If you want to go on holiday in Austria, you can look forward to a skiing holiday and delicious food. To ensure that the days in the neighboring country are a success, you should deal with the cultural differences in advance.
Beautiful neighboring country with cultural differences
Those who have never been to Austria usually think that they will get along with the local people. After all, the official language is German and the country belongs to the DACH region. When you arrive, you notice relatively quickly, depending on the place, that the vocabulary is a bit different.
In the land of Mozart , two main dialects are spoken. These are Alemannic and Bavarian-Austrian. A stay at the border usually does not entail any communication problems. It becomes more difficult if you want to talk to someone who has a Bavarian sub-dialect.
If you do not understand your counterpart at all, it is advisable to communicate in English during your skiing holiday .
Deviations on entry
While entering Germany is unproblematic and completely easy, the situation is somewhat different in the neighboring country.
If the destination is Austria, then you should think about how you want to get to the country. If you enter by car, you will need a vignette. This also applies to cars, motorcycles and motorhomes weighing up to three and a half tonnes. There is no additional charge for caravans and trailers.
The vignette starts at a price of 19.80 euros, the costs differ according to the length of stay in Austria.
It is best to buy the vignette online, as it is valid immediately. If you decide to obtain them from a sales office, the validity only comes into force 18 days after purchase.
Note that you will have to expect additional costs along the way. The route toll is payable for some pass roads and tunnels.
This applies, for example, to the Brenner and Karawanken motorways. A fee must also be paid for the journey through the Gleinalm Tunnel. A route toll costs from 15.50 euros.
It is therefore best to check beforehand exactly where the destination is located and which routes you are taking.
In order to get through on site more quickly, it is advisable to purchase a digital route toll in advance. If you are in Austria several times a year to unwind, it is worth buying an annual pass.
Personal salutation
In Germany, you are used to being addressed in a formal manner. Be it at work, shopping or chatting with the neighbor. It can take years or even decades before it goes from the formal “you” to the “you”. You keep an emotional distance.
In Austria, however, the whole thing is much more relaxed. There, people are on a first-name basis much faster. This applies not only to work, but also to strangers, especially in the tourist strongholds . As soon as you are about one thousand meters above the mountain, you will automatically be on a first-name basis. Of course, you should also address your counterpart on a first-name basis if they do so. Otherwise, he or she could feel offended.
As for the character, you need to know that the population is known to be not quite so friendly. It is not uncommon for them to be perceived as rather grumpy.
Statements that may sound a bit grumpy should therefore not be taken personally during your holiday in Austria.
Clothing and traditional costumes
Unlike in this country, Austrians are known for holding on to their traditions. Accordingly, they often wear their traditional clothes. So don’t be surprised if you often see women in dirndls and men in lederhosen.
