Description of the country austria according to the plan. Austria. Useful contact information
Full official form of the name of the state: Republic
Form of government: Federal Republic
Membership in international organizations: is a member of the UN (since 1955) and is a member of a number of UN specialized agencies (UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO, FAO, IFAD, ILO, ICAO, ITU, UPU, WIPO, WMO, IAEA, IBRD, IFC, IMF, MAP, etc. ). is a member of the EU, WTO, OECD, OSCE, CE, CEI, EBRD, Interpol and other organizations
Square: 83,879 km² (114th in the world)
Border: total length 2562 km
* in the north with the Czech Republic - 362 km,
* in the northeast with Slovakia - 91 km,
* in the east with Hungary - 366 km,
* in the south with Slovenia - 330 km and Italy - 430 km,
* in the west with Liechtenstein - 35 km and Switzerland - 164 km,
* in the northwest with Germany - 784 km
Population: 8,401,940 people (2011, census) (94th in the world)
Population density: 101.4 people/km² (80th in the world)
Capital: Vienna
: 9 lands
Official language: German
Currency: Euro
Internet domain:.at
Timezone:(UTC+1, summer UTC+2)
Telephone code:+61
OKSM codes: AU (alpha-2) AUS (alpha-3) 040 (digital code)
Geographical position
Flora and fauna
The country is rich forests(47% of the entire territory). The Austrian flora is characterized by an oak-beech forest in the valleys, and at an altitude of more than 500 m - a beech-spruce mixed forest. Above 1200 m, spruce predominates, larch and cedar are found. Alpine meadows in the foothills.
Fauna- typical Central European. There are roe deer, hare, deer, pheasant, partridge, fox, marten, badger, squirrel. The surroundings of Lake Neusiedl are unique protected nesting sites for birds of various species. In the highlands of the Eastern Alps, the composition of the fauna is typically alpine.
Political system
Legislature
The highest body of legislative power and the body of people's representation- bicameral Federal Assembly, consisting of the National Council (NC) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). Joint meetings of the Federal Assembly are held when the president is sworn in and to decide whether to declare war. It may also call a referendum to remove the president.
Legislative functions are performed by the National Assembly (together with the Bundesrat), elected for 4 years in general direct elections by secret ballot. The leadership of the National Assembly is carried out by the President of the National Assembly, as well as the Second President of the National Assembly and the Third President of the National Assembly. These three presidents form the college and act as federal president when he is unable to do so.
Representation of political parties in the National Council
The second chamber of the Austrian Parliament is the Bundesrat. Its 64 members represent 9 federal states in proportion to their population (for example, Lower - 12, and Vorarlberg and Burgenland - 3 each). Members of the Bundesrat are elected and delegated by the Landtags for 4 or 6 years. The Bundesrat can protest the law, and then the National Council votes again with a larger quorum. The President of the Bundesrat is elected in alphabetical order from each state for a period of six months.
Representation of political parties in the Federal Council
Elections to all bodies of popular representation shall be universal, direct, free and equal by secret ballot. The right to vote is granted to all citizens who have reached the age of 18. Participation in presidential elections is mandatory. Elections to the National Assembly are held according to the proportional system (three-stage proportional system: 1 vote for a certain party list, inside the list - for a certain candidate in the regional and land constituencies). In the National Assembly there are parties that have won a regional mandate or received 4% of the votes across the board.
executive power
Supreme body of executive power- federal government. Formed on February 28, 2003 from representatives of the ANP and the APS, the government consists of 11 federal ministries: social welfare, generations and consumer protection (Minister Vice-Chancellor H. Haupt, APS); foreign affairs; internal affairs; justice; national defense; finance; economy and labor; agriculture and forestry, environment and water management; health and women's affairs; transport, innovation and technology; education, science and culture.
The government is headed by the Federal Chancellor. He forms the cabinet and coordinates its work. When making decisions, the principle of unanimity applies. The chancellor must take into account the opinion of the vice-chancellor, whose role in the Austrian coalition government is great.
Heads of Government (Federal Chancellors)
Judicial branch
Administrative-territorial division
The Austrian Federation consists of 9 lands with their own parliament (Landtag), constitution and government. The Lower and Upper lands lie on both sides of the Danube, while Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia and Styria are wholly or mostly in the Alps; Burgenland is located on the outskirts of the Middle Danube Plain in the east of the country. The city of Vienna - the capital - is administratively equated with the lands.
Population
Cities
The largest cities: Vienna, Graz (238 thousand people), Linz (203 thousand people), Salzburg (144 thousand people), Innsbruck (118 thousand people). The share of the urban population is 60%.
National composition
Ethnic composition The population is homogeneous, about 98% are German-speaking Austrians. In addition, there are 6 recognized national minorities: Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies (about 300 thousand people in total).
The number of foreigners according to the 2001 census is 707 thousand people. (8.8%), according to estimates - more than 760 thousand, of which 45% are citizens of the former Yugoslavia.
There is an airport in the capital of each land. The main marinas are located in Linz and near Vienna. The largest cities are Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg.
Austria, whose territory is elongated in the form of a wedge, strongly narrowing to the west, takes up little space on the map. Its area is 83.8 thousand km 2. It contributes to its communication with other European countries, of which it directly borders on seven. The most important in terms of economic potential and the most densely populated eastern part of the country borders on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the north with, in the southeast with. This provides Austria with favorable geographic conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries. To the west, Austria borders on and is closely connected with it. In the northwest and south, and adjoin it.
The position in the center of Europe makes Austria a crossroads of a number of trans-European meridional routes (from the Scandinavian and Central European states through the Brenner and Semmering Alpine passes to Italy and other countries). Serving the transit traffic of goods and passengers gives Austria certain income in foreign currency. In addition, as it is easy to establish on a physical map, the state borders of Austria for the most part coincide with natural boundaries - mountain ranges or. Only with Hungary, and (for a short distance) they pass almost on flat terrain.
When our compatriot, on his way to Austria by train, crosses the Czech-Austrian border in the northeastern corner of the country, he is somewhat disappointed. Where is Alpine Austria? All around, as far as the eye can see, is a flat, like a table, treeless plowed plain. Here and there glimpse green gardens and vineyards, brick houses and solitary trees on the borders and along the roads. and rolling lowlands extend far south from here along the entire border with Hungary and occupy 20% of the territory. But having reached Vienna, we find ourselves in a more typical natural environment for Austria: mountains, Vienna (Wienerwald) - the northeastern outpost of the mighty Alps and an elevated, hilly, wide and open valley, noticeably rising in a westerly direction. If you climb one of the peaks of the Vienna Woods, for example, Kahlenberg (“Bald Mountain”), then far to the north and northwest in a blue haze beyond the Danube you can see the low, ridged, forested, granite ridges of Sumava, only some of the peaks of which rise somewhat above 700 meters. This ancient hill occupies 0.1 of the country's territory. Undoubtedly - dominating in Austria, they (together with the foothills) occupy 70% of the country's area. This is the Eastern Alps. So it is customary to call the part of the Alpine, lying to the east of the valley, along which the state border with here passes. What is the difference between the Eastern Alps and the Western Alps? To the east of the Rhine fault, the Alpine ranges take on a latitudinal direction, begin to diverge as if like a fan and decline. The Eastern Alps are wider and lower than the Western Alps, more accessible. There are fewer glaciers here, and the largest ones are about half as long as in Switzerland. In the Eastern Alps there are more and especially forests, and the Eastern Alps are much richer than the Western.
If you cross the Alps from north to south, it is easy to see that the geological structure and composition of their constituents is located symmetrically with respect to the axial zone. This zone is the highest and most powerful group of ridges covered with glaciers and snows, among which stand out the High Tauern with the highest point of the country - the two-headed peak Glosglockner ("Big Zvonar"), reaching 3997 m; Ötztal, Stubai, Zillerthai Alps. All of them, together with the ridges adjacent to the west and east, are composed of solid crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, crystalline schists.
The largest - Pastertze - has a length of about 10 km and an area of 32 km 2. To the north and south of the axial zone lie ridges composed of solid sedimentary rocks, mainly limestone and dolomite: Lichtal Alps, Karwendel, Dachstein, Hochshvat and other ridges of the Northern Limestone Alps up to the Vienna Woods mentioned above at the extreme
northeast. Unlike the peaked peaks of crystalline ridges, limestone mountains are giant blocks with more or less flat, slightly inclined surfaces and almost sheer or even overhanging slopes. The years are mostly bare, there are dips, caves and other forms of karst formed by melted rainwater in soluble limestones and dolomites.
The peripheral zone of the Alps is formed by low, soft-shaped peaks and slopes of the Prealps, composed of loose sedimentary rocks. And within Austria, this zone is well expressed in the north, and in the south it is absent. One of the features of the Alps is that they are dissected by deep and wide transverse valleys, due to which the deep parts of the Alps are relatively easily accessible, and low convenient passes make it possible to cross the country from north to south without much difficulty in a number of places. Thus, the famous Brenner Pass has a height of 1371 m, and the Semmering Pass - 985 m. It is no coincidence that roads have long been laid through the Alpine passes, some of them without tunnels.
Austria is world famous for its ski resorts. Beginners and amateurs rest here, professionals train. Excellent conditions for recreation and developed infrastructure attract more and more tourists to Austria every year. The purity of the local lakes and the beauty of nature will amaze the most sophisticated travelers. There really is something to see in Austria - beautiful mountain landscapes, mysterious caves and, of course, the quiet streets of Vienna with cozy cafes and an exquisite menu.
