🇦🇹 Same-country drive · Austria
Driving from Linz to Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Essential road trip guide for the route from Linz to Klagenfurt, covering key alpine roads, driving etiquette, and tips for the journey.
- Drive time
- 3h 21m
- 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
+30m- Distance:
- 354 km (+102 km)
- Duration:
- 3h 52m
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.
Exit Linz via the A1 heading east toward the A9 intersection, where the industrial silhouette of the Danube valley gives way to the rising foothills of the Totes Gebirge. This route trades high-speed motorway transit for the winding ascent of the B114 over the Triebener Tauern Pass. While the A9 provides efficient progress, the mountain pass section demands attention, particularly if you are traveling in shoulder seasons when mist or early snow can linger on the higher gradients. Ensure your vehicle displays a valid digital or physical motorway vignette before joining the network, as the ASFINAG enforcement cameras are rigorous. Once you drop down into the Mur valley and merge onto the S36, the driving rhythm shifts back to a more relaxed pace. The transition to the B317 toward Klagenfurt takes you through the heart of the Styrian mountains, characterized by tight valley turns and long stretches of forested road. Keep your speed disciplined through the frequent small towns along the route, as limits drop sharply and traffic enforcement is common in these transition zones. The tarmac quality is generally excellent, though heavy timber traffic is a regular feature of this corridor. Reaching the final approach to Klagenfurt, the road opens up into the basin of the Wörthersee. Since this is an intra-country drive, you will face no border formalities, but do not underestimate the sheer elevation change involved in crossing the mountain ranges between Upper Austria and Carinthia. Ensure your brakes are in top condition for the long descents, and keep your lights on in the tunnels that punctuate the S36, as light levels fluctuate rapidly throughout the drive.
Route highlights
- The transition from the industrial Danube plains to the alpine landscape of the Triebener Tauern Pass
- The scenic descent into the Mur valley after crossing the mountains
- The arrival at the Wörthersee lake basin near the destination
- The S36 expressway tunnels which offer efficient transit through the Styrian terrain
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 21m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Liezen 🇦🇹 at
≈84 km≈ 19.8 km detour from the main route
-
Judenburg 🇦🇹 at
≈168 km≈ 16.9 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 B114
Plan for about 39 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on B317 Friesacher Straße
Plan for about 36 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 Straße51 km
-
B114 —39 km
-
A1 West Autobahn25 km
-
S37 Klagenfurter Schnellstraße18 km
-
B114a Triebener Bundesstraße6 km
-
S36 Murtal Schnellstraße6 km
-
A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn4 km
-
B83 Mageregger Straße4 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
- 51%
- Other / rural
- 3%
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 118 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
18.9 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.
🇦🇹 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
🇦🇹 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
Next 5 days at Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Tue 12
⛅
5° / 4°
—
-
Wed 13
☀️
17° / 3°
—
-
Thu 14
🌧️
16° / 4°
79.1mm
-
Fri 15
🌧️
13° / 8°
6.9mm
-
Sat 16
🌧️
13° / 10°
35.9mm
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 19 manoeuvres
- Hauptplatz 0.2 km
- Einhausung Niedernhart (A7) 0.5 km
- Mühlkreis Autobahn (A7) 4 km
- — 0.6 km
- West Autobahn (A1) 25 km
- — 0.3 km
- — 0.8 km
- Pyhrn Autobahn (A9) 85 km
- Schoberpaß Bundesstraße (B113)
- (B114) 39 km
- Triebener Bundesstraße (B114a) 6 km
- —
- Murtal Schnellstraße (S36) 6 km
- Friesacher Straße (B317) 3 km
- (B317) 13 km
- Friesacher Straße (B317) 36 km
- Klagenfurter Schnellstraße (S37) 18 km
- Mageregger Straße (B83) 4 km
- Ursulinengasse
By coach from Linz to Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Indicative duration of the fastest direct long-distance coach found in the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus EU schedules.
- Travel time
- 3h 35m
- 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 motorway vignette required for this trip?
Yes, a valid Austrian motorway vignette is mandatory for using the A1, A9, and S36 motorway sections of this route.
What is the best way to handle the mountain passes?
Keep your speed moderate, use engine braking on the descents to prevent overheating your brakes, and remain alert for slow-moving agricultural and heavy goods vehicles.
Are there any specific driving rules in Austria I should know?
Austria drives on the right and enforces a strict 0.5 BAC limit. Always maintain the speed limit, which is typically 130 km/h on motorways, 100 km/h on rural roads, and 50 km/h within built-up areas.
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.