Shipping to Austria: All About Costs, Delivery Times & Providers

Austria is among Germany's top four trading partners. That means enormous flows of goods and high demands on reliable and fast delivery. From small online retailers to wholesalers, anyone sending a parcel to Austria needs clear information on costs, delivery times, and providers. The most common trap is relying on geographical proximity and overlooking important details. This often leads to delays, returns, or unnecessary costs. With the right information on address format, parcel sizes, and holidays, you can avoid these risks in shipments to Austria.

Every parcel represents your company. Even if the distance is only a few hundred kilometers, it must arrive perfectly. Whether it’s packaging, the correct address, or choosing the right shipping partner, every step affects customer satisfaction and costs. This article covers everything you need to ship parcels to Austria smoothly and cost‑effectively.

How much does a parcel to Austria cost?

The shipping costs to Austria depend on size, weight, shipping method (standard or express), and the provider chosen. For companies, a transparent price comparison is crucial to find the best balance between price and delivery time and to calculate shipping costs accurately.

Below you will find an overview with typical prices for a standard parcel (up to 2 kg, shipping from Germany to Austria). The values serve as a guide while the exact costs can vary depending on the provider and additional services.

The choice of the right provider depends on whether price, speed, or flexibility is your top priority. While DPD and GLS are often the cheapest options for standard parcels, UPS and DHL offer advantages in international connectivity and service quality. 

For larger shipping volumes or special requirements, a comparison via platforms such as Shipstage is worthwhile, as several providers can be compared in real time. This way, you always secure the best terms for your parcel shipping to Austria.

How to pack a package for Austria correctly

“Good packaging isn’t optional, it’s essential.” You hear this sentence in every logistics training, and it is true. International shipping typically fails not because of transport routes but because of poorly secured goods.

The most important rule: the box and contents must match. An oversized box not only means higher shipping costs to Austria but also a greater risk of damage due to movement inside. Ideally, use sturdy corrugated cardboard boxes with a snug fit. Empty spaces should always be filled with cushioning material: Bubble wrap, paper, or foam, depending on the goods.

Especially for fragile products, double packaging is recommended: an inner protective wrap and the outer shipping carton. Liquids must be transported in sealed containers, additionally in bags or film. A small but crucial tip: apply tape not just across the top of the box, but around it entirely.

Anyone regularly dealing with international shipments knows the problem: using old boxes saves money in the short term but leads to returns and brand damage in the long term. Therefore, only use undamaged, new packaging.

Permissible size of shipments to Austria

When shipping to Austria, there are clear specifications for weight and dimensions that may vary slightly by carrier. In general, most providers follow these limits:

• Maximum weight: typically up to 31.5 kg per parcel (sometimes higher with UPS and freight forwarders).
• Longest side: usually up to 120 cm.
• Girth: defined as the longest side combined with twice the width and twice the height; generally must not exceed 300 cm.
• Minimum size: parcels must be sturdy and at least postcard-sized to allow automated processing.

If you regularly ship larger or heavier goods, consider special rates or freight solutions. Exceeding standard dimensions typically incurs bulky-goods surcharges.

Tip: Before shipping, check the current terms and conditions of your chosen provider (DHL, DPD, GLS, UPS, or Austrian Post) to avoid unnecessary costs and delays.

Parcel shipping to Austria: which goods cannot be sent

“Everything that sounds problematic usually is.” This principle can be applied directly to shipping to Austria. Because not all goods may be sent to the neighboring country.

The following items are strictly prohibited: explosives, weapons, highly flammable liquids, narcotics, and live animals. But there are also less obvious restrictions: foods of animal origin, some medications, or plants require special permits. Without these, parcels remain stuck at the border.

Particularly important for merchants: electronic devices with large lithium-ion batteries (e.g., e-bike batteries) are classified as hazardous goods and are excluded from standard shipping. The only options are freight forwarders or specialized service providers. 

A mistake many online retailers make: they rely on domestic acceptance conditions. But when shipping to this country, additional European and national regulations apply. Anyone who ignores them risks returns and fines.

