Published: December 23, 2024
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Austria Travel Advisory and Austria Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Vienna
Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090 Vienna
Hours: 0800-1700, Monday-Friday
Tel: +43 (1) 31339 0; Regional Security Office: +43 (1) 31339 2221
U.S. Consulate Vienna (for American Citizen Services)
Marriott Hotel, Parkring 12A, A1010 Vienna, northeast side entrance, 4th floor
Hours: 0800-1700, Monday-Friday
Tel: +43 (1) 31339 7535
OSAC Country Chapter
Contact OSAC’s Europe team with any questions.
Austria Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise normal precautions in Austria.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Vienna as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Austria.
Austria has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, and violent crime is rare. Crimes of opportunity involving theft of personal property do occur. These crimes frequently occur in tourist areas, including the plaza around St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the nearby pedestrian shopping areas in Vienna’s First District. There is a general uptick of petty crime during the holiday season as many tourists visit the Christmas/Easter/and other holiday markets. The most common crime experienced by U.S. travelers is purse/wallet snatching, typically in crowded public areas. Other crimes of opportunity include trains, restaurants, shopping areas, and crowded tourist areas, in which criminals distracted a victim who usually was not in direct physical control of valuables.
Crime in Austria increased in 2023 (most recent data), surpassing 500,000 reported offenses for the first time in six years. Nearly all crime areas saw increases, including property crime, economic and financial crimes, violent crime, cybercrime, and organized crime. Violent crime also increased, accounting for roughly 16% of all reported crime in 2023, following a reported decrease in violent crimes in 2022.
Property offenses represented the largest share of reported crimes in 2023, primarily driven by an Austrian Supreme Court decision to classify unauthorized contactless payments as break-ins. Additionally, thefts by breaking and entering increased by 19.7 percent. Robbers target merchants and residences, most notably during the holiday shopping season. Armed jewelry store and bank robberies occur occasionally. Residential burglaries also decreased in 2023, continuing a decreasing trend over the past ten years.
Organized crime, primarily from Serbian and Bulgarian groups, is present in Austria, though it is usually non-violent and involves burglary and property theft.
Be alert to criminal schemes in public places such as cafes and tourist areas. Be especially cognizant of your possessions in the plaza around St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the nearby pedestrian shopping areas in Vienna’s First District These crimes were overwhelmingly non-violent and seldom involved weapons.
Beware of pickpockets on public transportation and in bus or train stations. Trains between Vienna and Budapest, Prague, or Rome are high-risk. Do not leave bags unattended.
Do not carry your passport when sightseeing within Vienna; lock it in your hotel safe or other secure area unless needed for travel. Instead, always carry a photocopy of your passport along with a second form of ID such as a U.S. driver’s license.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Austria.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Vienna as being a MEDIUM-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Austria.
Travelers should take the potential for terrorist-related incidents seriously. While there is no prominent homegrown Islamist group in Austria, international groups such as ISIS and Hamas have received support from some Austrian Muslim extremists. The potential remains for individuals to be inspired by these international groups and commit acts in crowded areas.
The Austrian Interior Ministry maintains a public alert system on terrorism, and the current the current threat level is 4 (high), on a 5-step scale. Some terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking Western victims of opportunity, to include U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack—including knives, firearms, and vehicles—against soft targets, such as high-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.); hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists; places of worship; schools, parks, and shopping malls/markets; and public transportation systems.
Austrian citizens and residents have fought in Syria and Northern Iraq with extremist groups over the past several years. As of 2022, Austrian authorities monitor an estimated 100 people who returned to Austria from conflict zones. About 70 of them are believed to still be in Austria, and seven are serving prison sentences. The government estimated that about 100 Austrian foreign terrorist fighters were still in conflict zones. Overall, Austrian officials note that “Islamist terrorist” mobilization substantially declined after 2015.
Austria is a transport and finance hub, and various international terrorist groups and individuals operate in country, using it as part of their support base. Since 2016, Austrian authorities have enhanced efforts to counter incitement of terrorist acts motivated by extremism and to combat the problem of foreign terrorist fighters. Religiously motivated extremism also presents a potential threat to European security.
