Published 11 Oct 2026 · Updated 12 Oct 2026
The easiest first trip to Austria is three nights in Vienna, two in Salzburg and a night in Hallstatt, all by train. Budget roughly ₹1.3 to ₹1.8 lakh per person for seven days including flights, and start the Schengen visa at least six weeks before you fly.
Visa and entry rules for Indians
Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for tourism in Austria, applied for in advance. We checked the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi’s Visa C page and its how to apply page on 11 October 2026, and they say:
- Where to apply: book an appointment through VFS Global and lodge the application at the application centre. The embassy assesses and decides every application. You must be able to prove that you live in its territory.
- Fee: €90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6 to 12 and nothing under 6. Consular fees are paid in rupees at the current exchange rate. The embassy pages do not state VFS’s service charge, so check it when you book.
- How early: apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 calendar days before departure. Applications with a departure date less than 15 days away are rejected.
- Processing: an admissible application should not take longer than 15 calendar days, and up to 45 if further checks are needed.
- Insurance: you need valid travel medical insurance for the whole stay, including repatriation for medical reasons, valid across the Schengen area, with cover of at least €30,000.
- Documents: a signed application form, a 35 × 45 mm ICAO-standard colour photo, a passport issued in the last 10 years with at least two free pages and valid three months beyond the visa, and copies of the data page and of any earlier Schengen visas. You give fingerprints in person at the centre. English documents don’t need a German translation. The embassy links a separate checklist for tourists.
A visa for Austria also covers the other Schengen countries. The process is the same as in our Prague plan and Switzerland honeymoon guide. More facts are on the Austria hub.
Apply only through VFS Global or the embassy. Look-alike “Austria visa” sites charge large fees for the same appointment. Book flights on a refundable or flexible fare until the visa is in hand.
What it costs in rupees
Per person, sharing a mid-range double room, for seven days (three nights in Vienna, two in Salzburg and one in Hallstatt). These are our estimates for typical fares and rates, and they swing with season. One euro is roughly ₹100 to ₹105, so check the day’s rate.
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Return flights Delhi or Mumbai, one stop | ₹55,000 – ₹75,000 |
| Visa fee (€90) plus VFS service charge | about ₹10,500 |
| Hotels, 6 nights (half a €100–140 room) | ₹28,000 – ₹38,000 |
| Food, about €30–40 a day | ₹18,000 – ₹26,000 |
| Trains, Vienna and Salzburg transit, Hallstatt bus and boat | ₹7,000 – ₹10,000 |
| Attractions (Schönbrunn, Belvedere, fortress, salt mine) | ₹8,000 – ₹12,000 |
| Travel insurance, eSIM, small extras | ₹4,000 – ₹6,000 |
| Total | ₹1.3 – ₹1.8 lakh |
Austria costs more than Prague and less than Switzerland. Hotels in Hallstatt are the priciest per night, so a night in Salzburg or a long day trip is the saving if the budget is tight.
Day-by-day itinerary
Days 1–3: Vienna
Day 1. Take the train from the airport into the centre, drop your bags and walk the Ringstrasse past the Opera and the Hofburg. Finish at St Stephen’s Cathedral and have dinner in the old centre.
Day 2: Schönbrunn and the Belvedere. Go to Schönbrunn Palace when it opens and walk up to the Gloriette for the view over the city. In the afternoon see Klimt’s The Kiss at the Belvedere, then walk through the Belvedere gardens.
Day 3: Coffee house and the Prater. Spend the morning in a traditional Kaffeehaus (the slow breakfast is the point), then visit the Naschmarkt for lunch. In the evening, ride the Riesenrad ferris wheel in the Prater.
Days 4–5: Salzburg
Take a morning train from Vienna’s main station to Salzburg, about two and a half hours. Walk the old town, from the Getreidegasse (Mozart’s birthplace) to the Mirabell Gardens, and take the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress for the best view. On day 5, take a half-day tour of the Sound of Music locations or walk along the Salzach river.
