Rooftop tent for overnight sleep on public roads/ parking lots – assuming that no explicit street sign forbids it, is it legal in Austria?

23 comments

  3. there’s an easy way to quickly check if something is legal in austria: does it somehow cause tourism to lose even a single cent in income? then it’s illegal.
    also, on a less cynical note: camping is pretty much forbidden everywhere except campgrounds. or, spoiler, at spots where nobody can see you. but if you choose to do so and leave a mess, then i’ll find you, steal your toothbrush, clean my toilet with it and then stab you with it.

  5. Although it is tempting, camping anywhere except on dedicated camping grounds is (for the most part) illegal in Austria. It varies from province to province, but if you get caught, you’ll get quite a hefty fine. If I remember correctly it’s up to 14500€ in Lower Austria, just to give some perspective…

  6. You can look for places aka freier Stellplatz where Campervans are allowed to park, even this places are no Campgrounds. For ipad there is an app

  8. It’s only legal to take a nap if you can’t drive anymore. But there are private parking spaces i.e. by restaurants that will allow it if you eat at their place before.

  9. In Austria people don’t sleep on public roads or parking lots! They have houses und pay taxes for that and they vote for party which promises their houses will never lose its values cos new ones will never build! If don’t have a house that is your own fault!

  12. Illegal. Just read about „wildcampen Österreich“ online and translate it. Short: you can only sleep in a car or caravan when too tired for driving but you are NOT allowed to deploy a tent, camping Equipment or stuff like that (so no car tent..). Furthermore all Camping Outside of camping areas or private property is illegal. But: Check out „bauernleben österreich“. Its a way to camp at awesome locations right in nature!

  16. It is not legal to do “wild camping”.

    It is just legal to sleep inside the car e.g. on a long trip having a rest for the driver to guarantee driving safety.

  17. In public places it is illegal, but on private property, the owner can decide, so you could ask a farmer or similar. I’m not sure but I think most of the forests are privately owned and if you ask politely and bring beer or similar you shouldn’t have a problem.

  18. You can ask farmers or homeowners if they are okay with you being on their land for a while, people might say no but someone will say yes. It’s what we do for camping and it works well if you ate respectful and responsible, keep the area clean, etc.

  19. its legal to overnight in your car if you dont put on some “extra footprint” aka like side tents camping tables and chair and shit as i rember… therefor i would say a rooftent is ok. also a friend of mine often uses his car and rooftent when he goes climbing like sleep on some forrest road near the entrance of the tour and start early in the morning. as long as you not sleep in a national park and dont do open fires and stuff it seems to be ok. (i mean maybe could also be caus he is austrian too so our fellow countrymen are more forgiving).

  20. Depends. Austrians will talk to one another , maybe fix a price and get it over with.
    Americans, Canadians, Australians, Swedes and similar: will be welcome and can retreat to “sorry i didn’t understand the rules, I won’t do it next time, smile a lot, say sorry a lot, you’ll be fine.
    “Darker skin Foreigners from other regions”: will be questioned, told that not knowing the rules isn’t an excuse, fined and sent packing.
    Germans: will be shot on site.^^

  23. its just better to sleep inside ur car period. no random police checks on parked cars like in the us. most countryside areas parking is free. as soon as u open up that tent though ur breaking the law.

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