Austria’s last terrorist attack was a lone-gunman terror attack in November 2020 in Vienna’s First District, an area highly frequented by tourists. The perpetrator was an ISIS-inspired individual known to Austrian authorities. Following this attack, the Austrian government undertook reformations in its national security structure for better information sharing and investigation coordination. Austrian security services are successful is disrupting terrorist plotting. Notable disruptions include:
- In August 2024, Austrian security services arrested three suspects who were plotting to attack Taylor Swift’s concert series in Vienna. Austrian officials said the main suspect was inspired by ISIS, and planned to attack outside the Ernst Happel stadium, where more than 30,000 fans were expected to gather, with knives and homemade explosives.
- On December 23, 2023, Austrian police detained four people in connection with threats to Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna during the holiday season. Austria’s Ministry of Interior said the arrests were part of an investigation into an Islamist network. Earlier that month, Austrian police arrested a teenager who was planning to attack a synagogue in Vienna. Austrian security services increase protection measures in public spaces during the holidays.
- In June 2023, Austrian security services arrested three ISIS supporters who were planning to attack Vienna’s LGB Parade using knives and a vehicle. The parade was attended by 300,000 people.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Vienna as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Austria. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Austria is a stable democracy, and the country's political stability and election process is secure and dependable. Austria last held parliamentary election on September 29, 2024, and there were reports of spontaneous election related demonstrations and counter-demonstrations in the weekend leading up the elections.
Protests & Demonstrations
Groups generally are free to protest; peaceful protests concerning a variety of political causes are common in Vienna. Protests may take place in response to political or economic issues, on politically significant holidays, and during international events. Civil disorder associated with public protests or demonstrations is rare but does occur.
Protest organizers must request to protest permit from the Vienna city government at least 24 hours in advance. The permit delineates the parameters of the protest and advises the police of the planned activity. Police control for planned demonstrations is consistently very good. However, the possibility exists of any demonstration becoming violent, so travelers should avoid them, when possible, especially when rival groups will be present. In October 2023, some pro-Palestinian protests were prohibited following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel though at least one large protest proceeded peacefully.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
Anti-U.S. sentiment is not common in Austria. There are occasionally demonstrations close to the U.S. Embassy that are peaceful and conclude without violence.
Law Enforcement
The federal police (Bundespolizei) maintain internal security within 80+ districts and 25+ cities, and report to the Interior Ministry. The army is responsible for external security but also has some domestic security responsibilities and reports to the Defense Ministry. Municipal police (Stadtpolizei) maintain local security in approximately 20 locations around Austria. The Federal Criminal Police (Bundeskriminalamt, BK) conducts federal investigations under the Interior Ministry’s Directorate General for Public Security. Civilian authorities maintain effective control over the security forces.
Police Response
The quality of police services is comparable in training, efficiency, and expertise to that of most U.S. cities. Police authorities are highly professional. Cooperate fully with police requests.
In large cities and vacation resorts, an English-speaking officer is usually available to assist crime victims. Victims of any type of crime should notify the police immediately.
NGOs continue to criticize police for allegedly targeting minorities for frequent identity checks. Racial sensitivity training for police and other officials continues with NGO assistance.
The police emergency lines in Austria are 133 (Austria) and 112 (inter European Union).
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Austria, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Austria.
Austria's legal protections and law enforcement efforts meet western standards.
Cybersecurity
Austria maintains strict privacy laws that govern the release of personal information.
Import/Export Restrictions
Austria is part of the harmonized trade system of the European Union (EU) and importing and exporting are covered by EC Regulations. There are no restrictions on the import and use of satellite phones.
The Austrian Medicine Import Act generally prohibits the import of prescription drugs into Austria. However, non-European Union residents may carry medicines as part of their personal luggage, but only the quantity required during the stay. Travelers may not receive medicine by mail while staying in Austria. If a particular medication is not available locally in Austria, an Austrian pharmacy may be able to order the medication prescribed by a local physician from a pharmacy in the U.S. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