Delivery time for parcels to Austria

“Time is the most valuable currency in e-commerce.” Every merchant feels this truth as soon as cross-border deliveries are involved.

Parcels from Germany to Austria typically take 2–4 business days with standard services; express can deliver within 24 hours at a higher price.

But there are subtleties that tend to be overlooked. Austrian public holidays (e.g., 26 October) and peak seasons (e.g., Christmas) can extend transit times. Anyone who organizes shipping to Austria professionally should factor these into planning. Many merchants, therefore, deliberately plan safety buffers of one to two days to reliably keep promises to customers.

Address format for shipping to Austria

An incorrect address in logistics is like a wrong password: the parcel won’t get through. Austria requires a clear address format that strictly follows postal specifications. It is: name, street with house number, postal code and city, and finally the country in uppercase.

Example:

Max Mustermann   
Hauptstraße 15   
1010 Wien   
AUSTRIA

Ensure postal codes are accurate; a single wrong digit can cause multi‑day delays. Especially with shipping to Austria, a clean address is crucial, because errors quickly lead to returns and additional costs. Automatic address validation is a simple yet very effective solution here.

Customs regulations for shipping to Austria

At first glance, it sounds complicated: border crossing, forms, fees. The rules for shipping to Austria are simple thanks to EU membership: there is no customs clearance or customs duty for parcels sent from Germany to Austria within the EU.

However, that does not mean companies can be completely carefree when shipping to Austria. Certain goods, such as alcohol, tobacco, or pharmaceuticals, are subject to specific regulations. Statistical reporting may also become mandatory once trade volumes reach a certain threshold. Anyone who ignores these details risks that shipments are stopped or that additional proof is requested.

Package tracking to Austria

Transparency is no longer a luxury but the standard. Customers expect to see every movement of their delivery: from label creation to final delivery. Modern tracking systems provide real-time status updates.

For merchants, this transparency is doubly valuable: it reduces customer inquiries and shows possible delays immediately. Especially in B2B, it is crucial to react in time if a shipment gets stuck. Those who actively use tracking information can inform customers proactively and build trust instead of providing explanations later.

Shipping to Austria with Shipstage

The more parcels a company sends abroad, the greater the challenge: prices fluctuate, transit times differ, and managing multiple service providers costs time. For exactly these cases, platforms such as Shipstage bundle and streamline the entire process. Especially with regular shipping to Austria, this helps keep costs and workflows clearly in view.

A single interface provides access to various functions that make everyday life much easier:

• Multi-carrier comparison: compare rates, transit times, and services side by side.
• Automated processing: import and process orders from shops or marketplaces.
• Labels and documents: create labels and accompanying documents in a few clicks.
• Central tracking: monitor all parcels from pickup to delivery.
• Returns management: coordinate returns and integrate them into workflows.

This creates a system that simplifies logistics processes and makes them more transparent. Anyone who wants to make shipping to Austria efficient and predictable in the long term will find practical support in such solutions. The platform makes the process of “shipping Austria” fully controllable and efficient.

FAQ

Which holidays in Austria can delay delivery?

Especially at Christmas, Easter, and on National Day (26 October), the transit time of parcels increases because parcel services are significantly busier.

What is the cheapest way to send a package to Austria?

Prices vary depending on provider and weight, so it is worth checking a shipping cost calculator for Austria to compare the cheapest option in real time.

Do parcels get delivered on Saturdays in Austria?

Yes, many providers also deliver on Saturday, although total shipping costs can be slightly higher depending on the service provider.

Is my parcel to Austria covered by insurance?

By default, most shipments to Austria include insurance coverage up to €500. For higher-value goods, you can purchase additional insurance.

Can I have a parcel picked up in Austria?

Yes, various providers offer pickup services. The cost typically depends on the parcel's size, weight, and the pickup location.

Are there special rules for returns from Austria?

Yes, returns must meet the same customs and shipping conditions as regular shipments, so it is worth calculating costs and options carefully in advance, especially when shipping large quantities of goods.