A ticket to Austria is a chance to get in touch with the innermost. A trip to Austria is an opportunity to get to know the country from the inside. The best way to travel around Austria is by train. Railways cover all the cities of the country in a dense network. What is especially convenient, you can buy long-term tickets. This, by the way, is quite profitable. Austria also has a specialized agency that, for a relatively small fee, picks up a passing car for you to hitchhike from one city to another.
Geography
Republic of Austria (Republik Osterreich), a state in Central Europe, in the Danube basin. It borders on the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland. Area: 83849 km2. The capital is Vienna. Major cities Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck. About 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by the Eastern Alps and their foothills. Altitude up to 3797 m (Grossglockner). Mountain ranges separated by deep longitudinal valleys. In the east of the country - the western part of the Middle Danube Plain, including the Vienna Basin. The climate of the plains and foothills is temperate continental, humid. Main rivers: Danube (350 km) and its tributaries: Inn, Drava, Morava. Large lakes are Constance and Neusiedler-Seewinkel. There are many glacial lakes in the highlands. About 1/2 of the territory of Austria is covered with forests: up to a height of 600-800 m, oak and beech forests alternate with fields, gardens and vineyards: up to 1400-1800 m - mainly coniferous forests, higher - shrubs, alpine meadows. Landscapes are protected in the Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel, Karwendelgebirge and other nature reserves.
Time
Behind Moscow for 2 hours. 
Climate
The climate in Austria is temperate. In the western regions of the country, the influence of the Atlantic is noticeable, and in the mountains and in the east it is more continental. The coldest month is January. On the plains in winter, the temperature is mostly slightly negative, in the east of the country it does not fall below +10 degrees, and in mountainous areas frosts down to -15 degrees are noted. Summer in the east of Austria is hot, for example, in Vienna in July and August during the daytime the air warms up to +30 degrees. In the western regions, the summer is warm - the daytime air temperature reaches +21..+23 degrees, at night it is noted up to +13 degrees. In the mountains in the summer months, the air temperature ranges from +25 degrees during the day to +10 degrees at night. The annual rainfall in the east of Austria is about 600 mm, and in the west - up to 2000 mm. They mostly fall during the summer. In the highlands, snow cover lasts up to 8 months a year. Water in local lakes warms up to +25..+27 degrees in summer. The average maximum January temperature in Vienna is approximately +1°C, the average April temperature is +15°C, in July it is up to +25°C, and in October it is about +14°C. In Salzburg and Innsbruck, the temperature is about the same as in the capital, with the exception of winter, when these Alpine cities are somewhat cooler. Inland waters.
Language
The official language is German (with a characteristic Austrian pronunciation). In big cities and resort centers, in hotels, it will not be difficult to find a person who speaks English, but it is advisable to know at least a few German phrases. All announcements on trains and buses are made only in German.
Religion
Religion plays an important role in the life of every Austrian. The approach to religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution is quite interesting: until the child reaches the age of 10, religious preferences are determined by the parents; from 10 to 12 a small citizen has the right to express his opinion, which must be taken into account; and already after 12 years he can freely choose the religion that he likes. The majority of the population of Austria professes the Catholic religion, but 11 more confessions are officially recognized in Austria. According to the 2001 census, 73% of the population is Catholic, 4.7% is Protestant, 4.2% of Austrians profess Islam, and 2.2% Orthodoxy. 12% of the population do not belong to any of the official religious denominations. There are two archbishoprics in the country - Vienna and Salzburg, as well as 7 Catholic dioceses. There are thirteen official holidays in Austria, including ten church holidays.
Population
According to a 2003 estimate, the population of Austria was just over 8 million people. About 9% of the population are foreigners. The main part of the population lives in the lands of Upper and Lower Austria and Styria, as well as in the capital of Austria - Vienna, where almost 20% of the indigenous population is concentrated. In the highlands (Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia), the population density is much lower than in large cities.
The indigenous inhabitants of Austria have a mixed origin, characteristic of other European peoples. Nevertheless, the Austrians basically have the features characteristic of the Alpine-Dinaric group.
The urban population is 56%, the population density is 97.6 people per sq. km. Other ethnic groups also live in Austria. Six ethnic groups are officially recognized: Hungarians, Roma, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, and Slovenes. In the south and east of the country (the lands of Carinthia, Burgenland and Styria) live Slavic minorities, whose representatives speak Slovenian and Croatian.
Electricity
The mains voltage in Austria is 220 volts. Electrical sockets comply with the European standard.
Emergency Phones
Major city codes:
Baden - 2252
Brand - 5559
Vienna - 1
Graz - 316
Salzburg - 662
Innsbruck - 512
Linz - 732
Ferlach - 4227
Fire department: 122
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Transportation of patients:
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund. Tel.: 891 44
Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. Tel.: 476 00-0
Patient Care Service in Vienna. 717 18-0, 711 19-0
Red Cross. 17 74
Answering machine with a record of the duty schedule of dentists (duty at night and on weekends): 512 20 78
Information about the nearest pharmacies (opening hours, address, night duty): 1550 (153 50)
Providing medical assistance in case of leakage of toxic substances (information): 406 43 43-0
First aid for animals - the central telephone number of the veterinary service: 531 16
Pharmacy reference - 15-50. If the pharmacy closest to you is closed, the address of the nearest open pharmacy should be posted on the door. If you need a doctor and do not speak German, please contact the hotel staff or, in an emergency, the Russian consulate.
Connection
The country code is 42, when dialing a number within Austria, dial 0 before the city code, when entering the international connection - 00. All Austrian settlements have an automatic direct telephone connection with all European countries. Telephone booths (you can call both with coins and with Telefonkarte cards) are installed in post offices and on the streets (calling from post offices is cheaper). Telephone cards "Telefonkarte" (packed in plastic) are sold at tobacconists or at the post office. Calls on weekdays from 18.00 to 08.00 are 33% cheaper, significant discounts are also valid on weekends and holidays around the clock.
Currency exchange
Currency exchange is possible in banks and specialized exchange offices, as well as in most travel agencies and hotels (with a small surcharge for carrying out an exchange operation) and at main post offices - in large cities they work daily and around the clock. In addition, dollars can be exchanged at ATMs; in this case, banknotes are accepted in denominations of only 10, 20 and 50 USD. Credit cards are accepted in almost all major stores, gas stations, restaurants, cafes and hotels.
For purchases over 75 euros, VAT can be refunded (about 13%). To do this, you need to get a “tax-free” check filled in by the seller with the form “Tax Free for tourist Austria Tax-Free Shopping” or “Europa-Tax-Free Plakette” in the store. The check stamped at customs must be sent to the store or to the duty-free department. VAT refunds can be made in cash directly at customs or by check or bank transfer (fees apply on some items). Banks are open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.00 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 15.00, and on Thursday - from 8.00 to 12.30 and from 13.30 to 17.30. Bank branches at airports and major railway stations are open from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm, including on weekends.
Visa
TYPES OF VISAS
Visa A(airport airside transit) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is transit to third countries through Austrian international airports. At the same time, this visa gives the right to be in the controlled area of the airport during a transfer from one aircraft to another, but does not allow its holder to leave the transit zone and stay on the territory of Austria.
Visa B(transit visa) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is transit through the territory of Austria to third countries. This visa gives the right to stay in Austria every time up to 5 days.
Visa C(short stay) - issued to persons whose purpose of visit is tourism, visiting relatives or friends, business trips. This visa entitles you to visit the countries of the Schengen area.
Visa D(national visa) - valid only on the territory of Austria and gives the right to stay in the country from 3 to 6 months without a temporary residence permit or residence permit. This visa entitles you only to transit through other Schengen countries for up to 5 days, but not to stay in them.
Visa processing times
The usual time for consideration of applications and processing of documents in the consular department is from five working days from the date of payment of the consular fee to two weeks. In exceptional cases, it is possible to issue an urgent category C visa - at least three days before the intended trip.
Consular fee
The consular fee for a tourist visa (category C) and a transit visa (category B) is 35 euros, for an urgent visa of category C - 70 euros, for a national Austrian visa (category D or D + C) - 75 euros. The consular fee is paid at the bank in rubles at the exchange rate of the bank. To pay the fee, the consular department issues a payment notice when receiving documents. Upon receipt of ready-made visas, it will be necessary to present this notice with a bank note on the payment made. In case of visa refusal, the fee is non-refundable.
The following categories of citizens are exempted from paying the consular fee:
. close relatives of citizens of the Russian Federation legally residing in Austria;
. close relatives of EU citizens;
. schoolchildren, students of higher educational institutions, graduate students and teachers accompanying them (provided that the purpose of the trip is education);
. children under 6 years old.
Customs regulations
Citizens of foreign countries can bring with them for their personal consumption or as gifts, but not for commercial purposes: 200 pcs. cigarettes or 50 cigars, manila or thin cigars or 250 gr. tobacco (or any combination of them, the total weight of which should not exceed 250 gr.); 2 liters of wine or fruit liqueur or tincture with an ethyl alcohol content of not more than 22%, or any combination of them, but not more than 2 liters, as well as 1 liter of alcohol, the ethyl alcohol content of which does not exceed 22%, or 3 liters of beer and additional 1 liter of other alcoholic beverages. Goods other than those mentioned above can be imported for a total of 175 euros per person. If these goods are imported not by plane, but across the common border with Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, then the maximum amount is reduced to 100 euros. There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and local currencies.
