Austria by RV

Lakes, Alpine passes, and wine regions within short distances make Austria an excellent destination for RV tours. Classic routes lead through the Salzkammergut, along the Danube, through Tyrol and Carinthia, or via the wine roads of Southern Styria.Tolls and VehicleRVs up to 3.5 tons require the same vignette on motorways and expressways as cars. For heavier vehicles, the vignette is not valid; inform yourself beforehand with ASFINAG about tolls for vehicles over 3.5 tons.Alpine passes are sometimes steep and winding. Before your trip, check gradients, length and weight restrictions, and winter closures in colder months.Overnight Stays: What's PermittedFree standing and camping outside official sites is largely prohibited or heavily restricted in Austria. The rules are set by the federal states, and sometimes by municipalities, such as in Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Vorarlberg.That an overnight stay in an RV is allowed everywhere as long as no camping furniture is outside, is, according to the Austrian Camping Club, a myth. Whether you may stay overnight depends on the respective state law and local regulations.In nature reserves and national parks, fines of up to 14,500 Euros apply. On private land, even in forests, you always need the owner's permission.Legal AlternativesThe network of campsites is dense, especially around the lakes in Carinthia and the Salzkammergut.Networks of rural hosts like Schau aufs Land or Landvergnügen offer pitches at farms, wineries, and inns.