Austria’s motorists and public transport users will face higher costs in 2026, as price hikes for highway vignettes, transit passes, and vehicle-related taxes take effect, according to new details outlined by the Austrian motorists’ association, ÖAMTC. While some tax relief is planned, most changes point to a more expensive year for commuters, according to “Heute”.
For car owners, 2026 will mark the final year of Austria’s traditional sticker-based motorway vignette. Adjusted for inflation, the annual vignette for passenger cars will rise to €106.80, while motorcyclists will pay €42.70. Short-term vignettes will also become more expensive.
Public transport riders are not spared. The nationwide “Klimaticket,” which allows unlimited travel across Austria, will increase from €1,300 to €1,400 per year. The steepest jump will be felt in Vienna, where the annual pass for Wiener Linien will rise by 28 percent to €467, or €461 for digital purchases.
Vehicle taxes present a mixed picture. The motor-based insurance tax will remain unchanged for existing vehicles, but buyers of new cars should expect higher bills. Owners of new gasoline or diesel cars will pay roughly €35 more per year, with only the most efficient or low-powered models seeing smaller increases.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles may also become costlier due to stricter EU emissions standards that assume lower electric-only usage in real-world driving. Fully electric vehicles, however, remain exempt from these changes. ÖAMTC advises consumers to calculate expected taxes carefully before purchasing a new car.
Austria’s NoVA purchase tax will continue to rise for many new vehicles, depending on CO₂ emissions, while remaining at zero for electric cars and many hybrids. From mid-2026, refunds on NoVA for exported or resold older vehicles will be eliminated, except for cars registered within the past four years.
Fuel prices will continue to reflect Austria’s national CO₂ levy of €55 per ton, translating to about 15 cents per liter of gasoline and 16.5 cents for diesel.
On the brighter side, the commuter tax credit will increase to €496, and the “Pendler-Euro” benefit will triple, offering €6 per kilometer of commuting distance, regardless of transport mode. Employees charging electric company cars at home may also receive tax-free reimbursement of up to 32.8 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2026.
