Although Austria is by no means a budget destination, it is not quite as expensive as people imagine. It's true to say that there are few bargain deals around, and even though the cheapest coffee and cake at a traditional café will cost you dearly, restaurants on the whole are moderately priced, as are rooms in most pensions and hotels. That said, Austria is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and if you have the money, it has plenty of luxury shops, hotels and restaurants ready to relieve you of it
Money
Up until the end of February 2002, the currency in Austria was the Austrian Schilling ( österreichische Schilling ). It is abbreviated to öS within Austria (and within this guide), but is also often written as ATS or AS. Each Schilling is divided into one hundred Groschen . Coins come in the denominations öS20, öS10, öS5 and öS1, plus 50 and 10 Groschen; notes are öS5000, öS1000, öS500, öS100, öS50 and öS20.
Currency
Name .........................Euro
Symbol ......................€
The euro
Austria is one of twelve European Union countries who have changed over to a single currency, the euro (€). The transition period began on January 1, 1999 and lasted until the end of February, 2002, when the Schilling was scrapped entirely: up until then, Schillings remained in place for cash transactions, at a fixed rate of öS13.7603 to 1 euro.
You can opt to pay in euros by credit card and you can get travellers' cheques in euros - you should not be charged commission for changing them in any of the twelve countries in the euro zone (also known as "Euroland").
Euro notes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros.
All prices in this guide are given in Schillings and the exact equivalent in euros. Now that the new currency has taken over, prices have been rounded off.
For information on the British government's current line on the euro visit www.euro.gov.uk ; for the Irish view see www.emuaware.forfas.ie ; and for the Austrian position go to www.oenb.at .
Average costs
Accommodation will be your biggest single expense, with hostel beds going for around öS200/€14.54 (£10/US$15) the cheapest reasonable double rooms in a pension going for about öS500-750/€36.34-54.50 (£25-38/US$38-57). A double in a more comfortable pension or hotel is more likely to be between öS750-1000/€54.50-72.67 (£38-50/US$57-75).
After you've paid for your room, count on a minimum of £20/US$30 a day, to buy your breakfast, a takeaway lunch, a budget dinner and a beer or coffee, but not much else. Eating sit-down meals twice a day, visiting museums and drinking more beer and coffee (especially coffee) will mean allowing something in the range of £40/$60 a day; if you want to go to the opera or a nightclub, then you could easily double that figure.
Tipping is expected in the more upmarket hotels, taxis and in most cafés, bars and restaurants, usually up to the nearest öS5/€0.36 or öS10/€0.73 depending on how much you've spent and how good the service. In more expensive restaurants, you'll find the bill arrives with a fifteen percent service charge already tacked onto the total.
Banks and changing money
Out in the Austrian countryside, in small pensions, restaurants and shops, you'll find that cash is often the sole method of payment. In fact, there are plenty of relatively large towns where cash is still very much preferred. Make sure you always have a supply of cash on you, otherwise it's perfectly possible to carry your money in the form of debit/credit cards and withdraw money from cashpoints. Although not as convenient, travellers' cheques are still a good, safe option. Most banks in the West keep Austrian Schillings on hand for over-the-counter exchange, and it's a good idea to bring a small supply with you in case you can't find an exchange outlet on the first night.
Banking hours vary, but are generally Monday to Friday 8am to 12.30pm and 1.30 or 2pm to 3 or 4pm. Banks stay open until 5.30pm on Thursdays. Outside these hours, you will have to rely on the Wechselstube , or exchange booths. Those with the longest hours (typically daily 8am-8pm) are usually found at big-city train stations and at airports. There are also 24-hour automatic exchange machines dotted around the bigger towns, accepting notes of most major currencies, although commission rates may be more punitive than those charged in a bank.
Money
Up until the end of February 2002, the currency in Austria was the Austrian Schilling ( österreichische Schilling ). It is abbreviated to öS within Austria (and within this guide), but is also often written as ATS or AS. Each Schilling is divided into one hundred Groschen . Coins come in the denominations öS20, öS10, öS5 and öS1, plus 50 and 10 Groschen; notes are öS5000, öS1000, öS500, öS100, öS50 and öS20.
Currency
Name .........................Euro
Symbol ......................€
The euro
Austria is one of twelve European Union countries who have changed over to a single currency, the euro (€). The transition period began on January 1, 1999 and lasted until the end of February, 2002, when the Schilling was scrapped entirely: up until then, Schillings remained in place for cash transactions, at a fixed rate of öS13.7603 to 1 euro.
You can opt to pay in euros by credit card and you can get travellers' cheques in euros - you should not be charged commission for changing them in any of the twelve countries in the euro zone (also known as "Euroland").
Euro notes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros.
All prices in this guide are given in Schillings and the exact equivalent in euros. Now that the new currency has taken over, prices have been rounded off.
For information on the British government's current line on the euro visit www.euro.gov.uk ; for the Irish view see www.emuaware.forfas.ie ; and for the Austrian position go to www.oenb.at .
Average costs
Accommodation will be your biggest single expense, with hostel beds going for around öS200/€14.54 (£10/US$15) the cheapest reasonable double rooms in a pension going for about öS500-750/€36.34-54.50 (£25-38/US$38-57). A double in a more comfortable pension or hotel is more likely to be between öS750-1000/€54.50-72.67 (£38-50/US$57-75).
After you've paid for your room, count on a minimum of £20/US$30 a day, to buy your breakfast, a takeaway lunch, a budget dinner and a beer or coffee, but not much else. Eating sit-down meals twice a day, visiting museums and drinking more beer and coffee (especially coffee) will mean allowing something in the range of £40/$60 a day; if you want to go to the opera or a nightclub, then you could easily double that figure.
Tipping is expected in the more upmarket hotels, taxis and in most cafés, bars and restaurants, usually up to the nearest öS5/€0.36 or öS10/€0.73 depending on how much you've spent and how good the service. In more expensive restaurants, you'll find the bill arrives with a fifteen percent service charge already tacked onto the total.
Banks and changing money
Out in the Austrian countryside, in small pensions, restaurants and shops, you'll find that cash is often the sole method of payment. In fact, there are plenty of relatively large towns where cash is still very much preferred. Make sure you always have a supply of cash on you, otherwise it's perfectly possible to carry your money in the form of debit/credit cards and withdraw money from cashpoints. Although not as convenient, travellers' cheques are still a good, safe option. Most banks in the West keep Austrian Schillings on hand for over-the-counter exchange, and it's a good idea to bring a small supply with you in case you can't find an exchange outlet on the first night.
Banking hours vary, but are generally Monday to Friday 8am to 12.30pm and 1.30 or 2pm to 3 or 4pm. Banks stay open until 5.30pm on Thursdays. Outside these hours, you will have to rely on the Wechselstube , or exchange booths. Those with the longest hours (typically daily 8am-8pm) are usually found at big-city train stations and at airports. There are also 24-hour automatic exchange machines dotted around the bigger towns, accepting notes of most major currencies, although commission rates may be more punitive than those charged in a bank.
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