Freeman Rob - Fodors Vienna & the Best of Austria: with Salzburg & Skiing in the Alps

Late spring to early fall are the best times to visit Austria, when the weather is nice enough to spend most of the day outdoors. Restaurants begin setting up outdoor seating as early as March, though some years this amounts to wishful thinking when the winter lasts longer than anticipated. The summer months usually feature plenty of outdoor festivals in the major cities. The eastern half of the country has hot summers and only somewhat cold winters. In the western Alpine half, summers are shorter and winters are longer and colder. Austrias tourist season peaks in July and August, so expect to pay more for accommodations during these months.

Nearly all the air traffic into the country comes through Vienna International Airport (VIE), which recently opened a new terminal. Salzburg (SGZ), Innsbruck (INN), and Graz (GRZ) airports handle regional flights. Austria is highly accessible by train, and the countrys national railway system recently upgraded certain lines to accommodate high-speed train travel. Vienna is also in the process of building the largest train station in the country, Vienna Central Station, which is slated for completion in December 2015. The new station will offer increased railway links with improved international service and will include as many as 100 shops and restaurants.

Austrias size and high quality of train travel mean you can get by without renting a car, though it may be convenient if you plan a trip to the more rural parts of the country. If visiting Vienna, the public transit system is the best way to get around within the city. Smaller Austrian cities also have reliable intra-city bus services.

Moving around Austria is not without its idiosyncrasies. Most public restrooms charge 0.50, so make sure to always carry change with you. The right-hand side of escalators are for standing, the left for walking. Most shops are closed all day on Sunday and are closed after 6 pm on weekdays. Be sure to allow passengers to exit public transit before getting on. If a restaurant, museum, or theater has a coat check, you are expected to use it.

Austrian Tourism Office. For more information, contact the Austrian Tourism Office. | 212/9446880 | www.austria.info .

Restaurants and cafs move at a leisurely pace, so waiters wont chase you out if you want to sit and talk for a few hours. Prices in all restaurants, grocery stores, and markets include tax, so what you see is what you pay. Tipping is usually rounded up to the next euro or two and usually done when you pay your bill, which you must specifically request. For a bill of 28.50, its appropriate to say make it 30. When paying as part of a group, waiters and waitresses are able to easily split the bill at the table, even if some customers want to pay cash and some by card.