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General Information on Austria |
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Were To Get Information About Austria
Were To Get Information About Austria
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Austria ranks high as one of the major vacation and holiday destinations of Europe. There is a year-round tourist season: in winter, tourists come to the famous skiing resorts and attend the outstanding musical events in Vienna (Vienna Tourist Board); in summer, visitors are attracted by scenery, sports, and cultural festivals, notably in Vienna and Salzburg (Salzburg Tourist Information); and the swing seasons of spring and fall are wonderful as there are not nearly so many tourists at that time.
Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland Rick Steves' travel philosophy is to make friends, have fun, and avoid tourist rip-offs in order to experience the real Europe. Chapters include Munich, Bavaria, Rothenburg, the Black Forest, Vienna, the Danube Valley, Appenzell, Salzburg, and even Prague in the Czech Republic. Read More
Passports and Visa Information
United States citizens need only a valid passport to visit Austria as tourist up to 90 days. Same is true for visitors from Canada and Mexico.
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Passport Visa Express specializes in obtaining Passports for United States Citizens who wish to travel internationally within the next 30 days. We work directly with the U.S. Passport Agency assisting you in expediting your passport application in as fast as the same day! Our passport consultants have many years of direct experience working with the Passport Agency. |
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The currency for Austria is the euro. At the time of conversion to the euro the exchange rate was: 13,7603 Austrian schillings = 1 euro. You should check for the current exchange rate at Onada.com and get a cheat sheet.
The euro is the single currency of the European Monetary Union, which was adopted by 11 Member States from 1 January 1999. The 11 Member States are Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland. Greece became the 12th Member State to adopt the Euro on 1 January 2001. The name "euro" was chosen by the European Heads of State or Government at the European Council meeting in Madrid in December 1995.
There will be 7 euro notes and 8 euro coins. The notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euro. The denominations of coins are 2 euro, 1 euro, 50 euro cent, 20 euro cent, 10 euro cent, 5 euro cent, 2 euro cent, and 1 euro cent.
If you have used "foreign" currency in the past in your travels, you will find that, just like using than old national currency, it is pretty much the same. The real difference you will see is when you travel to other countries in the euro area. There will be no more currency exchange - which means no more exchange commission to be paid - no more time spent calculating price comparisons, and no more time wasted shopping around for the best exchange rate.
Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare. Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate. Click on Quest for just about all the information you will need for the euro.
Telephone Information
The international
dialing code for Austria is 0043. Telephone cards are available at Trafiken (newsagents) and post offices. If you make a call from Belgium or the
Netherlands to Austria , you dial 0043 + the area code without the first 0
(in other words 1 for Vienna) + the subscriber’s number. If you make a call
from Austria to Belgium , dial 0032 + area code without the first 0 + the
subscriber’s number. If you call from Austria to the Netherlands, you
dial 0031 + the area code without the first number 0 + the subscriber’s number.
Making calls from 6pm onwards and at the weekend is cheaper.
Cellular Abroad offers an intelligent alternative to traditional worldwide cellular communication. Unlike conventional international cell phone options, such as renting a phone at the airport, or paying expensive roaming rates through your current cell phone provider, Cellular Abroad allows you to take advantage of the local cell phone rates in the country or countries to where you will be traveling with outgoing call rates that are just fractions of a dollar per minute – even for international calls back to the US. Plus, in nearly every country, you get unlimited, FREE incoming calls to your cell regardless of their origin. Traditionally, international cell phone communication has been a luxury affordable only to a few. But with Cellular Abroad, you now can enjoy the security and convenience of traveling internationally with a cell phone. And, having a cellular phone for your overseas trip is not only a convenience and an important safety instrument, it can also be a money saver. To see how this would in the country of your destination, go to Cellular Abroad and click on the country of your choice. Even if the country to which you will be traveling is not listed, since the cell phone standard is the same in 190 countries, you can get an idea of how the quality will be in the country to which you will be traveling. Visit Cellular Abroad at www.cellularabroad.com for all of the details.
Austria Phone Adaptor
- Modifies the Austria outlet to accept one US style RJ11
connector and one Austrian connector to allow use of connection for both the
US line and the Austrian phone line simultaneously.
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You will need and adaptor, and perhaps a converter, for your electrical appliances in Austria. Find the converter you will need in the Getting Away Travel Store. Additionally, you will find just about anything and everything you will need when you travel. Across the state, country, or to a destination on the other side of the world, you'll find what you need in the Getting Away Travel Store!
Travel
Insurance
If you need medical
care while you are away, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not
accept payment through your insurance company and that you will therefore to pay
in full for your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for
reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit
card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local
embassy or representative. For compensation, you must be treated by licensed
medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation
and receipts. It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel
insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. Visit
the Getting Away
Health
and Safety Tips for Travelers
page for additional information about insurance.
Travel Warnings
Check with the U.S. State Department for
Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public
Announcements.
Tourist
Attractions in Austria
Tourist attractions in the capital include over a dozen theaters and the Vienna State Opera (Vienna State Opera), which
also houses the Vienna Philharmonic (Vienna State Philharmonic Orchestra); the
Vienna Boys' Choir; St. Stephen's Cathedral; the
Schonbrunn and Belvedere palaces; and the Spanish Riding Academy (Spanish Riding Academy and the Lippizaner Stallions) with its famous Lippizaner
stallions. Just beyond the boundary of the city is are the famous Vienna Woods with their picturesque
wine taverns. About 40 or 50 towns and villages qualify as major resorts for Alpine skiing. Innsbruck
has been the site of two winter Olympics. Mountaineering is another Austrian specialty. In all, Austria
is a wonderful vacation destination.
I have found that it helps to know at least a little bit of the language as I travel in other countries. You do not have to be able to be a fluent speaker, but knowing a few key words and phrases will really help. I have found that, although almost everywhere I go I can find someone who speaks English, knowing just a few words of the local language can really be a help. And, it lets others know I am at least interested in their language. Visit the Getting Away Language Learning Center where you can find out how to learn another language, or where to purchase books, dictionaries, electronic translators, software and more
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
