# Austria (AT)

**Capital:** Vienna  
**Currency:** Euro (EUR) (EUR)  
**Population:** 9,219,113 — Older stored figure; source year not documented.  
**Area:** 83,879 km²

> Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe and one of the key transit hubs between Western and Eastern Europe and between the north and the Adriatic. As an EU member it belongs to the EU customs union and the eurozone; imports and exports are handled by Zollamt Österreich (BMF) through the EU systems AIS, AES and ICS2. Road and rail corridors such as the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor, the Brenner axis and the Rhine-Alpine Corridor connect the North Sea ports and the CEE region with the Adriatic ports of Koper and Trieste. Vienna-Schwechat is the central cargo airport, while the Danube ports of Vienna, Linz and Enns carry inland shipping. As a landlocked market, Austria uses access ports such as Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Koper and Trieste. Machinery and pharma shape its high-value freight.

Austria (AT) is a landlocked country in Central Europe and a central transit hub for goods moving between Western and Eastern Europe and between the North Sea ports and the Adriatic. As an EU member it belongs to the EU customs union and the eurozone; clearance runs through Zollamt Österreich under the Union Customs Code using the Austrian Customs Clearance System (AIS, AES, ICS2). The standard import VAT rate is 20 percent. The main cargo airport is Vienna-Schwechat (VIE), complemented by Linz, Graz, Salzburg and Innsbruck; inland shipping runs via the Danube ports of Vienna, Linz and Enns, while access seaports include Koper, Trieste, Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Rotterdam. Road and rail axes such as the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor, the Brenner axis and the Rhine-Alpine Corridor link the country with the CEE markets and the seaports. Typical freight includes machinery, vehicle parts, pharmaceuticals, paper and steel; key trading partners are Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the United States.

**Top Import Partners:** DE, IT, CN, CZ, CH

**Top Export Partners:** DE, US, IT, CH, FR

**Top Import Goods:** Machinery, Vehicles, Chemicals, Electronics, Crude oil

**Top Export Goods:** Machinery, Vehicles, Pharmaceuticals, Paper, Iron and steel

**Key Airports:**
- [Vienna International Airport (VIE)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/vienna-international-airport-vie)
- [Graz Airport (GRZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/graz-airport-grz)
- [Hinterstoisser Air Base](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/hinterstoisser-air-base-airport-loxz)
- [Innsbruck Airport (INN)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/innsbruck-airport-inn)
- [Klagenfurt Airport (KLU)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/klagenfurt-airport-klu)
- [Linz-Hörsching Airport / Vogler Air Base (LNZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/linz-hoersching-airport-vogler-air-base-airport-lnz)
- [Salzburg Airport (SZG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/salzburg-airport-szg)
- [Wiener Neustadt East Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/wiener-neustadt-east-airport-loan)
- [Wiener Neustadt West Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/wiener-neustadt-west-airport-loxn)
- [Altlichtenwarth Gliderfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/altlichtenwarth-gliderfield-airport-887)

## Customs & Import

**Import VAT:** Import VAT 20 percent (standard rate)  
**Customs complexity:** low to medium  
**Customs system:** EU Customs Code (UCC). Processing via the Austrian Customs Clearance System (ACCS): Automated Import System (AIS) and ICS2 for summary entry declarations.  
**Customs authority:** [Zollamt Österreich (Federal Ministry of Finance, BMF)](https://www.bmf.gv.at)

## Logistics & Risk

**Logistics role:** Transit country in Central Europe, Danube and rail corridors, pharmaceutical and industrial location  
**Economic area:** EU / Eurozone (EU customs union)  
**Logistics risk:** low  
**Dangerous goods relevance:** medium to high  
**Pharma/cold chain:** high

## FAQ

### Is a customs declaration required for imports into Austria?

Goods from other EU member states move freely without a customs declaration. For consignments from third countries, an electronic import declaration via the Automated Import System (AIS) of Zollamt Österreich is required.

### What is the import VAT rate in Austria?

The standard rate is 20 percent, and reduced rates are 13 and 10 percent. Import VAT is collected by Zollamt Österreich. Since 1 July 2021, there is no longer a de minimis threshold for small consignments from third countries.

### Which customs system does Austria use?

Austria handles customs procedures under the EU Customs Code (UCC) through the Austrian Customs Clearance System (ACCS). This includes the Automated Import System (AIS), the Automated Export System (AES) and ICS2 for summary entry declarations.

### Is Austria part of the EU customs union?

Yes. Austria is an EU member state and belongs to the EU customs union as well as the Eurozone. For trade with third countries, the EU Common Customs Tariff and EU preferential agreements apply.

### Which ports does Austria use as a landlocked country?

As a landlocked country, Austria uses access ports such as Koper and Trieste on the Adriatic, as well as Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Rotterdam on the North Sea. Inland waterway shipping runs via the Danube ports of Vienna, Linz and Enns.

### Which Alpine transit rules must I observe for road transport?

On the Brenner route and in Tyrol, special rules apply, such as a sectoral driving ban, a night driving ban and temporary truck blocking procedures. These can lead to waiting times and should be taken into account in route planning.

### Which airport is the most important for air cargo in Austria?

The main cargo airport is Vienna-Schwechat (VIE). Other cargo locations are Linz (LNZ), Graz (GRZ), Salzburg (SZG) and Innsbruck (INN).

## Sources & Last Verified

- [https://www.bmf.gv.at](https://www.bmf.gv.at)
- [https://www.bmwet.gv.at](https://www.bmwet.gv.at)
- [https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS.html](https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS.html)
- [https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS/aes.html](https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS/aes.html)
- [https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS/ics2-import-control-system.html](https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/zoll/ACCS/ics2-import-control-system.html)
- [https://www.bmwet.gv.at/Themen/Exportkontrolle/Export/Dual-Use/Ausfuhr.html](https://www.bmwet.gv.at/Themen/Exportkontrolle/Export/Dual-Use/Ausfuhr.html)
- [https://www.usp.gv.at/themen/steuern-finanzen/umsatzsteuer-ueberblick/steuersaetze-und-steuerbefreiungen-der-umsatzsteuer.html](https://www.usp.gv.at/themen/steuern-finanzen/umsatzsteuer-ueberblick/steuersaetze-und-steuerbefreiungen-der-umsatzsteuer.html)
- [https://www.statistik.at/statistiken/bevoelkerung-und-soziales/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstand](https://www.statistik.at/statistiken/bevoelkerung-und-soziales/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstand)

*Last verified: 2026-07-18*

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