October in Austria brings behind-the-scenes rule changes alongside marquee events. Expect stricter FinanzOnline logins, IBAN name checks and an airport border system rollout, plus Vienna’s museum marathon and National Day highlights.
October brings a mix of behind-the-scenes rule changes that affect daily life – tougher login security for FinanzOnline, safer bank transfers and new border checks – alongside headline events like the Long Night of Museums and National Day.
Don’t forget traffic and travel changes, enjoy the last festivals of the season, and make the most of those “golden autumn” days before winter closes in.
FinanzOnline logins switch to two-factor authentication (from October 1st)
From October 1st, logging in to FinanzOnline will require two-factor authentication. The Finance Ministry recommends using ID Austria for the second step, which also works across a range of public and private services.
If you already use ID Austria, you don’t need any extra setup to keep accessing your tax account.
There’s an alternative for anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to use ID Austria. You can activate two-factor authentication inside FinanzOnline with an authenticator app on your phone or desktop. If you change or lose a device, a recovery code will let you re-enable access without a trip to the tax office.
READ ALSO: What is your Austrian tax number, and where can you find it?
Banks add a compulsory ‘IBAN name check’ (from October 9th)
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From October 9th, banks must verify that the payee name you enter matches the account holder behind the IBAN before a transfer goes through.
This “verification of payee” is designed to catch typos and flag fake invoices that swap in a fraudster’s IBAN. You’ll see one of three responses: a match, a close match (e.g. minor spelling error), or a mismatch warning.
If there’s a warning, you can still choose to proceed – but you’ll be doing so with eyes open. The new check applies to EU transfers first and will expand to the wider SEPA area in 2027. Banks say it won’t cost customers extra and should slot into online banking and branch workflows with minimal friction.
READ ALSO: How Austria’s new IBAN name check will change your bank transfers from October
New EU border system begins at airports (from October 12th)
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Non-EU/EEA/Swiss travellers entering or leaving the Schengen area will encounter the new Entry/Exit System (EES) from October 12th.
Instead of passport stamps, border police will record your biometric data (face and fingerprints) along with your entry/exit details, creating a secure, time-limited record.
Austria will roll the system out at all six international airports – Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and Graz.
First-time users should budget extra time at the border, especially if making a connection. Self-service kiosks will help eligible travellers complete enrolment more quickly, and the system is due to be fully live EU-wide by April 10th 2026.
(Note: EES is separate from ETIAS, the electronic travel authorisation planned for late 2026.)
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READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: Austrian airports reveal timeline for rollout of EES passport checks
Arlberg rail line closes for works (October 6th–November 2nd)
Long-distance trains across the Arlberg will pause between Ötztal and Bludenz while ÖBB tackles bundled maintenance projects, from track renewals to avalanche-protection repairs.
Rail replacement buses will keep people moving, but journey times will be longer and connections tighter – trains won’t be able to wait for late buses.
If you’re travelling between Vienna and Switzerland, you’ll switch to buses between Ötztal and Sargans; if you’re heading to or from Bregenz, the bus leg is between Ötztal and Bludenz.
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READ ALSO: What is Austria’s ÖBB Vorteilscard and is the travel card worth it?
ORF Long Night of Museums returns (October 4th, 6pm–midnight)
One ticket unlocks hundreds of museums and special events across Austria for a single evening.
Standard tickets cost €19, with concessions at €16, and children up to 12 go free. Expect extended opening hours, talks, live demonstrations and family-friendly activities – plus “Treffpunkt Museum” hubs in each provincial capital to plan your route.
It’s a popular night out, so book ahead if you can. Printed booklets are available in participating venues and online PDFs help you map a route that fits your interests, whether that’s major institutions or niche collections you’ve always meant to explore.
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READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Austria’s new ‘federal museum card’ work?
National Day turns 70 for the Neutrality Law (October 26th)
Austria’s National Day is a public holiday – and this year marks 70 years since the Neutrality Law of 1955. In Vienna, the Armed Forces’ showcase returns to Heldenplatz and neighbouring squares, with wreath-layings in the morning, an oath ceremony for around 1,000 recruits, an air-parade flyover and hands-on displays of equipment.
If you’re heading into the city centre, expect security checks and road closures around the Ring. Many museums mark the day with free entry or open-house programmes, so it’s a good moment to explore institutions like the National Library or Haus der Geschichte.
READ ALSO: What is Austrian National Day and why is it celebrated?
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Autumn school holidays for all pupils (October 27th–31st)
Austria’s nationwide Herbstferien gives primary and secondary pupils a full week off, neatly following National Day and All Saints’ Day. Families often use the break for short trips or countryside hikes to catch the last of the autumn colour.
Universities run on a different timetable: the winter semester begins on October 1st as usual, so higher-education life carries on while schools are on break.
READ ALSO: What parents and pupils in Austria need to know for the new school year
Festivals and events: Oktoberfest-style fun and world cinema
Vienna’s Wiesn-Fest wraps up on October 12th after more than two weeks of beer tents, brass bands and hearty food on the Kaiserwiese. Daytimes are free to enter, while evening tent sessions require tickets – and dressing up in Dirndl or Lederhosen is very much part of the experience.
Film lovers get their turn with the Viennale from October 16th to 28th. Expect premieres, retrospectives and guest conversations across Vienna’s art-house cinemas. Tickets typically go on sale a few days beforehand and popular screenings sell out fast, so plan early if there’s a title you can’t miss.
Early October still brings Almabtrieb festivities in parts of Tyrol and Salzburg, as flower-decked cattle come down from high pastures to village parades and harvest fairs.
Halloween on October 31st isn’t a traditional Austrian holiday, but it’s increasingly marked in cities with parties and some trick-or-treating. The following day, November 1st, is the public holiday of All Saints’ Day.
READ ALSO: What to expect from Vienna’s version of Oktoberfest at Wiener Kaiser Wiesn
What weather to expect and clock changes
Weather-wise, October is classic mid-autumn: cool, often sunny days and crisp evenings.
Daytime highs typically hover around 15C in the lowlands and nights slip to 5–8C. Vienna tends to be a touch milder and drier than the Alpine regions, which see more cloud and the first frost at higher elevations.
Pack layers and a compact umbrella, and keep an eye on mountain forecasts if you’re hiking – snow can dust the peaks towards month-end.
Additionally, on the night of Saturday, October 25th, to Sunday, clocks will be set back one hour to 2 am from 3 am, marking the end of daylight saving time and giving everyone an extra hour of sleep or celebration.