Power & Connectivity (SIM)

Austria runs on 230 volts at 50 hertz and uses the standard European Type C and Type F plugs, the same two round pins found across much of continental Europe. If you are coming from the UK, US or elsewhere with different plugs, bring a Type F adapter. Most modern phone and laptop chargers handle 230 volts, so you usually need only an adapter, not a converter.

Prepaid SIM cards are cheap and easy to buy from the main operators A1, Magenta and Drei at shops, supermarkets and kiosks. You usually need to show your passport to register. Coverage is very good in cities and along valleys, though remote mountains can be patchy. As Austria is in the EU, roaming within the EU on an Austrian SIM is included on most plans, handy if you travel on.

If your phone supports eSIM, it is the easiest option for Austria. Buy a travel eSIM online before you arrive from providers like Airalo, Holafly or the Austrian operators, then scan a QR code to be connected on landing with no physical card. Many plans cover Austria alone or bundle the wider EU, which is handy for a multi-country trip. Check your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked first.

Free Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels, cafes, restaurants, museums and many trains and stations. Vienna offers free public Wi-Fi at many spots, and OeBB Railjet trains have onboard Wi-Fi. Speeds are reliable in cities. For security on public networks, avoid sensitive logins or use a VPN. In the mountains, coverage depends on the resort, so download what you need before heading up.

The essential app is OeBB for train tickets and timetables across Austria, plus WienMobil or the Wiener Linien app for Vienna's metro, trams and buses. Add Google Maps or Maps.me for offline navigation, a weather app for the mountains, and a translation app for German. Download tickets and offline maps before heading into the Alps where signal can drop.

Austria's country code is +43, and you drop the leading zero of a local number when calling from abroad. For most travellers, apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime and Signal over Wi-Fi or data are the cheapest way to call home. The single emergency number is 112, with police on 133, fire on 122 and ambulance on 144. Save these before you travel.