Tires in Austria 2026

Austrian law demands winter tires from November 1 to April 15 whenever roads are snow-covered or icy. But picking the right tires is about more than just checking a legal box. This guide walks through the three tire types, explains how to decode the numbers on your sidewall, and covers what Austrian drivers actually need to know before buying.

The Three Main Tire Types

Summer Tires

Summer tires work best when temperatures stay above 7°C. The rubber compound stays flexible in heat, and the tread pattern pushes water away to reduce hydroplaning risk. For most drivers in Vienna, Graz, and the lowlands, summer tires go on around mid-April and stay on through October.

What you are getting: Better wet and dry braking above 7°C. Tread pattern designed to clear water. 4–6 mm tread depth (legal minimum is 1.6 mm, but that is far too low for safety). Stiff sidewalls for precise steering.

Winter Tires

Winter tires are built for cold, snow, and ice. The rubber stays soft at low temperatures where summer compounds go rigid. The tread has more sipes — those small cuts — to bite into snow and ice.

The law is straightforward here. From November 1 to April 15, vehicles must have winter tires equipped when road conditions demand it.

What the law actually requires (§4a KFG): At least 4 mm tread depth. An M+S, M&S, or 3PMSF marking on the sidewall. All-season tires qualify, but only with one of these markings.

Get it wrong and you are looking at €35 for a routine stop. Cause an accident with inadequate tires and you are looking at up to €5,000 plus potential criminal and civil liability. ÖAMTC also warns that your insurance may refuse to pay out if you had an at-fault accident without proper winter tires fitted.

All-Season Tires

All-season tires carry the M+S marking and increasingly the 3PMSF symbol too. They try to deliver acceptable performance across a wide temperature range, which makes them popular with drivers who want to skip twice-yearly tire swaps.

Here is my take on them: for Vienna, Linz, or Graz drivers who occasionally hit wintry roads but rarely venture over alpine passes, all-season tires are a reasonable middle ground. But if you are driving in Tyrol, Carinthia, or Salzburg on a regular basis — especially on motorways in heavy snow — dedicated winter tires are worth the twice-yearly changeover. ÖAMTC and ARBÖ both flag that all-season tires consistently fall short of dedicated winter rubber in true alpine conditions. I think that assessment is fair.

How to Read Your Tire Sidewall

Every tire has a standardised code on the sidewall that tells you its dimensions and capabilities. The numbers look cryptic at first, but the sequence is consistent across every brand.

Example: 205/55 R16 91H

• 205 = Width in mm (tire width from sidewall to sidewall)
• 55 = Profile ratio (%) (sidewall height as % of width — 55% of 205 mm ≈ 113 mm)
• R = Radial construction (almost all modern tires use radial)
• 16 = Rim diameter in inches (matches your wheel rim size)
• 91 = Load index (maximum load capacity — 91 = 615 kg per tire)
• H = Speed rating (maximum sustained speed — H = 210 km/h)

Find your exact spec on the sticker inside the driver's door frame, in your Zulassungsschein, and in the owner's manual.

Legal Requirements in Austria

Austria's tire rules are in §4a KFG. Here is what every driver must know:

• Seasonal obligation: November 1 – April 15. When snow, slush, or ice is on the road, winter tires are mandatory.
• Minimum tread depth: 4 mm for winter tires, 1.6 mm for summer. Check before each winter season.
• Approved markings: M+S, M&S, or 3PMSF. Any of the three satisfies the law.
• Studded tires: Permitted from October 1 to May 15. But many Austrian cities restrict them — Vienna does, for example.
• Snow chains: Can replace winter tires on at least two drive wheels, but only where the road surface allows them.

Fines (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit / KFV): €35 for a stop without obstruction. Up to €5,000 if you block traffic or cause a crash. ÖAMTC also emphasises that your insurance may refuse to pay out after an at-fault accident if you were driving without proper winter tires. These rules sit in §4a KFG 1967 (situational obligation) and §4 Abs.7 KFG 1967 (1.6 mm tread depth minimum).