The following cell phone networks are used in Austria:

Internet 

Visitors to Austria can also use numerous Internet Cafes throughout the country.  The visitor should check with the hotel receptionist or the yellow pages of the local telephone directory.

Transportation

Direct flights connect Vienna to several U.S. cities.  Austria's modern highways link most cities, and numerous border crossings into neighboring countries are easily accessible (although delays should be anticipated crossing non-EU borders).  Air travel between major cities in Austria and in the region is available, and overland travel by train or bus is comfortable and reliable.  Rail travel is pleasant and convenient.  Travelers can save money by sitting in second class, which provides more than enough comfort in Austria. If extensive travel is planned, an Austrian Railpass or Eurailpass may be the best value.  The Austrian Railpass offers three days of unlimited travel in a 15-day period and includes some major shipping lines.  For those including Austria on a multi-nation itinerary, Eurailpasses are honored in 18 countries.  For people wanting unlimited travel, the Eurail ticket provides the option to travel in and between 27 countries in Europe.  For detailed rail information as well as purchases of rail tickets, call: DER Rail: (708) 692-6300 or Rail Europe: 877-257-2887 between 9am and 8.30 pm EST Monday-Friday, or visit their website at: http://www.raileurope.com. 

Toll stickers are required on all vehicles on Austria’s major highways.  They can be obtained from the Austrian Automobile Clubs as well as at post offices, gasoline stations and borders.  The following fees apply: an annual sticker for private cars and motor homes weighing up to 3.5 tons is EUR 72.60 and for motorcycles EUR 29.00; two-month stickers are EUR 21.80 and EUR 10.90 respectively; and ten-day stickers cost EUR 7.60 and EUR 4.30 respectively.  Stickers must be applied on the upper middle or left side of the windshield in cars and on motorcycles on any good visible part.  Motorists who do not possess the appropriate sticker are subject to a fine.  Cars rented in neighboring countries may or may not be equipped with the sticker, so travelers should remember to obtain one from their car rental agency.

Contact information for the Austrian Automobile Clubs:

  • OEAMTC, Tel.: +43 1 71199-0 (information) and +43 1 120 (24-hour road service)
  • ARBOE, Tel.: +43 1 891 21-0 (information) and +43 1 123 (24-hour road service)

All of the major car rental companies can be found at the Vienna International Airport. Some are also located in town:

AVIS Autovermietung Ges.m.b.H.
Gudrunstrasse 179A
A-1100 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 601 870
Fax: +43 1 601 87-61
E-mail: guenter.sauerwein@N0SPAM.avis.at
Website: http://www.avis.at

Hertz Autovermietung
Kaerntner Ring 17
A-1010 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 512 86 77
Fax: +43 1 512 50 34
E-mail: wiendt@N0SPAM.hertz.at
Website: http://www.hertz.at

In Vienna, districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 20 are so-called "Kurzparkzonen" - Short Time Parking Zones.  On weekends, there is free parking.  Monday through Friday the parking time is limited to 1 ½ hours from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm in the 1st district, and 2 hours from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm in all other districts.  To use Short Time Parking Zones, tickets have to be displayed on the dashboard.  They can be purchased at Tabak Trafiks or banks.  Throughout the provinces, regulations for short time parking vary.  Numerous cities have pay meters, and some use cardboard clocks indicating arrival and departure time which must be displayed on the car dashboard.

Public transportation is excellent throughout the country, and particularly good in larger cities.  In Vienna, a public transportation ticket is valid on any form of public transportation – U-Bahn, Schnellbahn, trams, or buses, even within the same trip.  The honor system is used here, however, periodic checks by controllers and the hefty fine dissuade most people from riding without a ticket.  Tickets can be bought in advance (less expensive) at VORVERKAUFSSTELLEN, ticket machines, and from a Tabak-Trafik.  Trams and buses have integrated machines.  There are single tickets, 24-hour and 72-hour tickets, 8-day tickets, weekly and monthly travel passes, and annual travel passes.  Information in German is available online.  See http://www.wienerlinien.at.

Language

For a traveler, it is no problem to get around the country with little or no knowledge of the German language. Most Austrians speak English (mandatory in school) and are eager to help.

