<h2><strong>What is the local currency in Austria? </strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The currency of Austria is the Euro (EUR). One EUR is 0.9 GBP (as of 19th October 2020).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <h2><strong>Do I tip whilst in Austria?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Austria, tipping is appreciated and recommended in hotels, bars and restaurants. Typically, a round up to the nearest Euro will suffice, unless the bill is over 10 euros in which case a 10% tip would be welcomed. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">View Caxton’s </span><a rel="noopener" href="/travel-money/what-you-need-to-know-about-tipping-on-holiday/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tipping guide</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for more advice on tipping abroad. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <h2><strong>Using cash in Austria</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When travelling, our experts would recommend always bringing a small amount of cash with you on every trip, for initial taxi transfers or hotel deposits etc. The rest of your travel money should be put onto a </span><a rel="noopener" href="/currency-cards/caxton-currency-account/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caxton multi-currency card</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, for safe and secure spending.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cash is no longer king in Austria (even more so after COVID-19,) and almost all establishments accept credit/debit cards.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most international banks and money outlets now charge a fee for using ATM machines, as do most card providers. Taking a travel prepaid card and a credit card is recommended as Caxton does not charge for international ATM use regardless of sum or number of times, (but check with your card provider about charges.)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We would recommend still bringing your bank card on your trip as a backup option. However, if you decide to take your bank card, we recommend telling your bank before you go so the transaction isn’t identified as fraudulent, but be prepared for fees and high exchange rates.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All major cards are accepted widely in Austria at key tourist hubs.</span></p> <p> </p> <h2><strong>The price of eating and drinking in Austria</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a rough guideline, we’ve put together a list of the costs of spending an average day in Austria:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Domestic beer = </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">€3.90</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One-way ticket on local transport = </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">€2.40</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meal, inexpensive restaurant = </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">€12.00</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bottle of wine (mid-range) = </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">€7.00</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bottle of water = </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">€2.13</span></p> <p> </p> <h2><strong>What happens if I have my wallet stolen whilst in Austria?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Austria is known to be a safe country with friendly and helpful people, but this shouldn’t stop you from being smart whilst you travel. If the majority of your cash is on a </span><a rel="noopener" href="/currency-cards/caxton-currency-account/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">prepaid card</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, this will be automatically protected. However, in case the worse happens, here are the list of major debit/credit card ‘lost and stolen’ numbers:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">HSBC/First Direct - +44 1442 422929</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Natwest - +44 1268 500 813</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lloyds - +44 1702 278270</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barclays - +442476842099</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Santander - +44 1908 237 963</span></p> <p> </p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 236px;" src="https://media.caxtonfx.com/img/1100458/austria-tourism-travel-money.jpg?width=500&height=236" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0756666555de489fb71b84736e59c499" /></p> <h2><strong>The best tourist attractions in Austria</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some examples of Austria's most popular tourist attractions are:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Vienna Hofburg</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Salzburg Altstadt, UNESCO World Heritage Site</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Melk Benedictine Abbey</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Skiing at Kitzbuhel </span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <h2><strong>The best Austrian souvenirs</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whilst in Austria, you may as well spend any remaining currency, if only small amount, on some traditional Austrian souvenirs, such as:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mozart Balls - the delightful chocolate sweets with the famous composer’s face on. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Klimt-related memorabilia </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Manner wafers</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Empress Sisi fridge magnet</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <h2><strong>History of the Euro</strong></h2> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Euro came into existence on 1 January 1999 - though it had been a goal of the European Union since the 1960s. Notes and coins didn’t begin circulation until 2002. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today the euro is the sole currency of 19 EU member states, with the original dozen being joined by: Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. These countries constitute the "eurozone".</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rise of the Euro in its short lifespan is remarkable with it now being the second-largest reserve currency as well as the second-most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar.</span></li> </ul>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alternatively, if </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">you’re not a fan of Klimt’s work</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you can use Caxton’s </span><a rel="noopener" href="/currency-cards/buy-back-guarantee/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">buy back guarantee</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to get rid of any unused Kronor. By doing this you ensure that if the exchange rate moves against you, you won't lose out. </span></p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="/the-best-prepaid-currency-card-and-account/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 125px;" src="https://mediaumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/img/1099355/caxtoncard-promo-banner-03.png?width=500&height=125" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6df25084aa984b97abc05767425af66b" /></span></a></p>