What You Can Bring to Austria from Another EU Country

If you return to Austria with a full car after visiting another EU member state, it is useful to know the applicable limits. The free movement of goods generally applies within the EU, but alcohol, tobacco, medicines and cash are subject to specific rules. The following summary covers the rules valid in October 2026.

What rules apply to goods brought from another EU country?

As a general rule, you do not have to pay a duty on goods purchased in another EU country when bringing them into Austria. This is based on the principle of free movement of goods (freier Warenverkehr). Coffee, tea, perfume and similar products can generally be brought in without difficulty.

Alcohol and tobacco are exceptions. They are free of additional payment only when they are intended for your own private use (Eigenbedarf). Indicative quantities help determine whether this condition is met.

People arriving in Austria from another EU country are generally not checked. Exceptions include flights that began outside the EU and continued via a transfer in an EU country. Certain checks, such as those targeting trade in prohibited goods, are also still carried out.

How much alcohol can you bring?

Personal use is presumed when you do not exceed these indicative quantities:

• Wine: 90 litres, including no more than 60 litres of sparkling wine
• Beer: 110 litres
• Spirits: 10 litres
• Other alcoholic drinks up to 22% alcohol by volume: 20 litres

These categories can be combined proportionally. Each quantity represents 100% of the relevant allowance. For example, 45 litres of wine, which is 50% of the wine quantity, and 55 litres of beer, which is 50% of the beer quantity, together equal 100%.

If you bring more than these quantities, you must be able to show that the drinks are intended for your own use and not for commercial purposes.

How much tobacco can you bring?

The same principle applies to tobacco products. The indicative quantities for personal use are:

• Cigarettes: 800
• Cigarillos: 400, with each weighing no more than 3 grams
• Cigars: 200
• Smoking tobacco: 1 kilogram
• Heated tobacco: 800 tobacco sticks or 250 grams of tobacco in another format

The quantities can also be combined proportionally. For example, 400 cigarettes and 0.5 kilograms of smoking tobacco together represent 100%.

If you exceed the indicative limits, the authorities may consider why you are carrying the products, where and how they are being transported, which documents accompany them, and the quantity and type of tobacco involved.

Can you bring food into Austria?

Yes. From another EU member state, you may bring a small quantity (geringe Menge) of food and composite products in your personal luggage for your own consumption.

There is no precise limit specified in kilograms or individual items. The important conditions are that the food is intended for personal consumption and is not being brought in for commercial purposes. Meat products, homemade specialities and sweets can therefore be brought within this framework.

What about medicines?

The rules for medicines are stricter than many people expect. As a general rule, private individuals are prohibited from importing medicines (Arzneiware), including when travelling within the EU.

For people who have a residence in Austria, there are two exceptions:

• You may bring back medicines that you already carried with you when leaving Austria for your own needs or for the needs of an animal travelling with you.
• You may bring a maximum of three packages of each medicine purchased abroad.

This includes medicines sold in Austrian pharmacies, herbal medicines, homeopathic products, and vitamin and mineral preparations used to treat or prevent an illness, complaint or symptom.

How much cash can you carry?

When entering Austria from another EU member state, you must declare cash of at least 10,000 euros if the customs authority asks you to do so.

This differs from the rules at the EU's external border. When entering or leaving the EU, cash of 10,000 euros or more must be declared proactively using the relevant form. When travelling in a group, the threshold applies separately to each traveller. If you fail to declare the money, it may be detained or confiscated, and a penalty may follow.

Does gold count as cash?

At the EU's external border, yes. Gold and other precious metals are included among the items that must be declared when their combined value reaches 10,000 euros.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay duty on wine bought in another EU country?

No, if you bring it for your own use. Above the indicative quantity of 90 litres, you must show that it is not intended for commercial purposes.

Will I be checked at an internal EU border?

There are generally no checks when arriving from another EU country, but certain checks continue, including checks intended to detect prohibited goods.

Can I bring medicines into Austria?

If you have a residence in Austria, you may bring a maximum of three packages of each medicine purchased abroad. Medicines that you already had with you when leaving Austria may be brought back for your own needs.

Practical steps before travelling

1. Check whether alcohol and tobacco are for private use and compare your quantities with the indicative limits.
2. Keep receipts and other documents that may help demonstrate where the goods came from and why you are transporting them.
3. Pack food only in small quantities intended for personal consumption, not resale.
4. For medicines, check that you qualify for one of the exceptions and keep the products in their original packaging.
5. If you are carrying at least 10,000 euros in cash, be prepared to declare it if the Austrian customs authority asks.
6. For the latest official information, consult oesterreich.gv.at. This information is not legal or medical advice.