Holidays and non-working days
New Year - January 1
Epiphany - January 6
Easter Monday
Labor Day - May 1
Ascension
Whit Monday
Corpus Christi
Dormition
National holiday of the Republic of Austria - October 26
All Saints Day - November 1
Conception of the Virgin Mary - December 8
Christmas - December 25
Saint Stephen's Day - December 26
Transport
Railway
As in Germany, trains of different classes run in Austria: high-speed and local. Letter designations are slightly different:
ICE, IC/EC - high-speed intercity and international trains
D - average between local and fast
E - fast local train
R - local train
The cost depends on the distance, class, number of people and on whether the ticket is one-way or round-trip. As in Germany (and in any other European country, by the way), you must not forget what class your ticket is: the class is written on the car, on the doors of the car compartments, on the walls. In one car there can be departments of the first and second class. The first class is not much different from the second: most often there is a compartment, fewer seats, maybe a table, and most importantly, there are simply fewer people. All trains have soft comfortable seats and a toilet in the car. It is also worth paying attention to whether smoking is allowed in the car - there will be a crossed out image of a cigarette on the outside or not. If you have heavy suitcases and don't want to lug them up the stairs to the platform, look around - chances are there is an elevator nearby that you can safely use.
Buses in Austria
Buses in Austria are very comfortable. The only thing that should not be forgotten is that after 18 hours there may be no flights. Prices are less than the train, but not significantly. For an hour and a half trip, for example from Salzburg to Bad Ischl or from Zell am See to Krimml, you have to pay about 8.50 euros per person.
Buses of the same route may not stop at all stops depending on the time, so if you need intermediate stops, carefully study the schedule. And bus 670 from Krimml to Zell am See goes to the final stop (Zell am See), then to the Mittersill stop (halfway to Zell am See), where you need to transfer to the train.
Taxi
It is best to call by phone from the hotel or from the restaurant where you stayed too long, and you can also find it at special parking lots at railway stations, in the center of large cities, at the airport (it is not customary to “catch” a car on the street: even if you try, no one will stop) . The cost of moving around the city is indicated on the counter + landing payment. When traveling long distances, it is better to negotiate the amount with the driver in advance.
Public transport in Vienna
Vienna has a metro (U), trams, buses and trains (S). The city authorities are constantly modernizing their transport system: now two main stations in Vienna are being rebuilt at once, and elevators are being actively added to the metro. It should be noted that the excessive comfort in the form of elevators greatly spoiled the Viennese residents: you can often see how hefty foreheads or peppy girls, burdened with a maximum of a cell phone, quickly fill the elevator cabin, while an old woman with a wand does not have time to run to his door.
The most convenient transport is the subway. There are stops near almost all strategic tourist points. The second most convenient is the tram. Trams run both very modern and old, similar to ours. I didn’t have to use the bus, but somehow they didn’t come across.
The ticket is bought either from the machine or from the driver. It must be composted in a small box at the entrance.
Tips
Tipping is 5% of the order value, in large restaurants it is customary to leave 10% of the bill. The waiter will definitely return the change on the bill, and after that, in the same napkin, you must leave a tip. You can leave small coins in the bar and cafe. Tipping is not given in street cafes. It is customary for a taxi driver to leave 10% over the counter, you can just leave a change from the change. In the hotel, if you decide to tip, the following general rules apply: the boys who help carry the suitcases can be given 50 cents, the maid receives a tip no lower than about 3 euros per week.
The shops
Shops in Austria are allowed to trade from Monday to Friday from 6.00 to 19.30, and on Saturdays, trading in shops is allowed until 17.00. Actual store hours in Austria vary. Usually shops are open from 8.00 to 18.30, and some of them may be closed for lunch for 1-2 hours. There is no uniformity on this issue. Tourist centers and resorts may have special opening hours for shops. From Monday to Friday until 21.00, and on Saturday and Sunday - until 18.00. Shops at railway stations and airports are open during the hours of the greatest influx of passengers (until approximately 23.00 hours).
One of the best souvenirs from Austria is a bottle of Yaga-te concentrate, which can be bought at any supermarket. It is enough to add four parts of ordinary boiling water to one part of the concentrate, and you get a classic New Year's national drink - "Yaga-te", i.e. "hunting tea". And for lovers of stronger drinks - a classic souvenir from Austria - a bottle of schnapps (fruit moonshine). Real schnapps should be 38% ABV.
National cuisine
meat on the bone - dish number 1 in Austria (up to 17 EUR);
gluwein (Gluewein) - a hot drink consisting of red wine and water (3: 1), cinnamon, spices; fundamentally different from Bavarian mulled wine in the absence of zest and the presence of water (up to 5 EUR);
schnapps by the river! The most pleasant and correct souvenir from Austria is a bottle of fruit moonshine - schnapps. Classic schnapps should be 38% abv (variations affect taste). For a thrill, put a piece of canned pear (if pear schnapps) or peach (if peach schnapps) into a glass; plums are not used in plum schnapps... You will also find more expensive varieties of raspberry schnapps, schnapps from a bouquet of blackberries and wild apples, and so on;
a typical Austrian cocktail - Vodka Red Bull (vodka - redbull) - the Austrians themselves believe that the combination of Smirnov table wine No. 21 with an energy drink gives the body a feeling of weightlessness and flight. It's hard to say how it is with the flight, but the tower is not demolished - it's checked: you can drink. (Between us: making vodka - redbull is better on your own: you buy "Red Bull" in any supermarket, get "krystal" stocks and ... 3:1);
germknedl (Germknoedl) - a lush sweet bun with poppy seeds and sauce (vanilla or fruit);
wheat beer (Weizenbier - weizenbier) - absolutely incomparable taste (up to 3 EUR);
apple pie (Apfel Strudel - strudel apfel) - Served hot in Salzburg and Alpine villages: be careful (up to 9 EUR);
natural sweets "Mozartkugel" ("Mozartkugel") - an enchanting invention of the Salzburg confectionery "Fuerst" - the only place where these and other sweets are still made by hand (in truth, "other sweets" primarily include the best invention of "Fuerst" - sweets "J.-S. Bach"); "genuine" "Mozartkugel" is sold only in silver-blue packaging and contains more marzipan and cocoa than golden-red American fakes (from 0.9 EUR per piece);
cinnamon pancakes (Strauben / Stauben) are simply an exclusive Salzburg treat;
Mozart's favorite beer - Stiegelbreu (up to 2 EUR);
magic soufflé Nockerln / Nockerln - sweet like love, tender like a kiss;
coffee, coffee and more coffee: "Merchant" - a strong double espresso, "ferlengerter" - weaker, "melange" - coffee with milk and whipped cream, "Einspenner" - double mocha in a tall glass.
Attractions
Symbol of Vienna St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom), the patron saint of the Austrian capital, which is over 800 years old. Under the cathedral there are ancient catacombs - the burial place of representatives of the Habsburg dynasty, its interior decoration is simply bewitchingly beautiful, and a Turkish cannonball is embedded in its spire, which fell into the cathedral during the Turkish siege of the city in the 16th century. Opposite the cathedral lies the beautiful Stephansplatz square and the post-modern glass building of the commercial center Haas Haus. On the walls of the Stephansdom you can see the measures of length, size and weight, according to which in the Middle Ages they checked the goods when buying, and from its observation deck a magnificent view of the Danube and Vienna opens. Another symbol of Vienna departs from the square - Graben Street, the "heart of the city", on which such famous sights as the Peitzeuil column, the Sacher Hotel and the Peterskirche church are concentrated. The most fashionable shops are also located here. It is interesting to get acquainted with the nearby Michalerkirche, San Marie am Gestade, Franciskanerkirche, the neo-Gothic City Hall (1872-1883), one of the most beautiful squares in the world - Josefplatz, with the Palace Chapel and Burgtheater located on it (1874-1888), the parliament building (1883), in front of which stands the statue of Pallas Athena, and the famous Vienna Opera (1861-1869) - the venue for the iconic annual Opera Ball.
Pride of Vienna beautiful parks, varied in their appearance and purpose. The Prater is considered the most "popular" park in Vienna (it has been operating since the 18th century) and is famous for the largest Ferris wheel in the world (65 m) and excellent restaurants. Dozens of musical performances and symphony concerts are regularly held in the old Augarten park. The famous Vienna Woods park, located in the vicinity of the capital, in the foothills of the Eastern Alps, is a whole forest area with its own towns and hotels, resorts and thermal springs. Bounded on one side by the picturesque Danube valley and vineyards, and on the other by the famous resort area of Baden and Bad Voslau, the Vienna Woods is a favorite vacation spot for the Viennese and visitors to the country.
Church of St. Ruprecht and the summer residence of the Habsburgs - Schönbrunn Palace, in which more than 1400 rooms and halls. Now the Museum of Weapons, a collection of costumes and horse-drawn carriages "Wagenburg", a beautiful park with fountains, a greenhouse and a zoo are located here. Fine examples of architecture are located on a hill in the southeastern part of the city, the palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy - Belvedere Castle (1714-1723) with the Gallery of Austrian Art of the 19th-20th centuries. (the largest collection of Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka) and the chambers of Archduke Ferdinand, the baroque Karlskirche (1739) and Stadtpark, the University, the palace of Count Manfeld-Fondi and the Vatican Church.
Salzburg
Salzburg Lakes, Salzburg Cathedral (founded in the 8th century, rebuilt in 1611-1628), surrounded by three squares with a luxurious residence of the prince-archbishops, the Baroque Museum, Salt Mountains, the house in which Mozart was born, Hellburn palaces with a magnificent park, decorated with cracker fountains, and Mirabel, Geerfiedegasse, the Eisriesenwelt cave ("world of ice giants") in Tennengebirge, south of Salzburg. Styria and Carinthia attract with a huge number of medieval castles and majestic nature. Innsbruck: Ambras castle (XVI century), ski resort. Kitzbühel is a resort located in the Tyrolean Alps.
carniche is a well-known sports center and resort located in the very south of Austria. Saalbach and Hinterglemm are the most popular ski resorts. Lech on the Arlberg is a fashionable resort offering the highest service. Baden - a resort with healing hot sulfur springs, located 25 km south of Vienna, has long been popular with crowned heads and artists.
