🇦🇹 Same-country drive · Austria
Driving from Klagenfurt am Wörthersee to Linz
A practical driving guide for the 253 km route from Klagenfurt to Linz, covering essential road sections and Austrian motorway requirements.
- Drive time
- 3h 22m
- Distance
- 253 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €34
- petrol · diesel ≈ €30
- Tolls
- ≈ €10
- vignette
- EV charging
- Unknown
- not yet surveyed
On this page
Route map
Route options
Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.
Alternative
+29m- Distance:
- 354 km (+100 km)
- Duration:
- 3h 51m
Via: A10 · A1 · A2
How else can you make this trip?
Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on April 25, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
You leave Klagenfurt via the S37, immediately climbing into the rolling hills of the Carinthian countryside as the route transitions onto the B317 toward the Murtal region. This initial stretch demands concentration, as you navigate secondary roads that wind through steep valley passes before connecting to the S36. Keep an eye on your speed; while the motorway sections later in the day allow for faster transit, these regional arterial roads feature frequent speed changes that are heavily monitored. Expect the crisp, alpine air to thin slightly as you gain elevation through the Styrian landscape. Once you join the A9 near St. Michael, the character of the drive shifts to the efficient, high-speed pace characteristic of the Austrian Pyhrn Autobahn. This is where you really make up time, passing through long tunnels that bypass the most rugged terrain of the Totes Gebirge. Ensure your vehicle has a valid vignette clearly displayed or registered, as the A9 is strictly enforced and failure to comply leads to significant fines. The transition from the rugged mountains of Styria into the flatter basin of Upper Austria occurs rapidly as you approach the Danube. Approaching Linz, the dense industrial and economic activity flanking the A7 indicates your arrival into the city center. Be prepared for heavier traffic near the Danube bridges during peak commuting hours, as Linz serves as a massive employment hub for the surrounding region. Parking within the city center is generally restricted to parking garages, so plan your arrival to coincide with your accommodation's facilities to avoid circling the busy inner districts.
Route highlights
- The scenic climb through the Murtal valley on the B317
- Navigating the tunnel network of the A9 Pyhrn Autobahn
- The final approach into the Danube river basin at Linz
- The drastic transition from alpine mountain passes to the Upper Austrian plains
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Easy one-day drive
Comfortable as a single day for one driver. Leave after breakfast, arrive with time to settle in.
- Distance:
- 253 km
- Duration:
- 3h 22m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Judenburg 🇦🇹 at
≈85 km≈ 17 km detour from the main route
-
Liezen 🇦🇹 at
≈169 km≈ 19.6 km detour from the main route
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Vignette required in AT
Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania require a sticker or e-vignette for motorway use. Buy at the border — missing one is a heavy on-the-spot fine.
Long rural stretch on B317
Plan for about 21 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on S37 Klagenfurter Schnellstraße
Plan for about 18 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Must-know before you go
The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.
Tolls, vignettes & road payment
Digital vignette before crossing the border
Must knowAustrian motorways need a vignette — €10.10 for 10 days, €30.40 for 2 months, or €103.80 annual. The digital version (linked to your plate) is bought online at asfinag.at and activates from a chosen date — if you buy on the Austrian side of the border, it's only valid 18 days later under consumer-protection rules. Buy ahead.
Brenner, Tauern and Karawanken tunnels are extra
UsefulEight Austrian routes charge separate tolls on top of the vignette: Brenner (A13, ~€11.50), Pyhrn (A9, ~€6.50), Tauern (A10, ~€14), Karawanken (A11, ~€8.50) and others. Pay at the booth — no vignette discount. If you're heading south to Italy via the A13, budget for it.
Fuel stations
Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump
TipMajor brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.
Money & connectivity
EU roaming covers calls, texts and data at no extra cost
TipYour home EU SIM works at home rates across every EU member, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The "fair use" cap on data only applies if you're abroad more than four months. For a 2-week road trip, just use your phone normally — but switch off "data roaming" if you're leaving the EU into UK / CH for any segment.
Emergency & breakdown
112 works everywhere in the EU and continental neighbours
TipSingle number for police, ambulance, fire — works from any phone, any network, any country. On motorways, the orange SOS pillars every 2km connect direct to the regional traffic control centre and pinpoint your location. Use them over your phone if you can — it speeds the response.
Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.
Main roads
The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.
-
A9 Pyhrn Autobahn85 km
-
B317 Friesacher Straße50 km
-
B114 Triebener Straße37 km
-
A1 West Autobahn25 km
-
S37 Klagenfurter Schnellstraße18 km
-
B114a Triebener Bundesstraße6 km
-
S36 Murtal Schnellstraße6 km
-
A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn5 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Mixed motorway + secondary — varied pace, some scenic stretches.
- Motorway
- 46%
- Secondary
- 50%
- Other / rural
- 4%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Moderate
Manageable but pay attention — long enough that a second driver or a planned lunch break is smart.
- About 116 km on non-motorway roads where speeds and conditions vary.
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €34
19 L × €1.79 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €30
15.2 L × €2.00 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €27
44 kWh × €0.61 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Motorway tolls & vignettes
≈ €10
- AT — Vignette (motorway sticker / e-vignette) — €10.10 for 10 days Annual vignette is €103.80 if you drive often
Prices last refreshed 2026-05-04.
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇦🇹 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5°
-4°
|
7°
-3°
|
12°
2°
|
16°
4°
|
19°
9°
|
26°
14°
|
27°
16°
|
27°
16°
|
22°
12°
|
16°
8°
|
8°
0°
|
4°
-2°
|
| 66mm | 44mm | 94mm | 80mm | 110mm | 101mm | 115mm | 86mm | 122mm | 125mm | 79mm | 51mm |
hot mild cold
🇦🇹 Linz
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5°
-2°
|
8°
1°
|
13°
3°
|
16°
6°
|
20°
10°
|
26°
15°
|
27°
17°
|
27°
16°
|
23°
13°
|
16°
8°
|
8°
2°
|
5°
-0°
|
| 46mm | 43mm | 62mm | 77mm | 92mm | 58mm | 83mm | 80mm | 105mm | 52mm | 75mm | 67mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Linz
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Tue 12
☀️
7° / 5°
—
-
Wed 13
⛅
15° / 3°
0.8mm
-
Thu 14
🌧️
10° / 7°
75.6mm
-
Fri 15
⛅
14° / 7°
5.5mm
-
Sat 16
🌧️
14° / 8°
8.7mm
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 23 manoeuvres
- Ursulinengasse
- Stauderplatz 0.1 km
- Feldkirchner Straße 4 km
- Klagenfurter Schnellstraße (S37) 18 km
- Friesacher Straße (B317) 15 km
- (B317) 21 km
- Friesacher Straße (B317) 15 km
- Murtal Schnellstraße (S36) 6 km
- Friesacher Straße (B317)
- Triebener Bundesstraße (B114a) 6 km
- Triebener Straße (B114) 9 km
- Hauptstraße (B114) 2 km
- Triebener Straße (B114) 15 km
- Tauernstraße (B114) 6 km
- Triebener Straße (B114) 6 km
- (L713)
- Pyhrn Autobahn (A9) 85 km
- — 1 km
- — 0.2 km
- West Autobahn (A1) 25 km
- Mühlkreis Autobahn (A7) 5 km
- — 0.2 km
- Hauptplatz
By coach from Klagenfurt am Wörthersee to Linz
Indicative duration of the fastest direct long-distance coach found in the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus EU schedules.
- Travel time
- 3h 40m
- Direct
- Operator
- FlixBus-eu
- Departures / day
- ~1
- Approximate based on the published schedule.
Show coach corridor on map
Schedules sourced from the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus GTFS feeds via transport.data.gouv.fr. Times are indicative; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Booking link coming soon.
Frequently asked
Is a vignette required for this route?
Yes, a valid Austrian motorway vignette is mandatory for the sections of the A9 motorway you will use on this trip.
Are there any specific driving hazards to watch for?
The route involves significant elevation changes and tunnels; maintain a safe following distance and be prepared for variable light conditions when exiting tunnel portals.
How does the traffic change near Linz?
Linz is an industrial hub, and you will notice a marked increase in lorry and commuter traffic once you exit the motorway and enter the city's main arterial roads.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.