Austria is beautiful, and has some of the best nature in Europe. However enjoying nature isn’t 100% free.
You will need money in Austria, not just for the beautiful artwork of Vienna but also for lunches in the mountain huts.
The views are free, but getting there and having lunch costs money, as it would anwhere else.
Before you travel, here is a quick introduction to money in Austria.
Currency in Austria
The currency used in Austria is the Euro. Austria adopted the Euro in 2002, and it is the standard currency across most of Europe.
A Euro is worth roughly the same as a US dollar – in 2024 one Euro would buy you about 10% more than a dollar depending on the exact exchange rate. It has hovered around this rate for a long time.
The Euro is typically symbolized as € or written as Euro, and the placement of the symbol is normally in front of the number (though some countries put it afterwards).
If you have Euro coins or notes from Spain or France, or other countries, they are perfectly acceptable in Austria as well.
While Euro notes remain the same throughout the Eurozone, Austrian coins have their own unique designs on the reverse side, important cultural symbols.
Mozart is on the one euro coin in Austria.
Using Cash in Austria
Cash is pervasivie in Austria. It is the preferred means of payment across the country – more so than any other western European Country.
Travelers will find cash particularly useful for smaller purchases and some local fees. Even in Vienna and other Austrian cities, you may encounter places that prefer or only accept cash for small items. Larger shops are generally accepting of cards, but small vendors and certain traditional cafes sometimes still insist on cash.
The coffee culture of Austria in the 19th Century was unique, and a visit to a traditional café is a must. While prices are generally affordable, it’s customary in some cafés to pay with cash, especially for smaller transactions. A “Kleiner Brauner”, plain black coffee, might cost around 3€, so having some coins or small notes handy is advisable when getting coffee.
Pro Tip – In Austria, tipping is common practice. People normally leave about 10% by rounding up the bill. If you are paying cash just tell the waiter what to take, instead of making him search for coins and leaving it on the table. As much as cash is used, coins are often left behind.
At major tourist sights like Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, credit cards are widely accepted, and lines are efficiently managed. However, smaller, local attractions which don’t get many non-Austrian tourists may still prefer cash.
Austria boasts a lively market scene with fresh produce and sometimes artisan goods. The famous Christmas Markets are an extension of this.
While many stalls are becoming more card-friendly, you must carry cash, particularly for smaller purchases like a cup of warm Glühwein. However just because a beautiful hand knitted sweater costs 150 Euros doesn’t mean that you can pay cash.
Public transport is probably the only place that cash is not king. In cities, purchasing tickets ahead of time from machines or via an app is necessary. Some machines at smaller bus stops don’t always take cash. In rural areas tickets can still be bought direct from the bus driver in cash.
Using Credit Cards in Austria
Austria stands out as a country which doesn’t like to use debit or credit cards.
Generally, cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants across the country. However, if you’re staying at smaller bed-and-breakfast type guest houses in rural areas, be prepared for the possibility that they might not accept cards.
Despite these places are found and booked through platforms like Airbnb or booking.com, payment is often handled on the premises in cash.
Small guesthouses in Ski resorts are generally better at accepting cards than those in the countryside outside of skiing areas. The contact of hosts with foreign tourists is improving card acceptance quicker than in other businesses.
Most restaurants in Austria accept cards, but keep an eye out for smaller, traditional eateries or cafes, which may sometimes be cash-only. Mountain huts are typically cash only.
When it comes to taxis, they usually accept cards. To sidestep any hassle, consider using the FreeNow app or Uber for booking and paying in advance, making your travel experience smooth and worry-free.
Swiping Credit Cards in Austria
Acros Europe the chip card system with a pin number is standard. Austria is no different.
However, most payment terminals can still accommodate the swiping of older cards if you happen to have one. For example a lot of American cards still need to use the magnetic strip.
Card terminals now accept contactless payments through NFC technology, for tap-and-go transactions with a card or phone.
It’s worth noting, however, that limits on contactless transactions can vary depending on your card’s issuing bank. When these limits are reached, you’ll need to insert the chip and enter your pin to complete the transaction, or possibly swipe the card.
Paying in Dollars on Credit Card
In Austria, most card readers are equipped to recognize foreign cards, and if your bank originates from the US, you might be prompted to pay in dollars. This allows you to instantly know the cost in your home currency.
However, be cautious: when a vendor handles the currency conversion, they typically include a hefty commission within the exchange rate offered. ALWAYS OPT TO PAY IN EUROS to secure a more favorable rate. Your card issuer back home will generally give you a better currency conversion.
In my experience, local exchange rates provided by merchants are never better than those offered by my bank.