Most Popular ski resorts- Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Badgasstein, Baden bei Wien, Seefeld, Otztal, Zillertal, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, St. Anton, Zell am See-Kaprun, Galtür, Gaschurn, Stubaital, St. Johann, Pitztal, Carinthia, Salzkammergut , St. Wolfgang, Hintertux.
Resorts
Lakes of Carinthia- Werther See (resorts Sölden, Pertschach, Maria Werth, Krumpendorf), Klopeiner See (resort St. Kanzian), Millstetter See, Ossiacher See, Faaker See.
Lakes of the Salzkammergut- Wolfgang See (resorts of St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen, Strobl), Mondsee, Traunsee, Attersee and Hallstettersee.
Salzburgerland- Zeller See (resort of Zell am See).
Resort Selden
The Otztal Valley is known for its highest mountain resorts in Austria. Sölden (1,377 m), Vent (1,900 m), Obergurgl (1,930 m), Hochsölden (2,050 m) and Hochgurgl (2,150 m) hold the record for attendance and are second in popularity after Vienna.
Sölden is one of the best ski resorts in Austria. Absolute guarantee of natural snow.
Winter season - from December to April.
Glacier skiing - all year round.
Slopes, slopes, lifts:
Ski area - 1377-3250 m
Elevation difference - 1873 m
Total length of tracks - 150 km
Trails for beginners - 53 km
Trails of medium difficulty - 63 km
Difficult trails - 28 km
Ski route - 6 km
Illuminated trails - 4 km
The longest track - 13.5 km
Summer skiing on the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers
About 20 restaurants on the mountain.
Modern high-speed lifts, almost all chairs on the glacier have protective caps.
The main ski areas in Sölden are Gaislachkogl (1377-3058 m), Giggijoch (1377-2885 m) and the Golden Gate on two glaciers Rettenbach (1377-3250 m) and Tiefenbach (2796-3250 m).
Resort Sankt Kanzian
St. Kanzian is located on the warmest lake in Austria (the water temperature heats up to +28 degrees).
There is everything for your outdoor activities: 65 tennis courts, a tennis hall, an 18-hole golf course, three surf schools, a diving school, minigolf, fishing, cycling, horseback riding ...
There is never a dull moment in Sankt Kanzian: weekly children's parties, fireworks on the lake, daily dance and entertainment programs in all hotels. Klopeiner See - the town is located on the shore of the lake - Klopeiner See.
It is surrounded on all sides by fields, meadows and mountain forests. Klopeinersee is the warmest bathing lake in Austria. The water temperature in summer reaches 26-28 degrees. The water in this lake is so pure that you can drink it.
Zell am See
Zell am See (757 m) and Kaprun (786 m) are located in the Pinzgau region of Salzburg and together form the famous European Sports Region (ESR).
ESR is the most popular holiday destination for a huge number of fans of high mountain landscapes and slopes, as well as the unique alpine atmosphere that prevails here all year round.
The region offers what is most important for any skier, both beginner and professional. Residents of the region say: “We are not talking about snow, we guarantee it!”
The skiing season is from December to April.
Slopes, slopes, lifts
Scheme of the skiing region (202.1 kb)
The height of the resort - 726 m above sea level
Ski area - 750-2000 m
Elevation difference - 1250 m
Length of trails - 75 km
Trails for beginners - 25 km
Trails of medium difficulty - 25 km
Difficult trails - 25 km
The longest track - 6.2 km
Number of lifts - 28
The total capacity of the lifts is 39,695 people per hour
Cross-country ski trails - 20 km
Toboggan runs - 4
Snowboard slopes -2
Fan Park -1
Half pipes - 2
Snowboard
Kitzsteinhorn: fun park, half-pipe on the route from the Alpin Center to Langvieboden.
Schmittenhöh: Halfpipe (100m) under the Glocknerbahn.
Piertschach
Pörtschach is a resort town on the northern shore of Lake Wörthersee in Carinthia. The resort is located on a small peninsula with three cozy bays, between Velden and Klagenfurt. Pörtshach is famous for its flower-filled promenade and the 14th-century Leonstein Castle, which was visited by I. Brahms. This is a great place to relax and practice all kinds of sports: rowing, surfing, parasailing, tennis, golf, hiking and cycling. The abundance of fish in the local waters attracts a huge number of people who want to fish successfully. For over 50 years, Pörtschach has been a kind of "tennis Mecca" - each hotel has one or two tennis courts, and the Seehotel Werzer-Astoria complex has one of the largest and best tennis centers in Austria, consisting of 11 magnificent courts.
- Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a state in the center of Europe. The capital is Vienna. Major cities Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck.
In the north with the Czech Republic (362 km), in the northeast - with Slovakia (91 km), in the east - with Hungary (366 km), in the south - with Slovenia (330 km) and Italy (430 km), in the west - with Liechtenstein (35 km) and Switzerland (164 km), in the northwest - with Germany (784 km). . This provides Austria with favorable transport and geographical conditions for mutually beneficial trade with neighboring countries.
- Austria is a union state.
The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung), which consists of the Federal Council and the National Council. Geographically located in Vienna. Parliament can be dissolved either by presidential decree or by a vote of no confidence in the lower house of parliament.
Federal Council - Bundesrat (64 seats). The deputies are elected by the Landtags - the parliaments of the states. The lands are represented by a different number of deputies (from 3 to 12) depending on the population. The term of office of a deputy of the Bundesrat is 4 or 6 years, depending on the term of office of the Landtag that elected them.
National Council - Nationalrat (183 seats). Deputies are elected according to the proportional-list system. The term of office is 5 years.
- Area: 83849 km2.
The territory of the country is populated very unevenly.
The average density is 90 people per 1 sq. km, which ranges from 150-200 or more people in the eastern regions adjacent to Vienna, to 15-20 in the Alps. In most of the country's territory, the rural population lives in hamlets and individual yards - the lack of convenient land is having an effect. Due to the difficult living conditions, the proportion of the Alpine population is constantly decreasing, there is an flight from the mountains - "bergflucht". Above 1000 m above sea level, 2% of the country's population lives permanently.
The share of the urban population is 60%.
About 98% of the population are German-speaking Austrians. There are Slovenian (about 50 thousand) and Croatian (about 35 thousand) national minorities; Hungarians, Czechs and Slovaks live (the latter mainly in Vienna).
The official language is German.
The main religion is Christianity (Catholicism).
One of the main features of the Austrian population is the cessation of its growth since the beginning of the 70s. This is largely due to the decline in the birth rate. If it were not for the marked increase in average life expectancy, which reached 75 years in 1990, the demographic situation would have been even more unfavorable.
Nature.
Relief
The main thing that determines the natural features of almost the entire territory of Austria is the Alps. Their white-headed peaks are visible in the country from everywhere. Austria lies in the Eastern Alps, which are lower and wider than the Western Alps. The border between them coincides with the western border of Austria and runs along the valley of the upper Rhine. The Eastern Alps have fewer glaciers and more forests and meadows than the Western Alps. The highest point in Austria - Mount Grossglockner in the High Tauern - does not reach 4 thousand meters. (3797 m). From the highest peaks flows the largest glacier of the Eastern Alps - Pasierze - over 10 km long. Other peaks of the crested granite-gneiss zone of the mountains - the Ötztal, Stubai, Zillertal Alps - are also covered with snow and ice. In this crystalline zone, the so-called alpine landforms are most pronounced - sharp ridges, steep-walled valleys plowed by glaciers. To the north and south of the ridge zone stretches the chain of the Limestone Alps. Of the caves, the ice one is especially widely known - Eisriesenwelt (the world of ice giants) in the Tennengebirge mountains, south of Salzburg. The names of the mountain ranges themselves speak of the inhospitability, wildness of these places: Totes-Gebirge (meter-high mountains), Hellen-Gebirge (hellish mountains), etc. The limestone Alps to the north pass into the Pre-Alps, descending in steps to the Danube. These are low ridged mountains, overgrown with forests, in some places their slopes are plowed up, and wide sunny valleys are quite densely populated. If it is appropriate to compare the geologically young Alps with the Caucasus, then the mountains lying on the other, left side of the Danube, resemble the Urals. These are the southern spurs of the Šumava, part of the ancient Bohemian massif, almost to the base, destroyed by time. The height of this border hill is only 500 meters and only in a few places does it reach 1000 meters. Areas with a calm relief, flat or hilly lowlands occupy only about 1/5 of the country's area. This is, first of all, the Danube part of Austria and the adjacent western outskirts of the Middle Danube Plain. The overwhelming majority of the population lives here and the "center of gravity" of the whole country is located.
Climate
In this part of Austria, there are vast areas of fertile land, a warm and rather humid (700-900 mm of precipitation per year) "grape" climate. Everything is in this word: a rather warm, long summer with an average July temperature of + 20 degrees and a warm sunny autumn. On the plains and foothills, winters are relatively mild with an average January temperature of 1-5 degrees. However, a large alpine part of the country is "deprived" of heat. With the rise for every 100 meters, the temperature drops by 0.5 - 0.6 degrees. The snow line is located at an altitude of 2500-2800 meters. Summer in the high mountains is cold, damp, windy, and sleet often falls. In winter, there is even more precipitation here: giant layers of snow accumulate on the slopes of the mountains, which often break off and rush down in avalanches for no apparent reason. Crushing everything in its path. Rare winter does without casualties; dwellings, roads, power lines are destroyed... And sometimes in the middle of winter the snow suddenly disappears. So it was, for example, in the days of the "white" Olympics at the beginning of 1976 in the vicinity of Innsburg. Usually snow is "driven" by warm southerly winds - hair dryers. The mountainous part of the country is distinguished by an abundance of clean fresh water.