Health

Water

Vienna’s water is not only safe to drink from the tap, but is recommended. It comes from alpine springs and is very refreshing. However, the water supply is not fluoridated. This is true throughout Austria.

Emergencies

Travelers needing to consult a doctor, should check with the receptionist at their hotel or make use of the yellow pages of the local telephone directory.

Emergency room service is not offered at private hospitals, but only at public facilities, and there is often more than one emergency room in a hospital managing different types of problems and age groups. The ambulance may be instructed to transport an individual to a specific center. Private citizens are not usually permitted to drive up to the ambulance entrance in their own car. For urgent assistance, the individual should go by ambulance.

Public hospitals:

Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien (AKH) or University Hospital
Waehringer Guertel 18-20
A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 40400
Children’s Clinic: +43 1 404 00, X3229 or 3240

Wilhelminenspital der Stadt Wien
Montleartstrasse 37
A-1160 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 491 50-0
Children’s Clinic: +43 1 491 50, X2924

Dental emergencies:

The weekend edition of the Viennese daily newspapers lists the on-call dentists and dental surgeons available for dental emergencies (Zahnaerzte und Dentisten) under the heading “Notdienst”. Also available is the:

Dental University Clinic (Zahnklinik)
Waehringer Strasse 25a
A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 4277 67133

American physicians expect their patients to ask lots of questions and seek explanations, as partners in health care. This is not as common in Austria as in the U.S.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies in Austria are not open 24 hours a day.  They usually have hours from 8:00 am through 6:00 pm, and on Saturday from 8:00 am through 12:00 noon.  There is a rotating schedule of pharmacies that provide services after these hours, and their location will be posted at the entrance to a closed pharmacy.

Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays

Central European Time is used in Austria. There is a time difference of +6 hours between Vienna and New York City.  Austrians use the 24-hour clock.  For example, 5 p.m. is written as 17:00 Uhr.  Variations may be 17 U or 17.00 or 17h00.  Times (especially in movie and theater listings) are distinctly Austrian:  ¼ 4 = 3:15, ½ 4 = 3:30, ¾ 4 = 3:45, and so on.

Austria follows Daylight Savings Time, which begins the first Sunday in April and ends in October.

The following holidays will be observed in Austria in calendar year 2008:

January 1, 2008 Tuesday New Year’s Day
January 6, 2008 Sunday Epiphany
January 21, 2008 Monday M. Luther King’s Birthday*
February 18, 2008 Monday President’s Day*
March 24, 2008 Monday Easter Monday
May 1, 2008 Thursday Labor Day
May 1, 2008 Thursday  Ascension Day
May 12, 2008 Monday  Whitmonday/Memorial Day* 
May 22, 2008 Thursday  Corpus Christi Day
July 4, 2008 Friday Independence Day*
August 15, 2008 Friday Assumption Day
September 1, 2008  Monday  Labor Day*
October 13, 2008 Monday Columbus Day*
October 26, 2008 Sunday Austrian National Day
November 1, 2008 Saturday All Saint’s Day
November 11, 2008 Tuesday Veterans Day*
November 27, 2008  Thursday Thanksgiving*
December 8, 2008  Monday Immaculate Conception
December 25, 2008  Thursday Christmas Day
 December 26, 2008 Friday St. Stephen’s Day

*The days indicated with this asterisk are U.S. holidays and will be observed by the American  community in Austria.

Business visitors should note that the Austrian vacation season is in July and August, and that many decision-makers take extended vacations during that time -- sometimes four weeks or more. Business visits or events are not recommended during these two months. Many offices and businesses close Friday afternoons, reflecting the widely implemented 38.5-hour workweek.

Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings

Computers used for business purposes

When entering Austria, visitors should go through Customs, declare their laptop or notebook, and state that it is used for doing business only (e.g. for PowerPoint presentations). It is advisable, to have the value of the electronic equipment (evidenced on a copy of the invoice) available. The visitor will be issued a Customs paper called VERWENDUNGSSCHEIN, which will also include the visitor’s departure date (there is an upper limit of 12 months). When leaving Austria, the visitor should go through Customs again for a check-out.

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