Motorhome Routes

Free standing is prohibited or heavily restricted in almost every Austrian federal state. There is no general right as in Sweden or Norway. Tyrol operates a complete ban. Styria is notably more tolerant: one night in a legally parked motorhome is generally accepted there. The rules therefore differ per state, and that is what to watch — not a national rule of thumb.

Since 2026 an amendment is fully in force targeting discreet overnighting: a rest stop may show no sign of camping, and the police may judge for themselves whether your "break" is really a break. Car parks and rest areas may only be used to rest, not to stay overnight or set out camping furniture.

Motorways require a vignette, digital only since 2026 and tied to your registration. Four variants exist: one day, ten days, two months and a year. Since December 2023 the technically permissible mass counts, not the permitted weight — watch that, because just above 3.5 tonnes everything changes.

Above 3.5 tonnes the vignette does not apply and you need a GO-Box billed per kilometre. More importantly, heavier motorhomes then fall under truck limits: 70 km/h outside built-up areas and 80 on motorways instead of 130. That materially changes your daily planning.

Several panoramic roads and tunnels charge separate tolls even with a vignette: the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Gerlos, Timmelsjoch, Felbertauern, the Brenner and the Arlberg and Karawanken tunnels. The Grossglockner is open from early May to late October with daily opening hours; last entry is 45 minutes before the night closure. Note that the Silvretta-Hochalpenstrasse is closed for safety reasons until an expected summer 2030. Winter tyres are compulsory from 1 November to 15 April in wintry conditions.