Speed LimitsAustria Motorway: 130 km/h — and Dashcams Are Illegal
A single number does not tell the whole story in Austria. Conditions, road type and licence age all affect your legal speed. Details below.
The speed limit on motorways in Austria is 130 km/h.
Leave the dashcam at home
Austria’s motorway limit is 130 km/h, but the real surprises are elsewhere. Under strict privacy law dashcams are illegal — running one can cost upward of €10,000, so the gadget that protects you elsewhere is a liability here. Enforcement leans on section control, averaging your speed over long stretches of the A2 (Wechsel), A22 (Donauufer) and A9, so easing off for a single camera does nothing. And like its neighbours, Austria needs a motorway vignette — sticker or digital — before you join; the fine for going without dwarfs its price. Ordinary speeding starts around €150, but extreme cases reach €2,180.
Complete Speed Limit Guide for Austria
Austria enforces different speed limits depending on the type of road and vehicle.
| Road Type | Cars | Trucks |
|———–|——|——–|
| Urban | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Rural | 100 km/h | 70 km/h |
| Motorway | 130 km/h | 80 km/h |
Urban Speed Limits
In built-up areas of Austria, the default speed limit for cars is 50 km/h. School zones and residential areas may have lower limits of 20-30 km/h.
Motorway Speed Limits
The maximum speed on Austria’s motorways is 130 km/h for passenger vehicles.
Trucks and heavy vehicles are limited to 80 km/h on the same roads.
Speeding Penalties
A speeding fine for going 10 km/h over the limit is approximately EUR 30.
Check exact speed limits for your route
Open Speed Limit MapWhat Most Guides Don’t Tell You
Enforcement Reality
Speed enforcement in Austria is aggressive. Camera networks cover motorways, urban arteries and rural trunk roads.
The typical enforcement tolerance is around 3 km/h above the posted limit. Anything beyond that triggers an automatic fine.
Foreign-registered vehicles are actively tracked. Rental cars make enforcement even simpler because the hire company forwards your details to the authority.
Cross-border fine collection is active. An unpaid ticket does not disappear when you leave the country.
Officers can demand on-the-spot payment. If you cannot pay, your vehicle may be impounded until the fine is settled.
Truck Speed Limits
Heavy vehicles on Austria motorways are capped at 80 km/h, creating a speed differential of 50 km/h with passenger cars. Be alert when overtaking or merging.
Mandatory Equipment
A speed check often turns into a full vehicle inspection. Make sure you carry a warning triangle, reflective vest and first aid kit. Missing any of these items is a separate offence with its own fine.
Alcohol and Speed
With a BAC limit of 0.05, Austria is stricter than many destinations. Driving after even one drink and exceeding the speed limit can lead to a double penalty.
How Austria Compares
| Country | Urban | Rural | Motorway | Driving Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 50 km/h | 100 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Germany | 50 km/h | 100 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Italy | 50 km/h | 90 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Switzerland | 50 km/h | 80 km/h | 120 km/h | Right |
| Hungary | 50 km/h | 90 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
Key Facts at a Glance
| Country | Austria |
| Urban speed limit | 50 km/h |
| Rural speed limit | 100 km/h |
| Motorway speed limit | 130 km/h |
| Truck motorway limit | 80 km/h |
| Driving side | Right |
| Blood alcohol limit | 0.05 |
| Camera density | Extensive |
| Enforcement tolerance | ~3 km/h |
| Emergency number | 133 |
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Related Questions
The motorway speed limit in Austria is 130 km/h for cars.
The default urban speed limit in Austria is 50 km/h.
Trucks are limited to 80 km/h on motorways in Austria.