What to know before you arrive to Austria

23 Jul What to know before you arrive to Austria

Fantastic bakeries, stunning nature and fairytale cities – there are plenty of reasons to relocate to Austria. However, when you get here, you may be surprised by a few things. So that you’re not caught out, check out a few tips below.

1. Registration

Meldezettel (certificate of registration) may well be the first word you learn in German. Or, if you’re a German and you’re used to calling it a Meldebescheinigung, a new Austrian German word for you. When moving to Austria from another EU country, you’re required to register your new address to get your Meldezettel. This is important, as you’ll need it to open a bank account and get a mobile phone contract. Of course, we’re on hand to help with trips to the Austrian authorities to ensure your paperwork is in order!

2. Sundays and public holidays

Yeah, nothing is open. Well, not nothing – but almost nothing. Pretty much all supermarkets and shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays. If the public holiday falls on a Monday, that’s two days without being able to pop out for the milk, so make sure you’re well supplied. However, if you are running low, the supermarket at your Hauptbahnhof (main train station) will probably be open.

3. Cash
Being able to pay with your card is not a given, so it’s always a good idea to have some cash on you. Of course, supermarkets and stores will accept your card, but some bars and cafes are cash only.

4. The language
This is both tricky and rewarding in Austria. Learning standard German is an excellent start, but you’ll find over time that you start to include some local slang in your conversations. From greeting people with Grüß Gott instead of Guten Tag to saying Mahlzeit instead of Guten Appetit before a meal, you’ll have the chance to sound like a native. We can get you up and running with German courses tailored to your language level.