In Austria, highways and expressways are subject to vignette obligation. Anyone driving to or through Austria, for example, from Germany to Italy, usually requires a vignette to travel quickly on highways. Additionally, some road sections may require a distance-based toll.
What many people do not know is that at the time of the construction of the Arlberg Tunnel, it was actually the longest tunnel in the world.
In Austria, you can buy vignettes for cars and motorcycles with the following validities:
The annual vignette is generally valid from December 1 of the previous year to January 31 of the following year. Therefore, the annual vignette for the year 2023 is valid from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2024. The 10-day vignette and the 2-month vignette are valid for the chosen period, usually starting from the date of purchase. However, with the Digital Vignette, you can select a desired start date, and the vignette will be valid from that chosen day for the selected period. With the adhesive vignette, the start of validity is determined by perforations at the edges of the vignette.
Note: If a Digital Vignette is purchased from ASFINAG by a private person, there is an 18-day waiting period before the vignette becomes valid. This waiting period does not apply to companies. Vignettes registered via Digitale-Vignette-Online.at are valid immediately for both private individuals and companies. No waiting period applies!
In addition to the vignette, there is also the distance-based toll in Austria. It was introduced to cover higher costs for particularly expensive and heavily used highway sections. On toll road sections, no vignette is required. However, in most cases, the access and exit routes to a toll road are vignette-required, so a vignette is usually needed in addition to the distance-based toll.
The vignette for Austria can be purchased as a Digital Vignette online, as well as an adhesive vignette at sales outlets. With the digital vignette, the license plate is registered online, and the validity of the vignette can be automatically checked using a license plate query. The adhesive vignette, on the other hand, can be purchased at sales outlets and is visibly affixed to the front window of the car. The Digital Vignette is more convenient, immediately valid at Digitale-Vignette-Online.at, and you don't need to worry about sticker residues, using a special vignette scraper, or correct placement. An adhesive vignette can be purchased in Austria at ASFINAG distribution points, mainly at petrol stations. In Germany, adhesive vignettes are usually available at petrol stations on highways and petrol stations near the border, as well as at ADAC offices. During peak hours, you should expect longer waiting times in line. An overview of all ASFINAG distribution points selling vignettes can be found here.
The Digital Vignettes from ASFINAG and the adhesive vignettes have the same prices. For 2023, the prices are:
Vehicle Type | 10-Day Vignette | 2-Month Vignette | Annual Vignette |
Car | €9.90 | €29.00 | €96.40 |
Motorcycle | €5.80 | €14.50 | €38.20 |
Please note that there is a waiting period of 18 days for vignettes purchased from ASFINAG by private individuals. Private providers like Digitale-Vignette-Online.at charge an additional processing fee, but the Digital Vignette is valid immediately, with no waiting period. The prices at Digitale-Vignette-Online.at for 2023 are:
Vehicle Type | 10-Day Vignette | 2-Month Vignette | Annual Vignette |
Car | €19.80 | €39.40 | €109.50 |
Motorcycle | 12,50 € | 23,60 € | 49,90 € |
Driving without a vignette can be costly. If you drive on a toll road without a valid vignette, you may receive a payment request for an alternative toll fee. The cost for the alternative toll is €120. Failure to pay may result in an administrative penalty procedure with potential fines ranging from €300 to €3000.
Even incorrect application of an adhesive vignette can render it invalid. Therefore, pay attention to the following conditions and consider registering for a digital vignette, where you don't have to worry about the application:
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