Apple Pay and Google Pay in Austria
Paying by phone or by watch is common among young people in Austria. Of course this is within the confines of card payments.
Apple Pay and Google Pay are just a quick and easy way to use your regular payment card.
If you are in a city, in a modern bar or restaurant, then you will most likely be able to pay by phone. Like I said above, some smaller, traditional places – those with older clientele essentially – will probably not have the technology for cards, and therefore also no ability to accept phone payments.
Exchanging Dollars in Austria
Generally it isn’t easy to exchange dollars or other foreign currencies in Austria.
Salzburg and Vienna which cater to lots of non-European tourists have exchange offices, as do the airports. Big International Ski resorts have German and Dutch clientele for the most part. They also use the Euro at home and so exchange offices are relatively rare for the amount of tourists in ski areas.
That said the exchange rates at airport and Vienna foreign exchange offices leave a lot to be desired. Quite often the exchange rate is 10% worse than what you would get on a card, if you withdraw cash at an ATM.
ATMs in Austria
ATMs in Austria are easy to find in cities, towns, and even rural areas. Known as Bankomaten they are available at banks, at larger train stations and in shopping centers.
It’s a good idea to use ATMs from banks to avoid excessive fees that are regularly charged by independent machines. These machines are not so common in Austria, but they are found near Vienna tourist attractions and in ski resorts.
Just make sure the ATM is on the wall of a Bank.
Most ATMs in Austria accept major credit and debit cards, including Visa and MasterCard/Maestro.
Notify your bank of your intention to travel so you can continue to use your card overseas and beast about fees for international withdrawals.
As I said Austria is cash-friendly and ATMs often give out 100 Euro bills. People aren’t afraid of them here like they might be in France, but not everybody in a small cafe has change first thing in the morning.
ATMs normally offer a choice of which bills you want, so just choose a few twenties to make sure you have enough for smaller payments.
Tipping in Austria
In Austria, showing appreciation for good service through tipping is a common practice. In fact it is the European culture with the closest tipping culture to the US or Canada.
However it is still a bonus for good service and is not obligatory.
Most service staff in ski resorts work extremely long hours during the season and not much the rest of the year. They need the extra to survive comfortably for the year.
In cities things are slightly different as people work year round but then they have to pay rent, which resort workers often get for free.
For hotel staff, consider tipping porters and housekeeping a few euros for their assistance. While not mandatory, tipping is a way to express gratitude for good service and is generally welcomed throughout the country.
Like anywhere else being polite and acknowledging good service with a smile enhances your experience while visiting Austria. Remember, tips are what allows the staff be professionals, rather than just casual workers.
Tipping in Restaurants in Austria
In restaurants, it’s typical to round up the bill generously. 10% is standard.
More is not uncommon, but plenty people just round up the bill, even if it doesn’t quite reach 10%.
When paying, hand the total amount, including the tip, directly to the server rather than leaving money on the table. For example, if your bill is €18, you might give the server €20 and say “keep the change.” This direct approach is standard and appreciated.
The same applies to card/phone payments. Tell your server how much you want to pay. Remember it has to be at least what actual bill is!!
Tipping Guides and Drivers in Austria
In taxis, rounding up the fare or adding a couple of euros is customary.
On tours a couple of Euros per person for the driver or guide is normal. Feel free to tip more if service was good.
If you have a lot of luggage, a fiver for the driver might be more applicable.
Tipping in Bars in Austria
In Austrian bars, tipping is standard practice. Most people leave a couple of coins, or round off the bill.
With the post-covid inflation of 2022/2023 prices for a beer went from nearly four Euros to nearly five. A lot of bar staff saw a major reduction in income during this time as their tips reduced.
I have been guilty of this myself when ordering beer at the bar. I always spend 5 Euros per beer. I used to tip generously and now I barely tip, as the price of a beer is now much closer to 5€.
Lots of Bars in Austria will not charge per drink though. When sitting down at the bar or getting table service you will be given a tab. When the bill comes at the end of the evening it is easier to see the total and calculate a full 10%.
Summary
Like most of Europe, Austria uses the Euro. Unlike most of Europe, Austria still loves cash.
Head to an ATM on arrival to make sure you have some cash, though if you are coming from Germany or Italy you will probably have some already.
Tipping is normal in Austria and while not obligatory is somewhat expected by waitstaff.
Where students or tourists are common, cards are probably accepted, but expect to pay cash in smaller traditional places.
Enjoy your trip to Austria, and make sure you budget wisely. Whether paying by card or cash budgeting is important for a successful trip.
