News Dispatch: Travel to Vienna, Austria
Welcome to Lokal Amico’s blog! This page is a collection of travel guidelines and link resources you must check out if you’re travelling to Austria sometime soon. We are routinely updating this page as the world opens up. Please check back here regularly, keep safe, and see you on the road!
Last update: 23 November 2021
A view of but a part of Vienna, including the Volksgarten Park in the foreground and the Austrian parliament building on the right
Through 12 December 2021, Austria is imposing a temporary national lockdown that bars touristic visits and requires COVID-10 vaccinations for all eligible people.
In light of surging cases, the lockdown will be evaluated after 10 days to determine if an extension is needed.
The upcoming winter holidays make Austria, especially Vienna, at their most romantic; however, travel festivities would have to wait with only about 66% of the total population fully vaccinated, among the lowest rates in Europe.
Where to read the rules
We strongly recommend that you check the following links for the latest policies, as these are Austria’s official sources for travel information during the COVID pandemic.
Austria’s official source: The Austrian National Tourist Office - Its website austria.info makes prevailing policies easily digestible, doing away with legalese and making official terminologies less confusing.
Vienna’s official FAQs on COVID travel: City of Vienna official website - The city’s official website also shares upcoming events that may push through when the lockdown is lifted.
Travel between EU countries: The European Commission - Aside from policies in effect at EU member countries, you will also find resources on challenges brought about by the pandemic. These include overstays, consular assistance, issuance of the Green Pass, and travel from non-EU countries.
World news: CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera
Linked above are the latest news on Austria’s latest lockdown, including news of protests from various groups. We recommend having a go at these articles, so you can better assess your travel plans.
Who can enter
You can still visit Vienna and all of Austria, actually, for non-tourism purposes if you can show proof of full vaccination, past infection, or a negative PCR test.
Austria’s official tourism website further warns that, in many areas, in fact, stricter rules apply while you’re already in the country, so-called the 3-G-rule for entry, 2-G-rule for stay. The 3-G rule means “vaccinated, recovered, and tested”, while the 2-G-rule stands for "vaccinated and recovered". This means that you can access establishments with proof of full vaccination or past infection.
Please also double-check which documents are officially acknowledged by the Austrian government.
Vienna during the lockdown
The lockdown is intended to continue for those who do not qualify as either fully vaccinated or certified recovered from a recent COVID infection. So if you fit the 3-G rule, you can expect to enjoy Vienna’s Christmas markets and the rest of the city’s splendor this Christmas season if you are already here on official visit. Of course everything is subject to change per prevailing COVID regulations.
Note, however, that the city is imposing additional mask rules, including:
FFP2 mask obligation in the catering trade for staff and for customers on the way to and from the table or at assigned seats. On the way to the table, or as soon as you leave the table, customers must wear FFP2 mask. The staff in the catering industry also wears FFP2 mask.
The FFP2 mask obligation is extended to all indoor areas that are not private areas, i.e. to all retail and body-related services.
In addition, the city of Vienna is introducing 2G+. This means: vaccinated or recovered and additionally a PCR test, which is not older than 48 hours.
In the future, 2G+ will apply in Vienna for evening catering and at all gatherings of 25 or more people. Wherever 2G+ applies, masks are not mandatory. This also covers sporting events, cinemas, theaters, and the State Opera.
When in need of testing assistance for your trip home, the city offers both free and fee-based testing options for locals and visitors. If you need to quarantine yourself per official measure or government notice, you won't have to pay the costs of staying at Vienna’s extensive facilities, in accordance with Austria’s Epidemics Act).
Important note:
LokalAmico is not an official source for information on COVID + travel. We strongly encourage you to always check your destination’s government resources online for the latest regulations in force.
