Car Rental in Vienna

It’s easier to arrange a rental in Vienna through your travel agent (or online with Talking Cities) rather than on arrival. Not only will you save money - anything from 15-20% - but you’ll also be able to find out about deposits, drop off charges, cancellation penalties and insurance costs without having to make yourself understood in a foreign language.

To quickly compare rates between leading local hire companies, enter your trip details:

Make sure though you find out what equipment comes as standard (air conditioning is not always available) and check that the price quoted includes VAT (charged at 20%), a 1% Government Fee and any supplementary daily charges for young drivers. Optional extras such as roof racks and child seats should also be arranged before you go. U.S. and Canadian citizens should note that the majority of rental cars in Vienna have manual (stick shift), rather than automatic transmission.

To hire a Compact class vehicle in Austria (also described as Mini or Economy) you must be at least 19 years of age. For larger vehicles (usually described as Compact Wagon, Intermediate, Intermediate Wagon, Intermediate Automatic, Standard, Standard Wagon and Standard Van) the minimum age is 21 years. For top-of-the range Premium, Luxury, Standard 4 Wheel Drive, Luxury 4 Wheel Drive, Premium Van and Premium Wagon vehicles, the minimum age is 25 years.

Mileage rates are of the fixed amount free, unlimited or per kilometre variety, with extra charges for any additional drivers wanting to use the vehicle.

Although reputable companies operate new fleets and service them to a high standard, make your own checks before accepting a rental car. These should include:

i) checking for minor bodywork damage, making sure that small defects are noted on the rental agreement before you take the vehicle;

ii) checking for tyre wear (insist on a different vehicle if the tread appears low, uneven or if there are cuts or bulges in any tyre sidewalls);

iii) checking in advance to see if rear seat belts are fitted (and arrange for a car seat if you have small children);

v) check fluid levels and, most importantly, the engine oil level (topping up if necessary).

Allow yourself plenty of time to get used to the vehicle, unfamiliar road signs and Vienna’s drivers. When returning the car, fuel should be topped up to the same level as when you first picked it up (otherwise you’ll be charged at the rental company’s own tariff per litre which is invariably higher than that of local forecourts). Insurance requirements and general rules on driving in Austria (including local road signs) are covered in Getting There.

Note: if you intend to travel to Former Eastern European Countries (e.g. Croatia, Hungary, Slovak & Czech Republic and Slovenia) then an additional daily charge will likely be levied as part of your rental agreement. In many cases, trips to Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, etc. are not allowed. So check the company’s terms and conditions carefully AND state at the time of booking if you intend to drive outside of Austria.