It accumulates in the form of snow and glaciers for most of the year, only to fall down to the Danube in summer in thousands of roaring streams, filling the lake basins along the way.
Alpine rivers also determine the regime of the Danube: it is especially abounding in summer, when lowland rivers usually become shallow. The tributaries of the Danube - Inn, Salzach, Ends, Drava - are fraught with large reserves of energy, but all of them are not navigable and are only partially used for timber rafting. There are many lakes in the country, especially in the northern foothills of the Alps and in the south, in the Klagenfurt Basin. They are of glacial origin, their pits are plowed by ancient glaciers; as a rule, lakes are deep, with cold, clear water. This type in the vast Lake Constance, partially owned by Austria.
forest resources
Forest Resources Austria is a fairly wooded country. Forests occupy almost 2/3 of its territory.
They were preserved mainly in the mountains, where the vegetation is relatively little changed by man. The foothills and the lower parts of the slopes of the mountains are covered with broad-leaved - oak, beech, coffin forests. Higher they are replaced by coniferous - mostly fir - forests. Mountain forests are one of the national treasures of Austria. Even higher than the forest belt lie tall-grass subalpine meadows - mats, and then short-grass alpine palms. They serve as excellent summer pastures for livestock, mainly dairy. Here the peasants prepare hay for the winter. On the flat-hilly territories of the country, the vegetation cover is almost completely changed by man. Once, these areas were covered with shady oak and beech forests, from which small groves remained. Now almost all the land is plowed up, there are many gardens, vineyards, parks. Roads are lined with trees, their green chains often separate the possessions of one owner from the lands of another.
Animal world
In mountain forests, mainly in reserves, ungulates live - red deer, chamois, mountain sheep, mountain goats, and from birds - capercaillie, black grouse, partridge. On the plains, where almost all the land is already cultivated, there are no large wild animals for a long time. But still there are foxes, hares, rodents.
Economy
Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe. In terms of per capita income, Austria ranks 9th in the world.
The leading industries are mechanical engineering, metallurgy, as well as chemical, pulp and paper, mining, textile and food industries. One third of the volume of industrial production falls on the state sector of the economy.
Due to the poverty of minerals, the mining industry plays an extremely insignificant role in the economy, with the exception of magnesite, which is of export importance. One of the most important branches of the Austrian industry is ferrous metallurgy. Iron and steel smelting greatly exceeds the needs of the country, and most of the ferrous metal is exported.
More than half of the electricity is produced at numerous hydroelectric power plants, but the importance of hydropower is declining, and electricity generation at thermal power plants is growing faster. HPPs are mainly built on the alpine rivers in the west of the country, from where part of the electricity is transmitted to the eastern regions, part is exported and only a little is consumed locally. The needs of the metallurgical plants are only covered by 3/4 from local ore. All alloying metals and metallurgical coke are imported from abroad. In non-ferrous metallurgy, only the production of aluminum is important. The development of this industry in Austria, which does not have bauxite in its bowels, is associated with the use of cheap electricity from numerous hydroelectric power plants on the Inn River. Mechanical engineering, although it forms the core of the entire industry of Austria, is less developed than in other Western European countries. Large quantities are produced of machines and apparatus for the light and food industries, some types of machine tools, and equipment for the mining industry. Locomotives, small sea vessels are also produced. The largest center of mechanical engineering is Vienna. Austria is also characterized by a complex of industries, including the harvesting of wood, its processing and the production of pulp, paper and cardboard. The value of the timber industry complex goes far beyond the borders of the country. Forest products account for about a third of the country's total exports. Large areas of timber harvesting are carried out in the mountainous regions of Styria, mainly its primary processing is also carried out here.
Austria has a highly developed agriculture. Almost all types of agricultural products necessary to provide for the population are produced. The most important branch of agriculture is animal husbandry.
The main crops are wheat, barley and sugar beet
Foreign tourism is one of the most profitable sectors of the Austrian economy. About 350 thousand people are employed in this industry at more than 70 thousand various kinds of medium and small tourism enterprises (hotels, restaurants, resorts, swimming pools and beaches, sports facilities, etc.). In terms of the share of gross tourism receipts in GDP (more than 6%), Austria occupies one of the leading places in the world.
Austria trades with more than 150 countries worldwide. About 65% of exports and 68% of imports come from the countries of the European Union. The main trading partners are Germany (40%), Italy, Switzerland. Russia accounts for only 1.5%.
Minerals
In Austria, the set of minerals is quite diverse, but among them there are very few of those whose value would go beyond the borders of the country. An exception is magnesite, which is used for the production of refractories and, to some extent, for the production of metallic magnesium from it. Magnesite occurs in the Styrian, Carinthian and Tyrolean Alps.
There are very few energy resources. These are very modest deposits of oil (23 million tons) and natural gas (20 billion cubic meters) in Lower and partly in Upper Austria. Even with the Austrian scale of production, these reserves, according to available forecasts, will be exhausted within two decades. The reserves of brown coal are somewhat larger (in Styria, Upper Austria and Burgenland), but it is of poor quality.
Comparatively high-quality iron ores, but with a high metal content, are found in Styria (Erzberg) and a little in Carinthia (Hüttenberg). Non-ferrous metal ores are found in small quantities - lead-zinc in Carinthia (Bleyberg) and copper in Tyrol (Mitterberg). Of the chemical raw materials, only common salt (in the Salzkammergut) is of practical importance, and of other minerals, graphite.
Sports in Austria
Austria is a sports country. The most popular sports in Austria are downhill and cross-country skiing, football, swimming, athletics, golf, cycling and windsurfing. Recently, new sports are gaining popularity in Austria. For example, snowboarding.
Alpine skiing has been considered the most popular sport in the country for more than a hundred years. In general, the founder of this sport is the Austrian Matis Zdarsky, who invented the first ski bindings, and in 1905 organized the first slalom competitions.
Austria has repeatedly become the venue for the most prestigious alpine skiing competitions. The best ski slopes in Austria are located in Alberg (Tyrol), St. Anton and St. Christoph, where the Austrian Ski Academy and coach training center are located.
In Austria, skiing is also possible in the summer. There are eight glaciers in the country, next to which entire tourist cities have sprung up. The most popular glaciers in Austria are in the areas of Kaprun and Stubai.
There is nothing strange in the fact that in 1999 the World Championships in cross-country skiing were held in the Austrian province of Styria, on the local Dachstein glacier, which is a popular training base for skiers from all over the world. This glacier is so popular that even the national teams of northern countries like Finland and Norway train on this glacier in summer. And in the summer you can ski right in a bathing suit. Another popular winter sport in Austria is luge. Austria is the undisputed favorite in this sport. And only Italy and Germany in some competitions can compete with it.
The reasons for Austria's success in this sport are quite simple. The country has created all conditions for athletes. Yes, and ordinary people love to sled, because in Austria there are 310 luge clubs.
Of the summer sports in Austria, football occupies the first place. In general, Austria at the beginning of the 20th century was a football power. The greatest players of the time were Matthias Sindler, Tony Polister and Hans Krankl.
Today, Austria cannot boast of great football achievements in the international arena. But in the summer, football in Austria becomes the number one sport.
Austria's countless mountain rivers, lakes, and picturesque slopes create excellent opportunities and conditions for practicing sports such as canoeing and mountain biking. Also, Austria has good conditions for hiking and rock climbing.
Conclusion: The geographical position of Austria is convenient for the Olympic Games. She is located
etc.................
Geographical position
Republic of Austria is a continental state located in southern Central Europe. This state was formed after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, which occurred at the end of the First World War.
Austria in the north Borders with Germany And Czech Republic, in the West- co Switzerland And Liechtenstein, on South borders with Italy And Slovenia, in the east country borders on Slovakia And Hungary. The length of the state borders of Austria with these countries is 2,706 km, of which 816 km with Germany, 466 km with the Czech Republic, 107 km with Slovakia, 354 km with Hungary, 330 km with Slovenia, 430 km with Italy, 166 km with Switzerland and 35 km with Liechtenstein. Total area of the country is 83.858 sq. km.
Administratively, the state consists of 9 federal states: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg And Vienna city(on the rights of the earth).
Capital of Austria is the city Vein. The state is located in mountainous regions. Most of the country's territory is occupied Eastern Alps, which are lower and wider than Western ones. In addition, these mountains are distinguished by the presence of more forests and meadows, but there are fewer glaciers here. The border between them runs along the western border of the state - along the valley of the upper Rhine. To the north, these mountains are bordered by Northern Alpine foothills, and in the east with Eastern Alpine foothills. This foothill includes Viennese And Styrian pools. Farther east it becomes Hungarian lowland.
The Eastern Alps have fewer glaciers and more forests and meadows than the Western Alps. The plains account for only 7% of the country's territory.
The largest and only navigable river Austria is Danube. Its length in Austria is about 350 km. She's leaking from Passau on the border with Germany to the suburbs of Bratislava in Slovakia. Main tributary of the Danube in Austria is considered Inn.
There are a large number of lakes on the territory of the country, there are thermal springs with warm water. Most of them in the area Salzkammergut in Upper Austria, and Styria And Salburg.
highest mountain peak countries - Grossglockner in the Hohe Tauern, whose height is 3797 m. There are also a large number of other high peaks. The largest glacier Eastern Alps is called Pasierce, its length exceeds 10 km.
