Austria on an Italian Licence — the Vignette & Winter-Tyre Catch

Austria is one of the easiest countries to enter by car from Italy. Same side of the road, the same alcohol limit, an EU licence that needs no extra document. The surprises are a sticker and a tyre rule.

The vignette comes before the motorway

Every Austrian A road and S road requires a vignette, the Pickerl. There is no toll booth on the ordinary network where you can sort it out, so the moment you join without one you are liable. Enforcement staff offer a substitute payment on the spot, which our Austria vignette guide puts at EUR 200 for a car, and a hire car passes any bill on to you with an admin fee. The sticker itself costs a fraction of that, and the current prices are in the Austria vignette guide.

Buy it at a petrol station near the border, or the digital version online. Two details are worth knowing. Several Alpine routes, the Brenner motorway among them, carry a separate toll on top of the vignette. And a digital vignette bought online is not always valid at once, so the guide explains which lengths start immediately.

Winter tyres are a condition-based rule

Italy’s tyre rules are seasonal and regional. Austria’s apply when winter conditions apply, between 1 November and 15 April. If there is snow, ice or slush, the car needs winter tyres. The police look for tread of 4 mm. Our Austrian tyre laws page sets out the detail, and a hire car booked for those dates should already be fitted; confirm it at the desk.

What changes from Italian rules

The rural limit is the one to remember. A 100 km/h sign on an open road is not an invitation to go faster, but it is a change from 90.

Fines work the other way round

Austria’s everyday fines are lower than Italy’s, but its top-end penalties are severe:

• Seatbelt: EUR 50 on the spot, up to EUR 100 if formally charged. Italy charges EUR 83-333 and 5 points.
• Phone in hand: EUR 100 on the spot, up to EUR 140 if formally charged. Italy: EUR 250-1,000 and a suspension.
• Red light: EUR 70, up to EUR 726. Italy: EUR 167-665 and 6 points.
• Speeding: ordinary cases can run to EUR 726. Since 30 July 2026, going more than 30 km/h over costs EUR 200-5,000; more than 40 km/h over in town or 50 outside, EUR 400-6,000; and more than 60 in town or 70 outside, EUR 500-7,500 and vehicle seizure.

The speeding fine calculator gives a quick estimate for a lighter case.

In the car

Austria requires a first-aid kit, a reflective vest and a warning triangle. Italy asks only for the vest and the triangle, so Italian drivers often leave the kit out. A hire car should carry all three, but open the boot at the desk and check.

Planning the border crossing

Before you cross, decide where you will buy the vignette. The nearest petrol station on the Austrian side is the simplest answer, and it avoids having to pull over on a slip road to use a phone. If you are travelling on a rental, ask whether the car already carries one, and check the dates on it. Two minutes at the pump are cheaper than a roadside conversation with enforcement staff.

For a winter trip, treat the tyre rule as part of the booking. Ask for winter tyres in writing, and check the tread before you leave the lot. If the weather turns and you are not equipped, the safe choice is to wait, not to push on. Austrian mountain roads reward patience: the 100 km/h rural limit is a maximum under good conditions, and in snow or fog the right speed is far lower.

Emergency numbers

The general number is 112 in both countries. The separate lines change: Austria uses 133 for police, 144 for ambulance and 122 for fire, against 113, 118 and 115 in Italy. The Austria driving guide covers the rest, including mountain passes.