Days 6–7: Hallstatt
Take bus 150 from Salzburg’s main station to Bad Ischl and a regional train from there, or go by train via Attnang-Puchheim. Either way it is two to three hours. The Hallstatt station is across the lake from the village, and a short ferry timed to the trains takes you over. Check the ÖBB app for current times, because timetables change.
Walk the village’s lakeside lanes early, before the day-trippers arrive, and take the funicular to the Skywalk viewing platform and the Salzwelten salt mine. Spend the night in Hallstatt so you see it after the coaches leave. On day 7, return by train to Vienna, about four hours, for the flight home, and leave a buffer of at least four hours before an international departure.
Eating in Austria as an Indian traveller
Austrian classics are meat-heavy, but vegetarians can eat well: Käsespätzle, Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake), Topfenstrudel, Erdäpfelknödel (potato dumplings), Schwammerlgulasch (mushroom goulash) and fresh salads. Ask whether soups use meat stock and whether dishes use lard. Bakeries and supermarkets are the cheap lunch. Jain food is hard, so carry dry snacks. Vienna has many Indian restaurants, and a few in Salzburg. Tap water in Vienna is drinkable, so refill a bottle.
Best time to go
May, June and September have mild weather, long days and the lake at its best in Hallstatt. July and August are warmest and busiest. December brings Christmas markets in Vienna and Salzburg, but short days and cold. For a similar trip, see our Germany Christmas markets plan. January and February are cheapest and cold, with snow and shorter hours at some attractions.
Practical tips
- Money: Austria uses the euro. Cards work almost everywhere, UPI does not. Use a bank ATM for cash.
- Transport: book long train rides on the ÖBB site or app in advance for cheaper fares, and use Vienna’s multi-day transit pass for trams and the metro.
- Sundays: most shops are closed on Sundays, so buy groceries on Saturday.
- SIM: an eSIM bought before you fly saves queueing at the airport.
- Plugs: Austria uses the two-round-pin Type C/F plug at 230 V, so pack an adapter.
- Border check: you may be fingerprinted and photographed under the EU’s Entry/Exit System on arrival, so allow extra time at immigration.
- Hallstatt: the village is small and crowded in summer. Go early, stay overnight and keep your voice down on the residential lanes.
Related guides
Want another Schengen trip on the same visa? See the Slovenia 6-day plan, the Prague 6-day plan, the Switzerland honeymoon guide, the Germany Christmas markets plan or the Italy 8-day plan or the Budapest 5-day plan. All facts for Austria are on the Austria hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Austria?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for tourism in Austria. The Austrian Embassy in New Delhi decides applications, and you lodge them at a VFS Global application centre after booking an appointment. The visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
How much is the Austria Schengen visa fee for Indians?
The embassy lists €90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6 to 12 and no fee under 6, paid in rupees at the current exchange rate. VFS adds its own service charge, which the embassy page does not state, so confirm the total when you book the appointment.
How long does the Austria visa take from India?
The embassy says an admissible application should not take more than 15 calendar days, rising to 45 if further checks are needed. You can apply up to 6 months before departure and no later than 15 days before. In practice, apply six to eight weeks ahead, especially for May and June.
How many days are enough for Austria?
Seven days cover Vienna in three days, Salzburg in two and a night in Hallstatt, with train rides in between. With five days, drop Hallstatt or do it as a long day trip from Salzburg. Add two days if you want Innsbruck or the Tyrolean Alps.
How much does an Austria trip cost from India?
Roughly ₹1.3 to ₹1.8 lakh per person for seven days, sharing a mid-range hotel room, including return flights from Delhi or Mumbai, the visa, trains, food and entry tickets. Flights in May, June and December are the biggest swing.
Is Austria good for vegetarians?
Yes, with some care. Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Kaiserschmarrn, Topfenstrudel, potato dumplings, soups and salads are easy, but soups can be made with meat stock and many dishes use lard, so ask. Vienna has several vegetarian restaurants and Indian restaurants, and Jain food needs planning.
Can I use UPI in Austria?
No. Austria uses the euro and UPI is not accepted. Cards and contactless payments work in most shops, hotels and restaurants, but carry some cash for small cafés, huts and the odd bus ticket. Withdraw euros from a bank ATM instead of changing money at the airport.