The most famous arrays The Central Alps are: Reticon, Ötztal, Zillertal, Kitzbühel Alps, Hohe Tauern And Semmering.
Most of the country is located in the mountains, for this reason the climate of Austria is quite diverse. In the West country prevails humid climate, in the south and east Austria continental climate. The climate is subject to Atlantic, continental and Mediterranean influences. In northern and western regions country prevails soft And wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean. Average annual temperatures here are 7 to 9 degrees C. During the winter months temperature can drop to - 1-7 degrees. In the mountains the climate is cooler. In summer usually here 18-24 degrees.
Winter soft in Austria without frost. average temperature during this period is around 0 degrees. Summer warm but not hot. average temperature air in summer is 22°С.
In the eastern regions countries are dominated by continental influences. There is less rainfall here, but in the summer there are torrential rains. The annual rainfall in Austria exceeds 760 mm. The only exceptions are: the Vienna Basin, some areas of Burgenland and intermountain valleys. Snow stays on the plains for one to six months a year. Very common in the valleys in winter mists.
Visas, entry rules, customs rules
For entry to the territory of Austria for citizens of Russia requiredinternational passport and current Schengen visa. In addition, you also need design health insurance policy. At customsmay ask present return tickets or hotel booking confirmation or travel voucher.
When entering Austria by private carneed to also have with you international driver's license And registration certificate. In addition, it is necessary design international compulsory insurance policy civil liability of vehicle owners.
Apply for a visa can be in the consular section of the Austrian Embassy in Moscow. The visa process takes 7 days.
In Austria no restrictions for the import and export of foreign and local currency. without special permission cannot be imported to the country items that have historical or artistic value. When entering Austria from non-EU countries, must be declared amounts over 10 thousand euros.
Persons over 17 years of age they have a right import into Austria 200 pcs. cigarettes or 500 cigars or 250 g of tobacco. Can be imported 2.25 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer and an additional 1 liter of other spirits. In addition, other goods in the amount not exceeding 200 US dollars per person may be imported. If the tourist arrives by train or car, then allowed import goods for a total of 80 US dollars.
Gold items and jewelry with a total weight of more than 500 g must be declared.
From May 1, 2009 to the territory of the EU countries cannot be imported products containing meat or milk. This prohibition does not apply for baby food and special preparations.
Without a permit to Austria cannot be imported drugs and narcotic drugs, medications, weapons, ammunition, pornographic materials.
All plants, animals and plant products must be presented quarantine officials. Required for pets design vaccination certificate and medical certificate. Medical certificate must be issued not earlier than 10 days until departure.
Population, political condition
Population of Austria is 8188 thousand people.
The largest cities countries are: Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. About 30% of the country's population lives in these cities.
Capital Vein represents economic and cultural center of the country. The city is spread on both banks of the Danube.
State language is Austrian.Colloquial represents Austrian dialect of German.
Over 98% of the population constitute Austrians. In Austria there is also six recognized national minorities - Croats, Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies(total about 300 thousand people). Slovenes, Croats and Hungarians live in certain areas Styria, Carinthia And Burgenland. In Vienna also live Czechs And Jews.
Number of foreigners in Austria is about 8.8%. 45% of them are people from the former Yugoslavia. The share of the urban population is 65%.
Austria is parliamentary federal republic. The state gained independence on May 15, 1955.
Head of State and Executive - the president. He is elected by direct popular vote for a term of 6 years. head of government is chancellor. Austria consists of 9 federal states. The population of each of the lands elects its Parliament (Landtag). Parliament elects head of state government. The lands are divided into districts. In villages and small towns the population elects municipal councilors, which electburgomasters.
legislature represents bicameral parliament - Federal Assembly. federal states is Federal Council (Bundesrat). Population of the country is national council (nationalrat).
At the head of the federal government costs federal chancellor. The government exercises executive and administrative functions.
What to see
The largest cities Austria are: Vienna, Salzburg And Graz. It is here that a large number of tourists come every year. But not only large, but also small cities are interesting, for example, Furstenfeld or Feldbach. They also have interesting sights.
Of course, most of the tourists come to the capital of Austria - Vienna. This is a very beautiful traditional European city with a unique charm. Vienna has many attractions. The symbol of the city considered gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral. The cathedral is surrounded famous streetRingstrasse, which has the shape of a horseshoe. On this street are the most fashionable and exquisite restaurants, shops And cafe. Both ends of the street are connected by an embankment.
In Vienna there are over 80 museums. Many museums in Austria are dedicated to famous musicians. So, in Salzburg There is two house-museums of Mozart. In the Mürzzuschlag you can visit Brahms house. In Vienna there are many memorials dedicated to musicians. Among them are four houses-museums of Beethoven.
Austria is interesting for a large number of different architectural monuments. There are cathedrals, palaces, castles and monasteries. The most important artistic treasures are kept in Vienna's museums. Of them the main ones are: Schönbrunn, Albertina Gallery And Museum of Art History. Vienna is also famous for its parks.
Archaeological Park of Carnuntum is one of the most interesting sights in Austria. He is in between Vienna And Bratislava. On the southern bank of the Danube, at the crossroads of ancient trade routes, there used to be capital of the Roman province of Upper Pannonia- city carnuntum. In the park, tourists have a great opportunity to get acquainted with the history of Carnuntum.
Prater- This the most famous park in Vienna. It is located northeast of the center of the capital. You can get to this park through the Danube canal, along the Praterstrasse. In 1766, Emperor Joseph II opened these park properties of the imperial family to everyone. The Prater is known for its magnificent boulevard, which is over 4 km long. In addition, this park has excellent opportunities for practicing various sports. There is golf course, stadium, hippodrome and swimming pool. For fun the park has planetarium And fairground Würstelprater. Passes throughout the park miniature railroad. Main stop is Riesenrad ferris wheel which is 60 meters high. This wheel was built in 1897 for the World Exhibition in Vienna. The Ferris wheel makes a complete revolution in 20 minutes.
Vienna Woods Park located near Vienna in the foothills of the Eastern Alps. The park is a whole forest area. It houses various hotels And thermal spas. On one side of the park lies the picturesque Danube Valley, and on the other side is the well-known district of Baden. A large number of Austrians and foreigners come here to rest.
Old Augarten park famous for its many musical performances And symphony concerts.
You can also have a great rest in the urban natural reserve Lobau.
Schönbrunn represents summer residence of the Habsburgs. This beautiful ensemble includes park area And castle. Here you can admire not only architecture, but also nature. In Schönbrunn, tourists can also visit crew exhibition. French park decorated mythological sculptures. Located at the foot of the hill fountain of neptune. There is a summer palace theater, and several museums And zoo.
Ancient St. Stephen's Cathedral built in honor of the patron saint of Vienna. This is a grand building that attracts many tourists. The cathedral is over 800 years old. He survived despite wars and disasters. Below the cathedral are ancient catacombs in which representatives of the Habsburg dynasty were buried. The interior of the cathedral deserves special attention. Here you can see ancient stone statues and fantastically varied carving.
In the spire of the cathedral embedded Turkish cannonball. This core came here during the Turkish siege of the city in the 16th century. At the top, a powerful masonry of supports is noticeable. There are niches, arches and turrets. The colored tiles of the roof are lined with zigzag patterns. In the cathedral itself you can enjoy the solemn sounds of the organ. Opposite the cathedral is Stephansplatz square. On the square stands a postmodernist glass Haas commercial center building. On the walls of Stephansdom you can see measures of length, size and weight. These measures were used in the Middle Ages to check the goods upon purchase.
Palace Belvedere consists of 2 magnificent rococo mansions. They were built at the beginning of the 18th century. The buildings are located opposite each other on a slope above Vienna. These buildings offer a wonderful view of the capital. Palace Belvedere was built by Eugene of Savoy. This illustrious general freed Vienna from the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is considered the most beautiful palace complex of the Austrian capital.
The museums of the two palaces contain one of the most famous art galleries in Vienna. Here tourists can admire Austrian paintings from different time periods. The museum exhibits include a magnificent a collection of paintings by Klimt, the famous works of Schiele and Kokoschka, Renoir and Monet. In the lower palace, many rooms are still preserved in their original appearance. Exhibited here works in the Baroque style of the Middle Ages.
State Opera Vienna famous all over the world. Her repertoire includes about a hundred operas, operettas and ballets. Shows are held daily here. season runs from september to june. The Opera House was opened at the beginning of the 18th century. During the war in 1945 the building was destroyed, and in 1955 it was reconstructed. There is a majestic atmosphere in the Opera House. It's very hard to get to the show.. It is especially difficult to buy tickets for seats in the hall. But tickets for "standing" places can be purchased at a fairly affordable price. Only here in the queue for them you have to stand. The State Opera works closely with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Especially famous is their joint New Year's concert, tickets for which you need to buy a year in advance. The waiting list for signing concerts stretches for 13 years.
Augustinian Church 14th century located in the Hofburg Palace. The parishioners of this church were the imperial court. At the end of the 18th century, the church returned to its former Gothic appearance. Chapel of St. George was built in 1337. It is located on the right nave. Buried in the church Maria Christina, darling daughter of Maria Theresa. Her grave is located in the central nave, not far from the rear entrance to the church. But the body of Maria Christina is in the Imperial Crypt. The grave represents masterpiece by the Italian architect Canova. In a small room in the chapel of Loreto urns were installed in which the hearts of representatives are kept the Habsburg imperial family. You can see them through the window in the iron door. The Chapel of St. George and the Chapel of Loreto can only be visited by tourists by pre-booked tour.
