Regulations and other important information
Important Information
Austria[1]
Maximum permissible size and weight (see § 4 KFG)
- Height: 4.00 m
- Width: 2.55 m
2.60 m for air-conditioned vehicles - Maximum weight: 40 tonnes
(for exceptions and differing regulations depending on vehicle type, please refer to § 4 KFG: http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Bundesrecht/, Title KFG)
HGV driving ban
Weekend and public holiday ban:
- Saturdays 15:00 to 24:00
- Sundays and public holidays: 00:00 to 22:00
for HGVs with maximum permitted gross weight of over 7.5 t and HGVs with trailer if either has a maximum permitted gross weight of over 3.5 t (see § 42 STVO: http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Bundesrecht/, Title STVO)
Night driving ban:
- daily between 22:00 and 05:00 on all roads for HGVs with a maximum permitted gross weight of over 7.5 t, excluding low-noise vehicles,
- daily between 22:00 and 05:00 : maximum permitted speed 60 kph for HGVs with a maximum permitted gross weight of over 7.5 t (provided that the vehicle is not in any event subject to the night driving ban).
Winter tyre obligation
From 1 November through to 15 April of the following year, cars and goods vehicles up to a maximum permitted gross weight of 3.5 t must be equipped with winter equipment where the situation requires. In other words, they must not be driven in conditions of snow, slush or ice, unless all wheels are fitted with winter tyres or snow chains are fitted to the drive wheels. Furthermore, snow chains may be fitted only if the road surface is covered with a more or less continuous layer of snow or ice and if the road surface will not be damaged thereby.
Winter tyres are an absolute obligation for buses and for trucks with a maximum permitted total weight of over 3.5 t. This means that, during the above-mentioned period, the vehicle must be fitted with winter tyres on at least one drive axle, irrespective of whether or not there is snow on the road. This obligation applies for trucks with a maximum permitted total weight of over 3.5 t from 1 November through to 15 April and for buses from 1 November through to 15 March.
Obligation to carry snow chains
During the period from 1 November to 15 April, the driver of a vehicle of over 3.5 t is under an obligation to carry appropriate snow chains for at least two drive wheels (except in the case of vehicles to which it is technically impossible to fit snow chains).
Further information on the obligations concerning winter tyres and snow chains can be found on the following pages:
http://www.bmvit.gv.at/verkehr/strasse/sicherheit/winterreifen.html and
http://www.winterreifen-pflicht.at .
Tariffs
Further information on the German / Austrian motorway toll
http://www.kfz-auskunft.de/info/lkw_maut.html
http://www.asfinag.at/maut
http://www.go-maut.at
Toll Collect (Germany)
http://www.toll-collect.de
[1] All information is provided without guarantee. The information does not claim to be complete. Details can be obtained from the relevant Austrian legislation (e.g. Road Traffic Act, HGV Act, etc).