Austria Road Trip

Austria Grand Tour is a phenomenal adventure that will take you around the best cities and highlights in the country. During this 10-stage trip, you will have an opportunity to experience not only Austrian landmarks and must see tourist attractions but also the variety of landscape forms and topography. The whole trip will be an extremely pleasant journey due to the impeccable state of Austrian roads.

Austria Grand Tour begins at the Vienna Airport where you can collect your vehicle if you opt for a car rental option. The adventure runs south to such places as Graz, Klagenfurt, or Villach. However, do not worry; you will have an equally great opportunity to explore the northern regions of the country with cities such as Bischofshofen, Salzburg, or Linz. Such an extensive trip will give you a great insight into Austrian culture, architecture, and cuisine. Perfect holiday combination.

Your journey starts at the Vienna Airport. It is precisely the place where you can collect your rental vehicle.

From Vienna hit the road to reach the second destination of the first stage, namely Mariazell. It can be found at a distance of around 160 km away. The town is popular among the fans of winter sports. It offers great infrastructure and is a great starting point for many local trips.

From Mariazell, you will head for Graz, one of the most popular holiday destinations in this part of Austria. Along the way, you drive through such places as Zitoll, Peggau, or Gratkorn. The beautiful views behind your car window will make your road trip even more scenic and pleasant. While in Graz, it is worth visiting such places as the Castle Hill, the Clock Tower, and Tramway Museum.

After some time spent on sightseeing around Graz, hit the road again to travel towards Klagenfurt. Along your way, you will admire the beautiful hilly topography of Southern Austria. Klagenfurt is famous for a charming Old Town as well as interesting architecture dotting the area. Your next destination is located at a stone`s throw away.

Woerthersee is one of the most popular bathing lakes in Austria. Here, you will admire the beautiful dense deciduous forests, clear blue water, and multiple yachts scattered across the horizon. This will be a true natural gem for the lovers of peace and quiet. From Woerthersee, you travel to the last destination of this stage, namely to Villach.

Along the way, you will pass such settlements as Velden am Woerther See or Terlach. Villach enjoys a pretty scenic location against the backdrop of misty hills and snow caps. Its architecture is valued by many visiting tourists. While in the city, you should not miss such highlights as Darava Bridge, the Old Town, or Main Square.

From Villach, you travel north to Lienz located at a distance of 121 km away. You will pass such small villages as Kleinvassach, Winklern, or Afritz am See. This stage entails idyllic views that you can admire through your car window. In Lienz, you will be surrounded on all sides by towering mountains of Eastern Alps. It also enjoys a beautiful location at the confluence of two rivers, the Isel and the Drava.

The fourth stage is almost 200 km long and will take you along the northern part of Austria to Innsbruck, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. During this stage, you will cross the border between Austria and Italy to reach Bruneck, the largest settlement in the beautiful Puster Valley. Along the way, you can also take an additional stopover in the Tre Cime Natural Park or the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Natural Park.

From Bruneck, you travel north to Brenner. From Brenner, you should be able to spot the beautiful Hochfeiler summit located to the east. After around a 40-minute drive, you reach the final destination of this stage Innsbruck. In order to reach it, follow A13 road. The capital city of Tyrol will welcome you with top-notch tourist highlights, a plethora of sophisticated restaurants and local bars as well as the backdrop of the North Chain of the Karwendel Alps and the Patscherkofel and Serles.

The next stage will provide you with an opportunity to take additional stopovers on your way to the finishing line, namely Zell am See. Depart from Innsbruck and head further north to Kufstein. You will be mainly travelling along the scenic E60 road. On your left hand side, you will notice the Brandenberg Alps.While in Kufstein, make sure to visit its most popular tourist attraction, namely Kufstein Fortress.

After a short break in Kufstein, hop in your vehicle to drive further east to Kitzbuehel, a small medieval town that can boast one of a kind architecture and top notch restaurants offering local products. It is also a popular ski resort valued for its infrastructure and convenient location. From Kitzbuehel, you travel south to Zell am See located around 60 km away.

Zell am See is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region. It enjoys a truly scenic location in the Zell Valley, a natural corridor in the Kitzbuehel Alps. The Old Town of Zell am See can be found on the western shore of Lake Zell, which is 69 metres deep. The mountains that you will admire around the lake create a horseshoe shape with slopes that are covered with arid and green pastures.

From Zell am See, your trip will continue to Bischofshofen. The scenic landscapes that will be changing behind your car window will struck you with unique beauty and greenery. After a short stay in Bischofshofen, you proceed along A10 road to reach Salzburg, the fourth largest city in the country. In 1996, the city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its historical importance and beauty.

While in Salzburg, you definitely should not miss such places as the Holy Trinity church, the Salzburg Cathedral, Mirabell Palace, Mozart House, and Hellbrunn Palace with its beautiful parks. The city offers something special for a variety of motorists. From Salzburg, you head east to Bad Ischgl. Along the way, you will have an opportunity to admire the charming Wolfgangsee through your car window. This picturesque scenery is worth a holiday photo!

Bad Ischgl can be found at a distance of around 50 km from the starting point of this lap. It is an important cultural and economic centre. There exist a number of notable highlights that are worth pursuing while in the city. These include Kaiservilla, a spa complex, and several museums. After a short sightseeing tour, buckle up to head for Linz located around 110 km away.