In addition, the church is also interesting because in 1736 Maria Teresa got married with François de Lorrain. The Augustinian Church has also married other royal couples. Were married here in 1770 Marie Antoinette And Louis XVI, in 1810 - Marie Louise And Napoleon, in 1854 - Franz Joseph And Elizabeth of Bavaria. The best time to visit this church is at 11 am. At this time, the choir, soloists and orchestra perform a high mass.
Imperial Palace Hofburg located in the center of the Austrian capital. At various times, this palace was the residence of many influential people, including representatives Habsburg dynasty. Today here is official residence of the President of the country.
Hofburg represents complex of imperial buildings. The first of these buildings was built in 1279. The oldest part of the residence is swiss yard. It got its name in honor of the Swiss Guard, which was engaged in the protection of the Kaiser. The architectural styles of the Hofburg are somewhat different. This is due to the fact that each new emperor sought to bring something of his own to the appearance of the palace. The Hofburg suffered three major sieges and a great fire. It has more than 2,600 halls, but only about 20 are open to the public.
Of great interest to tourists are State Halls And museums. They contain rich collections from the Habsburg dynasty. Here you can also visit the famous Spanish Riding School, National Library. IN Imperial Chapel every Sunday since 1498, performances of the famous boys' choir have been held.
The oldest church in Vienna is Church of Saint Ruprecht (Ruprechts-kirche). It is believed that its construction was started as early as 740. The church was founded by the Salzburg archbishop. Prior to that, this place was located “ House of Prayer and Reflection". The nave and the lower part of the tower were built in the 11th century. Some parts of the church building, most likely, can be attributed to an even earlier period.
Fuking is an old town. It is located near Salzburg. The city received its name in the middle of the VI century in honor of its founder Foko. This small settlement is the most popular among tourists among all the towns in the southeastern region of the country. This is due to the fact that in English the name of the city is written as "Fucking". Numerous tourists always try to take a road sign with them as a keepsake. with such a funny city name. This hurts the budget of this small town. The cost of one such plate is several hundred dollars. Residents and authorities of the city are not happy with their popularity. In 2004, there was even a vote to change the name of the city, but it was decided to leave the former. The authorities of the town are constantly trying to strengthen the structure with the sign.
Small federal province Burgenland located in the very east of Austria, on the border with Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. Capital of Burgenland is Eisenstadt. Here tourists can see the area Esterhazy Platz. Also interesting Esterhazy Palace with 4 baroque wings, the Haydn Hall and magnificent state rooms. Attractions of the town are also: park on Haydngasse, House - Haydn Museum, Franciscan church(1625) with the crypt of the Esterházy family, city hall. interesting church Kalvarinbergkirche And haydn mausoleum Near Bergkirche church.
On the territory of Austria is located the only major European steppe lake Neuwiedlersee - Seewinkel. On all sides, this lake is surrounded by reed beds, saline ponds and swamps. The length of the lake is 33.5 km, the width is 12 km, and the depth is only 1.8 m. A large number of animals and rare birds live on the lake. Residents of Austria very often come here on vacation. South-west of the shores of the lake stretched a chain of ancient castles and monasteries. Here you can see baroque palace in Halbturn built in 1711. Of interest is the former servite monastery 1651, located in Loretto, and also ruinthe largest fortress of Burgenland in Landsee. In the vicinity of the lake there is also Fortress Burg Schlaining, built in 1272, a medieval fortress (XV - XVII centuries) and Franciscan monastery 1648, located in Gussing.
Large Austrian city Graz represents the capital of Styria. The city spread out on the banks of the river Mur in fertile Graz basin. It is an important industrial, commercial and educational center of the country.
City Linz located on the Danube River. He is the capital of Upper Austria. It is an industrial center and a port. This city is located oldest active church in Austria- St. Martin's Church was built in Roman times.
Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and famous cities in Austria. In addition, this second largest city in the country. He settled down on the river Salzach at the foot of the Alps. Salzburg became famous, first of all, as birthplace of the famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. There are a large number of monuments and museums dedicated to the great composer. In the city music and theater festivals are held annually. The architecture of Salzburg is dominated by Baroque buildings. There are a lot of spaces here. Located near the city large deposits of rock salt. It was this circumstance that once allowed the city to become major retail outlet in Europe.
City Innsbruck lies on the river Inn, high in the Tyrolean Alps. He is world famous sports center.
St. Pölten is one of the oldest cities in Austria.
Tourists are attracted here City Hall building, Schallaburg Palace. It is also interesting to visit Historical Museum of Lower Austria And Modern Art Museum.
Carinthia is a beautiful lake land in Austria. This place is often referred to as Austrian Riviera". About 2000 hours a year in Carinthia is sunny. Here is located a huge number of lakes, there are warm mineral springs. All resorts in this area are distinguished by excellent quality of service. A large number of Austrians and foreigners come here every year to have a great rest with comfort and receive medical treatment.
The nature of Carinthia is amazingly picturesque. Here are located the most famous lakes in Austria: Wörther See, Ossiacher See, Millstater See And Weissensee. Here you can also see small Afritzer See, Faaker See with unique scenery feld see And Keutchacher See. Klopeiner See is the warmest lake in Austria. lakes Pressegger See And Langsee have amazingly clear water. Thanks to thermal springs, the water in these lakes is warm. We can say that each lake of this region has its own unique flavor.
In various provinces of Austria, tourists can admire magnificent castles that have a long history. The most famous in this regard province of Styria. Here is the so-called Castle Road". There are more than 10 castles along the border with Hungary. Once these castles belonged to the feudal lords of Styria and Burgenland. Of the most popular can be distinguished: Kornberg, Herberstein, Obermayerhofen And Pellau. Some of these castles belong today to the descendants of ancient family families. But, despite this, castles and family estates are open to tourists.
Austria is famous all over the world for its magnificent ski resorts located in the Alps. Many fans of active winter recreation come here.
Ischgl counts one of the most popular resorts in the country. Its territory is equipped with the most modern lifts. For the convenience of vacationers, there is even Internet cafe. The hotels of this resort offer high quality service. The resort regularly hosts concerts of various rock And pop musicians and singers. The only disadvantage of this resort can only be called the absence of difficult descents. Ischgl is very popular with fans go snowboarding. Resort belongs to the Silveretta region. This region is traditionally one of the four best European ski areas for snowboarding.
Innsbruck is Austrian winter sports center. This city is located in the heart of the Eastern Alps. Innsbruck twice became the capital of the Winter Olympics. It perfectly combines the comfort of a high-class ski resort and the sophistication of one of the most interesting cities in the world. Located around the city 7 most popular ski areas And snowboarding. Here is located Stubai Glacier. The ski resorts of this city meet the highest European requirements. It provides everything you need for skiing and winter recreation. Numerous tourists visit Innsbruck not only for skiing. It is of great interest as a city as well. Here you can admire the beautiful architecture of cathedrals and other buildings. The city has a large number of various museums, cafes, restaurants. In addition, Innsbruck also provides great shopping opportunities.
Mayrhofen represents one of the most popular Alpine ski resorts. Here you can see amazing mountain landscapes. The nature of the Tyrolean Alps is simply mesmerizing. The resort attracts numerous tourists with a wide choice of trails that vary in difficulty. These trails will appeal to even the most demanding visitors. This ski resort is famous all over the world.. Mayrhofen is especially popular due to its proximity to Tuksera glacier, whose height is 3250 meters. This peak is distinguished by the fact that snow lies here even in summer. Mayrhofen is dominated by red and blue pistes. There is a very well developed system of chairlifts and ski lifts.
sant anton(Sankt Anton am Arlberg) is one of the most popular and prestigious resorts in Austria. This largest ski resort is located in Alberg. Representatives of the world elite come to this resort every year. The ski area in the Arlberg is spread over an area of more than 50 sq. km. The elevation difference here reaches 1500 meters. The highest peak in the region is Valluga, whose height is 2811 meters. The resort offers its guests more than 260 kilometers of well-prepared slopes. For especially trained skiers, there are 180 kilometers of slopes on unprepared slopes.
St. Anton also has wide range of snow skiing opportunities. This ski resort has a traditional Tyrolean atmosphere. Local hotels, restaurants, bars And cafe characterized by unique comfort. For lovers of discos here are offered night clubs.
On the territory of modern Austria in the 2nd millennium BC livedAryan tribes. Then, in 300 BC this land was inhabited galls And the Celts.
In the 1st century A.D. uh. southern part of the land captured by the Romans. The invaders began to introduce Christianity here. barbarian tribes all the time they sought to capture the cities of the Romans, therefore, the cities were surrounded by fortifications.
Over time, settled in this territory Germans, Hungarians And Slovenian peoples. They created Austrian nation. For many years, the duchy was headed by members of the Habsburg dynasty.Rise of the Duchy came in the 18th century. Then Austria participated in a long war with Prussia for Germany. She was defeated, after which a state appeared called Austria-Hungary. It has developed at a fast pace and towards the end of the 19th century turned into the second largest European state.
But then the state was defeated in the First World War, which undermined its power. A in 1918 The revolution that took place led to the overthrow of the monarchy.
During the Second World War Austria occupied by fascist troops. After the war the territory of the country was occupied by 4 victorious countries. Independence Austria could only get in May 1955 of the year. October 25, 1955 years she got federal republic status.
Currently Austria is a member of the UN, the European Union, the European Economic Society And Commonwealth of Schengen countries. It is a developed democratic state, which is considered one of the most significant cultural and economic centers of Europe.
