How to Save Money When Holidaying in Austria

Austria is known as being a pricey destination and the expense can often be a bit of a shock to first-time visitors. But if you can look beyond the price and embrace the pure beauty of the alpine country then Austria is a spectacular holiday destination.

If you’re on a tight budget, however, there are a few ways that you can cut costs and save a few pounds here and there when in Austria.

Here are our top tips to help you save pennies when on holiday in Austria.

Flights

Saving money going to Austria starts with flights. There are a number of budget airlines that fly into Vienna and Salzburg and considering the flight time from London to Austria is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, a budget flight will be more than comfortable.

Alternatively, you can fly to Munich or Prague and then take a budget bus to Austria. This can often work out cheaper than flying all the way to Austria.

Accommodation

Hotels are steep in Austria and this is more often than not the biggest budget killer. The best tip where hotels are concerned is to book as far in advance as possible as reasonably priced rooms are snapped up quickly. Unfortunately, last-minute deals don’t really exist in Austria so book in advance.

Also, consider staying just outside of major cities as these can sometimes be half the price of hotels situated in the city centres.

Campsites are another great way to save money on accommodation in Austria, you can pitch a tent for as little as 20 euros a night.

Avoid peak season

Like in most places, things can be a lot more expensive during peak season. Flights and hotel rooms will soar during the summer and winter months in Austria because everyone wants to see the country at its best in summer and want to make the most of skiing in winter.

Therefore, if you want to save money and don’t mind missing out on the ski season, it’s recommended you visit Austria during shoulder season, April-May and September – October.

Explore the smaller cities

Yes, Vienna and Salzburg are wonderful but they are expensive. If you dig deep you can find budget food and drink options but it’s not easy.

For more reasonably priced cuisine and an overall better experience heading to the smaller cities is sometimes the best option.
Innsbruck, Linz and St. Gilgen are smaller cities that are equally as stunning but more affordable and less crowded.

Rent a car

If you want to cut costs in Austria, then hiring a car is pretty much the way to go. This will save you a huge amount on transport costs and gives you the freedom to explore wherever and whenever you want. It also means you can stay further outside of city centres and save more on accommodation because you will easily be able to access places by car.

The only downside is that you will have to pay for parking in most major cities but street parking is free after 10 pm and on Sundays.

If you do decide to rent a car, ensure you are fully protected at all times from the varying expenses that can be associated with hiring a car. Excess car hire insurance keeps you covered and ensures your holiday is worry free

Visit the supermarkets

Eating out in Austria is going to cost you, if you’re prepared for that then great but if you’re still tight for money, you can bring your food costs down by visiting the supermarkets.

Austria has a number of main supermarkets that you’ll see while traveling in Austria: Hofer, Billa, Spar, Lidl, and Penny.