Renting a car in Vienna

Rental cost

Costs depend on:

• the rates of each individual rental company;
• the category of the vehicle;
• the rental period.

Daily rentals are the most expensive. The most popular car model to rent is the Opel Corsa which can be rented for an average of EUR 80 per day, as of June 2023. Here is a chart of rental costs for various categories of vehicles:

Note: The price includes VAT and other taxes and fees. A separate security deposit will be required in the event of damages to the car.

Deposit

Every rental car company requires a security deposit to be paid for potential damages to the vehicle. In Austria, you are not required to pay this amount directly to the company, only to be waiting for the money to be returned by the company at a later date. Instead, the amount is frozen in your account and can not be used on any other purchases until the company releases the hold. The amount is simply blocked, then released after you return the car, provided it was returned undamaged. This security deposit can sometimes be as high as three times the total rental price.

The minimum deposit amount is around EUR 200-300. If you are renting an expensive car, the deposit could reach as high as EUR 3,000. Another factor is the pricing policy of the agency, for example, the deposit at Europcar is EUR 850.

Insurance

Basic insurance is included in the cost of the rental and usually covers you in the event of an accident or theft, but the driver pays 100 % of the deductible. If having only basic insurance is worrisome, you can take out an extended insurance package.

Note: The company sets a predetermined deductible that the driver must pay if the car is damaged. If this amount does not cover the total amount owed, then responsibility falls on the company to pay the rest.

There are several types of insurance available, the price depending on the level of coverage. Some only cover vehicular damage, while others cover injuries sustained to passengers involved in an accident.When signing the contract, it is important to pay attention to the amount you may be eligible to receive if insurance needs to get involved.

You can buy insurance from an independent insurance agent as well – this is typically much cheaper than through the rental company. Some of the more popular insurance agencies include Allianz, Generali, and GRAWE.

Additional costs

Some additional costs may include:

• renting a GPS system or a child’s car seat;
• travelling to different countries;
• adding a second driver.

Additional services should be indicated when booking the car. The costs are then automatically added to the final amount of the rental.Gas, parking, and toll roads are all paid separately by the driver.

Gas

Rental companies provide cars with full gas tanks, so you need to specify the conditions of returning the car with or without a full tank of gas. More likely than not, the car must be returned with a full tank.

Note: In June 2023, the average cost of 1 litre of gas in Vienna was EUR 1.70, according to Numbeo. Prices can vary from EUR 1.53 to EUR 2.10.

Toll roads

Many highways and expressways in Austria are toll roads. To take these roads, you must have a special sticker on your windshield called a vignette. This confirms that you have the right to drive on the toll roads.Rental cars most often already have this sticker, so you won’t need to pay separately for it. If you don’t have a vignette, you can buy one at a gas station, post office, or online.120. In 2023, a vignette sticker valid for 10 days costs EUR 19.50, a vignette for two months is EUR 49, and for the year is EUR 129. Taking a toll road without the vignette sticker carries a fine of EUR 120.

Parking lots

In Vienna, many parking lots charge a fee. There are short-term and long-term parking options.Parking in short-term parking lots, known as Kurzparkzone, is possibly only for 2-hour periods. These zones are located all over Vienna and you can find them on the following interactive map: wien.gv.at/stadtplan/en/. They are free of charge for the first 15 minutes. If you need more time, you can buy a parking ticket. In 2023, a red ticket valid for 30 minutes costs EUR 1.25, a blue ticket valid for 1 hour costs EUR 2.50, a green ticket valid for 1 hour 30 minutes costs EUR 3.75, and a yellow ticket valid for 2 hours costs EUR 5. Long-term parking lots, called Park & Ride, are located mainly on the outskirts of the city, near the metros or train stations. You can park your car here and take public transport to reach your destination. The cost starts at EUR 3.99 per day. Parking at Vienna airport costs EUR 5.99 per day.

Costs of travelling outside of Austria

If you intend on taking your rental car to a different country, you must notify the rental company in advance, at the time of booking. This will incur additional fees, on average from EUR 10 to Eur 35 or more.There may be some restrictions on travelling to certain countries or crossing the border in certain brands of cars. The company will have a list of countries that are forbidden to enter with a rented car. For premium class cars, this list is even more encompassing.For example, Sixt has divided the countries into two zones:

• Zone 1 — Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, etc.,
• Zone 2 — Hungary, Latvia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, etc.

Audi, BMW, MINI, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen passenger cars, SUVs, and convertibles can only travel to the countries in Zone 1, whereas passenger cars and microbuses from other makes and brands can enter Zone 1 and Zone 2.

IMPORTANT! It must be written in the rental contract that you can cross the border. To travel outside Austrian cities, a vignette is mandatory.

How can i save money on my rental

1. Pay in advance. It is almost always cheaper to pay for the rental after booking it online instead of in person. For example, if you pay upfront for a budget car rental at Sixt, you will save around EUR 40.
2. Take advantage of sales or special promotions. Large rental car companies usually offer loyalty programs for repeat customers. For example, by joining the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards programme you can receive discounts and other benefits.
3. Choose rental companies that are located outside of the most popular and convenient areas, typically being airports or train stations. Pick up points near airports are usually 20 % more expensive than those located further away.

Conclusion

It is most advantageous to book a car in advance, for a period of at least 5 days. In this case, the price will typically be lower. Rental prices for economy class cars in Vienna start at EUR 50 per day, EUR 250 per week, and EUR 1,000 per month. Premium class cars are approximately 3-5 times more expensive.Before signing a contract with a rental company, it is important to discuss the following: the final price, insurance costs, if the car has a vignette sticker or not, and the possibility to drive the car into another country. This will help you to avoid any unexpected costs.