For anyone visiting Austria for our preseason trainings and games, a few tips that might be useful for first-time visitors:
- Always make sure you have euro notes with you! Austrians love cash. Although card payments are becoming more common here, smaller shops, street stalls, etc. often do not accept credit cards, especially not for smaller amounts or in rural areas.
- Never buy bottled water! Even without national pride, you will hardly find better water than what comes out of the tap in Austria.
- Unlike in England, shops close very early and are almost always closed on Sundays and public holidays (with a few exceptions in tourist areas, larger train stations, airports, etc.). Shops and food chains are usually open until 6:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. at the latest.
- Except in larger cities, it is often difficult to get hot meals in restaurants after 9:00 p.m. However, what you can get before is usually plentiful and cheaper than in England. Just a few restaurants provide menus in English, but there is always someone at hand who will translate or at least, try to.
- Public transport is very well developed in cities, but the situation is somewhat different once you cross the city borders. Therefore, pay attention to your travel plans, as the intervals between bus and train connections are often long, especially in rural areas and outside rush hours.
- Good news for smokers! Austria is still a paradise for them, as a pack of cigarettes costs around £5. Cigarettes may also be smoked during the games (by the spectators!) , consuming beer is also allowed (usually lager, but don't get me wrong, a cold lager on a hot summer afternoon isn't so bad).
- And finally: Hitler salutes etc. in public should be avoided. What some people may consider a jolly banter after a few beers is punishable by law in Austria. The authorities are often very strict about this, and the intended joke has already caused unexpected problems for some people, visitors included.