International trade
Austria has a very good location in the heart of Europe. A country has a fairly small domestic market. For this reason, the country's economy is very foreign trade plays an important role.
Main trading partners states are: Germany, Italy, America, Switzerland And France.
Main export objects are: cars And equipment, trucks And spare parts for cars, steel, metal And products from it. The country also actively exports paper And cardboard, medical And pharmaceutical products, polymers And polymer products, food And beverages.
The export of services is also important for the country's economy, in which the first place is traditionally occupied by tourism.
The shops
shopping It is very popular among the guests of Austria, especially in large cities of the country. There is large department stores, various boutiques, antique And jewelry stores, bookstores And designer furniture stores And lamps.
There is no longer a single store opening time in Austria. Usually malls and stores work on weekdays from 09.00 to 18.30, A on Saturdays they are open from 09.00 to 18.00 hours. Thursdays and Fridays many shops are open up to 21 hours. Shops at railway stations (food, flowers, tobacco products, books, etc.) open daily from 7 to 22:30.
Tobacco products only sold in specialized licensed kiosks or vending machines.
In Vienna located one of the largest auction complexes in the world, a former pawnshop. Here you can buy unique books, postage stamps, jewelry, carpets, various art products. It also sells the most famous Viennese souvenirs:miniature horses of the Lipizzan breed for a slide in the living room.
Hammerer - national clothes and youth fashion. Goess -best home decor store in europe.
In Vienna the main shopping streets are: Favoritestrasse(between squares Sudtiroler And Reumannplatz),Landstrasse And Meidlinger Hauptstrasse, and MariahilferStrasse(Mariahilfer Strasse). You can get to Mariahilfer Strasse by driving Metro(lines U2, U3, U6). The most interesting for shopping is the area between Westbahnhof (Westbahnhof) And Ringstrasse (Ringstrasse).
Shopping centers in Vienna:
On the southern edge of the city, there inexpensive shopping center SCS - Shopping City South.
Shopping City Sud - the second largest shopping center in Europe - over 300 stores!
Shopping center address: 2334 Vösendorf-Süd, Bürocenter SCS 4. Stock. Tel. 01/699 39 69-0, Fax: 01/699 48 66
Opening hours:
The shops: Mon-Wed 9.30-19.00, Thu 9.00-21.00, Fri 9.00-19.00, Sat 9.00-18.00;
The biggest Vienna bookstore is Morawa , 1, Wollzeile 11. It has been recently renovated.
art products And souvenirs tourists can buy at Augarten-Porzellanmanufaktur , Stock-im-Eisen-Platz 3 A-1010 Wien.
Most luxury shopping streets in Vienna- They are located in the golden triangle between
Outlets and discount centers:
40 km from Vienna there is a wonderful outlet (discount) center - designer outlet Parndorf, where over 150 famous brands with very big discounts. Information on the center in Russian
If an Austrian store has a sign “ Ausverkauf”, then here prices will be slightly lower.. Ubiquitous chain stores where, along with products, essentials, personal hygiene items are presented, various consumer goods periodically appear: “Hofer”, “ Spar”, "LIDL" , "Zielpunkt" and "Billa".
Foreign tourists have the opportunity return the paid VAT. This can be done when buying in stores that have the sign “ Tax Free for tourist Austria Tax Free-Shopping” or silver-black-blue sign “ Europa-Tax-Free Plaquette". To do this, in the store at the seller they should get a check“Tax free check” along with the envelope. Then this check is presented at customs when leaving the country. The refund amount is about 13% of the purchase amount.
Demography
Population of Austria is about 8188 thousand people. Population of Vienna - about 1.8 million people.
About 71% population lives in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria and Vienna. The densely populated cities are also Salzburg and Innsbruck.Fewer people live in the mountainous regions of the country.
Since the early 1970s, the country's population has stopped growing. The reason for this can be called a decrease in the birth rate. On the other hand, in Austria there has been a marked increase average life expectancy. She is 78,8 of the year. Average life expectancy for men - 75,9 of the year, women - 81,7 of the year.
There is practically no natural increase in the population in the country. The number of births and deaths is almost the same and is: 75.5 thousand. on 74.8 thousand. Human. It should be noted that there is a decrease in both the birth rate and the death rate. A small natural increase in the population is still preserved in the countryside. In addition, more and more foreigners have come to live in Austria in recent years.
Increasing in the country number of residents aged 60 and over. Their share is OK. 20%. This threatens Austria with a decrease in labor resources.
Industry
Main industries in Austria are considered engineering, chemical, food, pulp and paper And metallurgical.
After 1995, the country experienced a noticeable increase in industrial production. The greatest growth was noted in Carinthia, where production increased on 56,5% . But in Vienna industrial production fell on 3,6% .
For the same period growth in the production of investment goods made up 56,5% , A consumer durables decreased on 0,5% . Particularly rapid growth in production occurred in the field of office equipment and devices for information processing.
Main industrial and agricultural area Austria are Danube lands. Here are located the most significant economic centers. In the highlands of the country, sparsely populated areas predominate, in which there is no industrial production.
It's happening in Austria uneven development of individual industries. Some of the most important manufacturing industries are completely absent here - the aircraft industry. Other sectors are not well developed, such as automotive and electronic equipment manufacturing.
Automotive in Austria is mainly in the production of engines and gearboxes. share them export is 90%
. Austria is world renowned for custom manufacturing. integrated circuits and chips. plays an important role in the country's economy export
Monetary unit in Austria - Euro (EURO), 1 EURO = 100 EURO cent. There are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. more profitable just exchange currency in the banks of the country.
Banks open on weekdays from 8.00 to 12.30 And from 13.30 to 15.00.Banks close on Thursday at 17.30. At exchange offices the exchange rate is not so favorable. But, they work daily without days off. They are open and a “trading margin” is added at the stations, but they are open from 8.00 to 20.00. There are currency exchange points at airports, railway stations and hotels. In addition, the currency exchange also at the main post offices. They are open in major cities. around the clock. When exchanging dollars at ATMs accepted only denominations of 10, 20 and 50 USD. Credit cards you can pay in almost all major stores, restaurants, hotels and cafes.
When buying goods worth more than 1000 euros in one store tourists have the opportunity return value added tax. For this you need to take a receipt from the store. When leaving the country, this check is presented at customs. In this case, the tax paid on the purchase will be refunded ( up to 20%).
main religion in Austria is Catholicism. He is confessed about 78% the inhabitants of the country. Protestants are about 5% , most of which are Evangelical Lutherans. Muslims constitute 4.2% of the total number of believers in the country. There is a fairly large increase in Muslims, especially in Vienna. Austria also has a small Jewish community, which has about 10 thousand people. Near 9% do not belong to any religion. The influence of the Catholic Church is constantly falling. Austrian trains are distinguished by their reliability and comfort. Travel to intercity buses costs a little less than by rail.
Travel tickets can be purchased at the box office, newsstand or in the transport itself, but it will be a little more expensive. Tickets can be: for 1 day, 3 days, a week, a month. In Austria, very well-developed city bus network. Public transport runs from 5 to 24 hours. Between 0.30 and 4.00 hours with an interval of 30 minutes ride night buses.
You can also use the services of taxi drivers. Taxi can be ordered by phone, they are also always on duty near airports and train stations.
Right on the street getting a taxi is almost impossible You can “vote” for hours, but no one will stop. It is better to find a taxi rank or ask for a taxi from a hotel or restaurant.
Tourists can also rent a car. For this must have with me international law And credit card. The tourist must be at least 21 years old. The most reliable car rental company in Austria it is considered Europcar". Car rental points Available at all airports and major cities across the country. In their own country, tourists can also preliminarily reserve a car at a special rate.
Rent price car from 30 euro for a rental period of a week. Necessarily you need to have a credit card. Recommended Europcar, as the best for Austria in terms of price-quality ratio.
Driving on freeways and expresswayspaid. Movement is right-handed. Need to know that in winter some roads and passes in Tyrol may be closed due to the risk of avalanches. In some regions Necessarily need snow chains. Parking lots in AustriapaidMonday through Friday. Almost 39% of the entire territory of Austria is covered with forests. About 19% of Austrian land is completely unsuitable for agricultural use. Most of the agricultural land busy meadows and pastures.The rest is allotted under growing crops, fruits and grapes.
The most fertile land located in the foothills of the Alps And in the regions of Styria And Vienna Basins. A country 90% provides himself with the necessary food. A small amount of meat, wheat, corn And dairy products for sale for export. Animal husbandry is of great importance for the country's agriculture. leading industry is dairy farming.
If the tip is included in the bill, then give extra money no need. Tips accepted give restaurant waiter, taxi driver and hotel porter. Porter usually give 10 cents for one piece of luggage. maid hotel usually don't pay.
In restaurants tips are given in the amount 10-15% from account. porter service paid at railway stations and airports at fixed rates.
National features
Austrians may seem a bit arrogant. But at the same time they are enough hospitable And friendly. They easy to get in touch with foreigners, responsive and always ready to help. The main distinguishing features of this people can be called their politeness And punctuality.
Austrian national cuisine traditionally considered one of the best in Europe. Its formation was greatly influenced by immigrants from border states. traditional food
Medical service in Austria paid. To enter the country vaccination certificate not required.
Russian tourists are best addressto the first-aid post at the Russian embassy.
In all cities and towns there are countries pharmacies And doctors. Pharmacies in turn open at night And on Sundays. In the event that the pharmacy is currently closed, it will announcement indicating the nearest working pharmacy.
Emergency Medical Information tourists can get at police stations or found in the phone book. All mountain resorts countries equipped rescue services.