Autobahns of Austria

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The Autobahn is the national freeway system of Austria. Austrian Autobahnen have general speed limits of 130 km/h (80 mph). Since May 2006, a maximum speed of 160 km/h has been tested on a short stretch of Autobahn.

Contents 1 History 2 Autobahn system 3 Tolls 4 Schnellstraßen 5 Traffic laws and enforcement 6 External information

[edit] History

The first Autobahn in Austria was the A1 West Autobahn from Salzburg to Vienna. Building started on order of Adolf Hitler during World War II as part of the Reichsautobahn system, however only 3 km had been completed by 1945.

[edit] Autobahn system

Austria has 16 Autobahnen with a total length of 1677 km. The system is going to be expanded; one Autobahn is currently under construction, and two more are planned. Due to the relatively low density of population on the one hand and the situation of the country in the centre of Europe, its motorway density per capita is the highest in Europe.

• A1 West Autobahn from Vienna to Wals-Siezenheim and the German Autobahn A8
• A2 Süd Autobahn from Vienna and the A23 to Arnoldstein and the Italian Autostrada A23
• A3 Südost Autobahn from Guntramsdorf and the A2 to Wulkaprodersdorf near Eisenstadt
• A4 Ost Autobahn from Vienna to Nickelsdorf and the Hungarian Motorway M1
• A5 Nord Autobahn: under construction
• A6 Nordost Autobahn from Bruckneudorf and the A4 to Kittsee and the Slovakian Motorway D4
• A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn from Linz and the A1 to Unterweitersdorf and the A9
• A8 Innkreis Autobahn from Sattledt, the A1 and the A9 to Suben and the German Autobahn A3
• A9 Pyhrn Autobahn from Sattledt, the A1 and the A8 to Spielfeld and the Slovenian Motorway A1
• A10 Tauern Autobahn from Salzburg and the A1 to Villach, the A2 and the A11
• A11 Karawanken Autobahn from Villach, the A2 and the A10 to the Karawanken Tunnel and the Slovenian Motorway A2
• A12 Inntal Autobahn from Kufstein and the German Autobahn A 93 to Landeck
• A13 Brenner Autobahn from Innsbruck and the A12 to the Brenner Pass and the Italian Autostrada A 22
• A14 Rheintal/Walgau Autobahn from Hörbranz and the German Autobahn 96 to Bürs
• A21 Wiener Außenring Autobahn from Altlengbach and the A1 to Vösendorf and the A2
• A22 Donauufer Autobahn from Vienna and the A23 to Stockerau
• A23 Südosttangente Vienna
• A25 Welser Autobahn from Ansfelden and the A1 to Wels and the A8

[edit] Tolls

Use of the Autobahn system requires the purchase of a vignette (toll sticker) for passenger cars or a Go-Box (electronic toll system) for trucks and buses. On routes which are more costly to maintain, mostly mountainous routes with tunnels, an additional toll is required which is collected at time of use via toll plazas. Vignettes are available in varying lengths of validity (10 days, 2 months or a year). A vignette valid for a year currently costs 72.60 EUR. Since 2004 trucks must carry a Go-Box, a little white box which counts the length of the Autobahn used by way of electrical control points. The Go-Box is queried by overhead DSRC microwave radio transceivers at different locations. As only trucks need to carry a Go-Box, overhead 3-D infrared laser scanners are used to detect and photograph trucks travelling without the Go-Box.

[edit] Schnellstraßen

The cheaper Schnellstraßen system supports the Autobahnen system. To use Schnellstraßen, a vignette or a Go-Box is also required. Schnellstraßen are very similar to the Autobahnen; the chief difference is that they are more cheaply built (for instance: they are not as straight as Autobahnen). These Schnellstraßen usually have a lower speed level of 100 km/h compared to 130 m/h on the Autobahn. Schnellstraßen fit better with the mountainous topography of Austria. The main link between the westernmost province Vorarlberg and Tyrol is entirely a Schnellstraße, including the 12,8 km long "Arlberg-Strassentunnel, completed in 1979.

[edit] Traffic laws and enforcement

Autobahnen in Austria may only be used by powered vehicles that are designed to achieve a maximum speed exceeding 60 km/h.

[edit] External information

• Autobahnen und Schnellstraßenfinanzierungs AG company, which maintains the Autobahnen and Schnellstraßen in Austria (wholly owned by the Republic of Austria).