Austrian cities, towns, and villages are known for being pedestrian-friendly, with many people choosing walking as their preferred way of getting around.

In Vienna, 28 percent of the residents make their journeys on foot. However, while walking across the road in Austria, it’s necessary to know the rules, because not following them could result in a fine of approximately €140.

In Austria, jaywalking (crossing the road when the light for pedestrians is red) is not allowed. You will often see people waiting on the side of a completely empty road until the light turns green. If you don’t wait with them and decide to cross, you may receive angry comments from other pedestrians waiting, or in the worst-case scenario, you may be fined by the police if you get caught.

What to think about when crossing the street

Besides avoiding walking when the light is red, there are other things to consider that new residents might not be aware of.

Black and white stripes across a road, known as a zebra crossing, indicate a ‘Schutzweg’ for pedestrians to safely cross the road. If there is a Schutzweg within 25 meters from where you want to cross, you are obliged by law to use it.

This may seem strange to people from other countries such as the UK and Sweden, where crossing the street does not involve so many rules and jaywalking is not illegal. There, you can confidently cross the road without fines or disapproving glances from people around you. In other European countries, such as Spain and France, jaywalking is also considered illegal just like in Austria. In France, the rules around crossing the street for pedestrians are even stricter than in Austria because pedestrians are in theory, obliged to use the pedestrian crossing if it is within 50 meters of where they want to cross.

In Austria, there are two main types of crossings: unregulated and regulated.

Pedestrian crossings where there are no traffic lights (unsignalised) to control the vehicles are marked with warning lights on either side.

The law obliges drivers to stop and allow pedestrians to cross the road if they are already on it or clearly waiting to cross. At this type of crossing you obviously need to be careful since not all drivers follow the rules, but they do risk fines if they do not stop.

Then there are the crossings regulated by traffic lights for vehicles and stop and go lights for pedestrians, known as signalised crossings. These are generally safer to use, but it is important to remember that even if you have a green light, traffic turning into your road may also have one. While they are obligated to stop for you, being extra careful is a good idea.

The pedestrian crossings in Vienna work differently. Some crossings have pedestrian lights that change automatically, while others require you to press a button to start the process.

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