Banking in Vienna

Changing money in hotels or at Flughafen Wien-Schwechat is likely to result in a lower exchange rate being offered than downtown banks or reputable bureaux de change (Wechselstuben). However, if you do need to change up early, you’ll find Raiffeisenbank and Erste Bank offices in the airport’s arrivals hall. Exchange counters at airports and railway stations tend to open from the first to last flight or train, so if convenience is key, you’ll be able to undertake transactions without difficulty.

Of course, as Austria now uses the euro, citizens of most other EU Member States (with the exception of Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden and the new accession countries) avoid having to change up at all, while frequent travellers - from outside of the Community - are likely to have some euros left over from trips to say France, Germany, or Italy.

That said, if you do need to obtain euros before setting off, local offices of American Express or Thomas Cook (and major banks) generally offer a similar rate against the U.S. dollar and pound sterling. Be sure to ask about commission fees though, as well as possible charges for re-exchanging unused euros back into your own currency.

Automated Telling Machines (ATMs) are commonplace in Vienna, so you’re unlikely to have difficulty withdrawing money using a debit or credit card. However, to avoid problems ensure that your Personal Identification Number (PIN) has been set-up properly before travelling. Most Austrian ATM machines accept Visa, Mastercard (including Cirrus and Maestro), American Express, and Diners Club.

Alternatively, you can opt to use a pre-paid (disposable) travel card such as Visa TravelMoney that gives 24-hr access to your funds in any local currency. The main advantage to this system is that the overall value of the card is stored on Visa TravelMoney’s system, not on the card itself. So, if you lose your card, you don’t lose your money.

If you want to use Travellers Cheques, the most widely accepted are American Express. Although you’ll usually pay commission each time one is cashed, the Amex office at: Kärntner straße 21-23 (Tel: 515 11500, Fax: 515 11555, E-mail: vienna@amex.at) will complete transactions on their own branded Cheques without charge. The office, which is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Banking hours: Bank business hours in Vienna (which are regulated) are Monday to Friday 8am-12.30pm and 1pm-3pm, Thursday 8am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5.30pm (head offices do not close for lunch). Outside Vienna, different opening hours may apply in the various Federal Provinces. Austrian banks include: Bank Austria, Die Erste Bank, P.S.K, Raiffeisen Group, Volksbank and Oberbank AG. See also money.