Austria signed the Schengen agreement in 1995. As a result, Austria's border customs have been streamlined with neighboring EU countries and Switzerland (which is not part of the EU). Travelers who have already entered into a country that is a member of the Schengen agreement will not have to pass through customs again when entering Austria. With the exception of the tiny country Leichtenstein, all of the countries bordering Austria are members of the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement applies to both land and air border crossings. As a result, visitors who are flying to Austria, but connecting through another Schengen country, will pass through customs in the country where their flight connects. Visitors who fly directly to Austria from non-Schengen Agreement countries, such as the United States, will have to pass through EU customs in Austria.
Travelers who pass through customs in Austria may bring the following items in duty-free: 250 grams of tobacco, 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes; 1 liter of hard liquor; 2 liters of wine and 2 liters of fortified wine; 250 mL of cologne and 50 mL of perfume; items up to 175 euros in value (about $215 as of June 2010). Bringing in items above these quotas is legal, but visitors should expect to pay a customs duty.
Travelers may not bring in animal products such as meat, cheese or other dairy products. Likewise, live animals and plants may not be brought into Austria from countries that are not members of the Schengen Agreement. Austrian laws also prohibit visitors from bringing in weapons (including firearms), drugs, medicine and pornographic material.
Visitors traveling from Austria to other Schengen Agreement countries will not have to pass through customs when leaving Austria. Visitors flying out of Austria to non-Schengen countries will pass through EU customs though upon their departure. These travelers must declare to border customs if they are leaving with more than 10,000 euros or the equivalent cash currency (approximately $12,300 as of June 2010)
