Do you need to pay to use the Austrian Autobahn system?

In brief

The short answer to this question is "yes" you need to buy a Vignette to drive a car, motorcycle or truck on the Austrian Autobahn (motorway/highway) network.

Use of Vignetten is monitored by overhead and mobile cameras so you are very likely to be caught if you try using the Autobahn system without one.

Windscreen sticker Vignetten are available at service stations and petrol stations throughout Austria. If you are arriving in Austria by car or motorcycle you should stop at the first available service station at the border and buy one.

There are 10-day, two month and annual options. The annual Vignette is valid for 14 months from 1. December until 31. January.

They look like this, although the colour changes every year:

Source: https://www.asfinag.at/en/toll/vignette/toll-sticker/

Digital Vignette

A digital version of the Vignette is available (here), also with options for 10 days, two months and one year. It is related to the number plate, so if you change your car your Vignette goes with you.

An annual subscription for the digital Vignette can be set to auto-renew which is handy for residents.

Due to consumer protection law, a digital Vignette is not valid until 18 days after purchase. This is because under Austria's distance selling laws consumers have the right to return goods bought online for 14 days (with an additional 3 days to allow for postage of a refund claim).

Be very careful that you enter your number plate correctly into the online form when ordering your digital Vignette or you could be fined anyway, AND have to pay to have the number plate changed in the database. (But who would be so stupid? 😖)

Exceptions

There are a few stretches of Autobahn at Austria's borders for which no Vignette is required.

See: https://www.asfinag.at/en/toll/vignette/

There are also a few stretches of road which have an additional toll. These are generally, if not always tunnels. See: https://www.asfinag.at/en/toll/vignette/

Further information and sources:

• Official ASFINAG website (English): https://www.asfinag.at/en/

• Austria Tourism (English): https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/getting-there-around/by-car/vignette#up-to-3-5-t

• ÖAMTC website (German): https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/maut-vignette/

• Austrian government website: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/freizeit_und_strassenverkehr/kfz/10/Vignette-und-Maut/Vignette-für-Fahrzeuge-bis-3,5-t.html