The upcoming Easter holidays are among the busiest travel periods in Austria. It is therefore crucial for both rail travelers and car drivers to know their rights and the current traffic situation to ensure the smoothest possible journey.
Rail passengers should be aware of their rights, especially in the event of delays or train cancellations. For delays of 60 minutes or more at the destination, passengers are entitled to compensation of 25% of the price of a single ticket. For delays of 120 minutes or more, this amount increases to 50%. However, in exceptional cases, such as extreme weather conditions, the railway company may refuse compensation.
In addition, in the event of expected delays of 60 minutes or more, train cancellations, or train evacuations due to overcrowding, passengers are entitled to continue their journey on the next available train or to an extension of the ticket's validity period. If the journey is interrupted, passengers are entitled to a free return journey. Furthermore, small meals and refreshments must be provided for delays of 60 minutes or more. If the last connecting train is missed due to a delay or if the journey is interrupted, passengers are entitled to take a taxi or stay in a hotel overnight. In regional transport, priority should be given to alternative public transport, with compensation limited to €65 per person for a taxi and €100 per person for a required overnight stay.
Recommendations for rail travelers
In view of the increased travel volume during the Easter holidays, the Agency for Passenger Rights (apf) recommends:
- Frühzeitige Planung: Tickets and seat reservations should be booked in advance to avoid bottlenecks.
- Current information: Use the railway companies' information channels to stay informed about possible timetable changes or disruptions.
- DocumentationTickets, invoices for expenses and any confirmations should be kept carefully in order to be able to prove claims if necessary.
Another key concern concerns night train travel: If a booked sleeper or couchette car is unavailable and a seat is assigned instead, passengers are entitled to a ticket refund if they do not take the journey for this reason. If the journey is still carried out, passengers are entitled to at least a refund of the price difference between the booked and the class actually used.
In the event of disagreements with railway companies, the apf is available as a free arbitration body to facilitate out-of-court solutions.
Traffic forecast for Easter travel
Due to the late Easter this year, the ÖAMTC expects particularly heavy holiday and excursion traffic. Transit routes heading south are particularly affected, especially in front of the construction sites on the A13 near the Lueg Bridge and on the A10 near the Werfen-Golling tunnel construction sites. Significant delays of over an hour are possible here.
The first wave of travel is expected starting Friday afternoon, April 11, as the Easter holidays begin throughout Austria and most of Germany. Saturday is expected to be the main travel day over the weekend. The ÖAMTC (Austrian Automobile Club) expects the highest traffic volumes on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, as Good Friday is a public holiday in Germany, and many people depart for their Easter holidays on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
The longest delays will occur on the return journey on Easter Monday, particularly at the border crossings with Hungary and Slovakia. Smaller crossings are closed due to security measures, so longer wait times are expected at the Nickelsdorf (A4/M1) and Kittsee (A6/D4) motorway border crossings, as well as at other border crossings. In Nickelsdorf, delays of over an hour are expected.
Congestion points in detail
In addition to the construction sites on the A10 and A13 already mentioned, other sections of the route are affected by increased traffic volumes:
- A1: Walserberg border crossing
- A1/A10: Greater Salzburg area
- A2/A21/S1: Vösendorf junction
- A2: Construction site areas Gleisdorf South – Gleisdorf West, Unterwald – Herzogberg Tunnel, Klagenfurt North – Klagenfurt West
- A4: Prater – Simmeringer Haide junction, Nickelsdorf border crossing
- A6: Kittsee border crossing
- A8: Suben border crossing
- A9: Klaus – Inzersdorf, Lainberg – Windischgarsten, Mautern – Kammern, Gratkorn
- A10: Golling – Werfen, Gmünd – Eisentratten
- A11: Rosenbach – Karawanken Tunnel
- A12: Kufstein, Wiesing
- A13: Schönberg toll station, Luegbrücke
- A14: Hörbranz – Wolfurt border
- A25: Wels North – Marchtrenk
- S6: Niklasdorf – Leoben
Heavy traffic is also expected on federal highways such as the B169 (Strass – Mayrhofen), B179, B180 (Pfunds – Landeck Tunnel) and B181 (Achenkirch – Wiesing).
Excursion traffic and inner-city restrictions
In the east of the country, the apricot blossoms in the Wachau region are expected to attract numerous day-trippers. Increased traffic volumes are expected from the Greater Vienna area on the Danube Riverside Autobahn (A22), the Stockerau Expressway (S5), and along the Danube Riverside roads (B3, B33).
Day-trippers from Germany are also expected in the greater Salzburg area, as many Germans use their Good Friday holiday to go shopping. This may lead to longer wait times at the Walserberg border crossing on the A1 and at the border near Freilassing (B155).
The Linz Marathon will take place in Linz on Sunday, April 13. Access to the city center will be restricted from 04:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Mühlkreis Autobahn (A7) will be closed between Prinz-Eugen-Straße and Dornach. Drivers are asked to use wide-open alternative routes.
Whether by train or car, considerable challenges are to be expected during the Easter holidays. Those who plan early, stay informed about current developments, and know their rights can still enjoy the most relaxing trip possible.
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