To reach Linz, you will mainly travel along A1 road. It is the third largest city of Austria offering great insight into the culture and architecture of the northern part of the country. Among the most interesting highlights, it is possible to enumerate St Mary Cathedral, Mozarthaus, Brucknerhaus, and the Trinity Column. From Linz, you depart to Melk located further to the east.

Melk can be found at a distance of around 100 km away from Linz. It can boast interesting small-town architecture and a number of top-notch restaurants offering local specialties. The most interesting places to visit while in Melk include Town Hall, City Walls, and the Linz Gate. After some time spent in the town centre, head for Krems an der Donau, the final destination of this lap. This will be the shortest road section of this stage.

Krems an der Donau enjoys a very idyllic location at the confluence of two rivers, the Danube and the Krems. Its architecture creates top-notch ambiance that can be felt at every corner of the town. The main sights that just can not be missed include Goeglhaus, Town Hall, Buergerspitalkirche, and the Steiner Tor. After a short sightseeing trip, hop in your car and head for your next destination, namely Trasdorf.

Trasdorf can be found around 30 km away from Krems an der Donau. This small settlement is surrounded by arid fields and beautiful views that will make your driving experience even more pleasant and enriched. The final destination of this lap is the Vienna Airport, where you can leave your rental vehicle if you have opted for this means of transport. If you like to make your stay in Austria even longer you can travel to the centre of Vienna and learn more about its history and explore its beauty through a sightseeing tour.

Take the City Airport Train which will be the fastest way to reach Vienna. In such a way, you will avoid traffic jams and the unnecessary stress. The capital of Austria is steeped in imperial history with plenty of superb architectural pieces. It is also a city that rarely sleeps with a plethora of dining options and the interesting coffee house culture.

Among the most notable highlights that can not be missed while sightseeing around Vienna are Schoenbrunn Palace, Museum Quarter, the Museum of Natural History, Lower Belvedere, and the Imperial Crypts. Vienna holds something special in store for all types of tourists so regardless of whether you are a history lover, an architecture lover, or an art lover, you will find here exactly what you are searching for. After days of sightseeing, you can travel back home.

We believe that our road trip idea has become an ideal inspiration for your future holiday excursions.
The proposed ideas may become useful in the midst of your travels or already at the planning stage.
If travelling by car is your plan when exploring highlights around Austria, there are a number of essential traffic regulations to follow and a bunch of elements to be mindful of to make your trip smooth and safe. These tips will also become useful for holidayers who are interested in vehicle rental or renting a camper.
It is important to keep in mind the local road regulations when sightseeing around Austria. When moving around Austria in a car, try to stay away from alcohol at any price. The amount of alcohol that the driver can consume is rather low and amounts to only 0.5‰. In order to avoid speeding offence, it is best to never exceed 50km/h, which is the maximum permissible speed when travelling around the urban areas. In non-build-up areas, tourists can travel at the maximum car speed of 100km/h. Avoid exceeding the permissible speed of 130km/h when driving along highways. In order to stay safe, it is best to drive with your headlights on at daytime and equip your vehicle with a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
The majority of drivers wonder about the costs of the whole tour. Depending on the budget option that you choose, the amount of money that you have to spend during the whole road trip may vary. Check out the available budget possibilities.
We estimate that the cheapest option when it comes to fuel to cover the planned 1,454km across Austria will amount to 163 EUR. Economy accommodation options may cost travellers more or less 726 EUR. You should also take into consideration the fact that you will spend roughly 600 EUR for restaurants and food in this option. Travellers will have to pay approximately 495 EUR if they are interested in the budget rental car offer as well. Thus, the estimated travel expenses amount to about 1,489 EUR without car rental and 1,984 EUR with car hire.
When it comes to the standard offer, you should be prepared to pay the maximum of 213 EUR on the fuel needed to cover the itinerary. If you are into standard accommodation options, you should remember that the expenses may amount up to around 1,331 EUR. When selecting this option, take into consideration that the restaurants and food within this range will cost around 792 EUR. Travellers who want to cover the tour in a standard rental vehicle can expect a cost of more or less 660 EUR. Drivers who would like to rent a car will pay about 2,996 EUR for the whole trip, whereas those who are not interested in vehicle hire will spend about 2,336 EUR.
The highest level of comfort of the premium option will meet the expectations of the most demanding drivers. When it comes to this offer, the estimated cost of the road trip will total approximately 4,923 EUR for drivers who are considering car hire and 2,336 EUR for those who do not need a hire car. Travellers who would like to cover the road trip in a premium hire car should expect a cost of approximately 1,403 EUR. In the premium configuration of the road trip, the cost of the gasoline needed to cover all stages around Austria is around 275 EUR. Holidaymakers who would like to go for top services in all aspects of their road trip should expect to pay roughly 1,188 EUR for restaurants and food and more or less 2,057 EUR for hotels.
Our tour can be easily adjusted to the needs of all camper fans. When it comes to this means of transport, you will pay up to around 2,475 EUR. Travellers will spend more or less 325 EUR on fuel allowing to cover all stages of the tour. Travellers who opt for camper rental should expect to pay about 308 EUR for overnight stays and around 600 EUR for expenses connected with food.
The Road Trip Costs section shows all the mentioned costs in detail.
The described 10 stages stages are perfect for exploration in a vehicle between May and September. There are numerous thrilling scenic drives and road trips that are available on our website if you like Austria Road Trip. Hopefully, the broad spectrum of trips will definitely match up the expectations of the most demanding holidayers.