Page 352 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

350  sur viv al guide

Media and Communications Reaching the Right

austria has a highly developed and efficient telephone Number
system. Public telephone boxes are still widely available in • The international dialling
austria, in spite of the popularity of mobile phones. They are code for Austria is +43.
very easy to operate, but they can be expensive for international When calling from abroad,
calls. if you plan to make a lot of calls, it may be cheaper to omit the initial 0 from the
area code.
purchase a local siM card from one of the country’s many • For directory enquiries, dial
mobile operators. 118877, 118899 or 118811.
dedicated internet cafés are far less widespread than they • Railway timetable
used to be, thanks to the growing presence of Wi-Fi, which information: 05 17 17.
can be found in most cafés as well as many public spaces, and • Road conditions and
snowfall: 0800 400 12 400.
is usually free. The austrian postal system, run by Osterreichische • Central Post Office
Post, is similarly highly efficient. Newspapers and magazines, Information (Zentrale
both hard copy and online, are readily available – many, Postauskunft): (0810)
particularly in vienna, have excellent listings sections. 010 100.
• To ring home from Austria,
dial the appropriate
International and The cheap-rate calling time for country code, followed by
Local Telephone Calls the number.
international calls from Austria is
Public telephone boxes between 6pm and 8am and at • Omit the 0 from the local
area code.
(Telefonzelle) are easy to find, weekends; for domestic calls, it • For the UK dial 0044.
while payphones can also be is between 8pm and 6am, and • For the Irish Republic dial
found in some post offices. weekends. Be warned that 00353.
Coin-operated telephones calling from a hotel can be • For the USA dial 001.
accept 10-, 20- and 50- cent prohibitively expensive. • For Australia dial 0061.
as well as 1- and • For New Zealand dial 0064.
2-euro coins – the Mobile Phones
minimum charge for
a local call is 30 cents. Austria has a number to pay around €30. Austrian
Note, however, of mobile operators, mobile phone numbers begin
that there is often T-Mobile logo the main ones being with 0650 (or higher) up to
a high minimum A1, BOB, Tele.Ring 0699. 0800 numbers are free
connection charge and T-Mobile. while 0810, 0820 and 0900
for international calls, Roaming rates vary widely numbers all incur a charge.
so it’s best to ensure that depending on agreements
you have plenty of change between your service provider
to hand. More convenient are and the local Austrian provider. Internet
phonecards (Telefonwertkarte), Some operators offer special Vienna has a smattering of
which may be purchased at deals for travelling in EU dedicated Internet cafés, but,
post offices, Telekom Austria countries, though recent as elsewhere, these are a dying
shops and tobacconists; EU-wide regulations have breed as just about every café
cards currently cost €3.60 or seen roaming costs come down or coffeehouse now has Wi-Fi –
€6.90. Most phones carry considerably. Conversely, which you are free to use
instructions in English and roaming can be very expensive yourself, just so long as you
other languages. if your provider is outside the make a purchase. Where you
EU. It is always best to check do find an Internet café, expect
with your service provider to pay around €3–6 per hour.
before leaving if you plan to Increasingly, many public areas
make a lot of calls. in the bigger towns and cities
If you do intend to make offer free Wi-Fi; in Vienna, for
numerous calls, consider buying example, there are hotspots all
a prepaid SIM card, which over the city, as well as the train
Emergency phone typically costs around €15 and and subway stations – a full list of
sign includes around €10 credit; these is available at freewave.at.
you then use top-up vouchers Many tourist offices offer Wi-Fi
(from around €5), which can be and/or a terminal, though you
purchased from phone shops may need a password from
and tobacconists. Note, though, the staff. Otherwise, nearly all
that your phone will probably hotels (and many hostels) have
need to be unlocked. If you Wi-Fi, and often a terminal for
Coin-operated phone Sign for cardphone
want to buy a handset, expect guests to use.

350-351_EW_Austria SW.indd 350 03/09/15 5:30 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.6)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm