Austria – Postal Service

What is the postal service in Austria and who are the main providers?

The official national postal provider is Austrian Post, whose full legal name is Österreichische Post Aktiengesellschaft. The company came into being in 1999 when the former state-run PTT body Post und Telekom Austria AG was separated into distinct entities, and its shares are now traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange. That said, the Austrian state retains firm control: as of 2025, roughly 52.8% of the company is held by ÖBAG (Österreichische Beteiligungs AG), the government’s holdings vehicle, while the balance is widely distributed among public investors.

In structural terms, Austrian Post occupies a position similar to Deutsche Post in Germany or La Poste in France — a formerly entirely government-run operation that has been transformed into a corporate entity and partially privatised, while still carrying a clear public service mandate. Austrian Post holds a legal monopoly over domestic letter mail weighing 50 grams or less and is obliged under universal service rules to deliver letters, newspapers, and parcels weighing up to 20 kg to every address in the country. The progressive opening of the broader postal market, however, means that private operators are free to compete across much of the sector, including parcel logistics and international mail.

Consequently, a number of major courier businesses work alongside Austrian Post within Austria’s borders, including GLS, UPS, TNT, DPD, DHL, and FedEx. Despite this competition, Austrian Post has held its dominant position in the domestic parcel market, commanding a 63% share among private customers and continuing to be the central partner for e-commerce deliveries within the country (as of 2025).

Internally, Austrian Post structures its operations across three main divisions: Mail & Advertising Mail (Brief & Werbepost), Parcel & Logistics, and Branch & Banking (Filiale & Bank). The third of these is particularly distinctive — the post office network doubles as a significant channel for banking and financial services, a function that sets it apart from most of its European counterparts.

How fast and reliable is postal delivery in Austria?

Austrian Post’s delivery performance is consistently strong, and the figures it publishes reflect this. Standard domestic letter mail takes between 2 and 3 business days from the point of posting, while items sent with the “Premium” add-on service reach their recipient on the very next business day in at least 95% of cases (as of 2025). Letter deliveries run Monday through Friday, covering five days a week.

On the parcel side, more than 97% of domestic shipments arrive within 2 business days, and Post Express packages are guaranteed to be with the recipient by 1:00 p.m. on the business day following dispatch (as of 2025). This puts Austrian Post’s performance on a par with leading central European services such as Deutsche Post and well ahead of regional averages. Recipients in Austria’s state capitals who are only available early in the morning can also make use of a morning window option: for those reachable between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m., Post Express items can be delivered before 10:00 a.m. on the day after posting.

For shipments moving within Europe, delivery typically takes between 1 and 7 working days depending on the destination and the chosen service. Items heading to destinations beyond Europe can take anywhere from one week to a month or more, influenced by factors including the efficiency of the receiving country’s postal network, local customs clearance processes, and schedules at each end.

Parcel tracking is widely available and can be done in two ways: by entering the tracking reference into the online system at the Austrian Post website, or by asking at any post office branch in person. The Austrian Post mobile app adds convenient push notifications and delivery management features. Delays are most likely during the festive period — in 2024, Austrian Post was handling around 800,000 parcels on a typical day, a figure that climbed above one million throughout December, with a record peak of more than 1.56 million parcels processed in a single day in early December.

What additional services are available at post offices in Austria?

Austrian post offices are genuine one-stop service points rather than purely mail-handling facilities — a characteristic that sets them apart from postal networks in many other countries. Alongside the sending and receiving of letters and parcels, branches across Austria provide a diverse mix of financial, government-related, and practical everyday services.

The most significant of these extended offerings is banking. In April 2020, Austrian Post launched bank99, a fully licensed credit institution that combines online functionality with face-to-face customer support at roughly 1,800 service points across Austria. Austrian Post holds an 80% stake in bank99, and post offices along with authorised postal partners serve as the distribution network, giving the institution the potential to reach 99% of the Austrian population — including communities in rural districts where conventional bank branches are scarce. Bank99 products include personal current accounts, domestic and cross-border payment services, and credit cards.

International money transfers are facilitated through a partnership with Ria Money Transfer. For newly arrived expats who need to arrange remittances or establish basic financial access before other banking options are sorted, the post office can be a very convenient first port of call.

Beyond standalone post office branches, services are also accessible at authorised postal retail partners — most notably the Trafik, Austria’s familiar neighbourhood newsagent and tobacconist, which acts as a licensed postal agent. As of 2025, postal services are available at close to 3,000 access points throughout the country. Branches stock stamps, packaging materials, and stationery, and can process registered mail, insured items, ID-quality photo services, and parcel collection when a home delivery attempt has been unsuccessful.

Austrian Post also operates a mail forwarding service, which is particularly handy when relocating within Austria. Letters and parcels sent to an old address are redirected automatically to the new one, with the forwarding period typically set anywhere between three and twelve months.

Does the postal service deliver to every address in Austria?

Under its universal service obligation, Austrian Post is required to reach addresses throughout the entire country, including rural communities and alpine areas. Post office branches are spread across Austria, though the largest and most comprehensively staffed offices tend to be located in city centres and at major railway stations.

In particularly remote locations, home delivery may not be available. Where this is the case, customers can arrange to use a PO box (Postfach) or collect their mail directly from the nearest post office branch. Expats settling in mountainous or isolated parts of the country — such as areas of Tyrol, Vorarlberg, or parts of Styria — are advised to confirm in advance whether door-to-door delivery applies to their specific address, or whether branch collection will be the standard arrangement.

For people who are frequently out during delivery hours, Austrian Post provides a “Post Account” with four free delivery configuration options designed to ensure shipments are successfully received even in the absence of the recipient. These include leaving parcels with a neighbour, depositing items in a designated safe place, rerouting to a chosen branch, or holding the delivery at a Paketbox parcel locker.

Several PO box arrangements are available. The All-mail PO Box consolidates everything — whether addressed to the box or to the customer’s personal address — into the box itself, while the PO Box Only option restricts delivery to items explicitly addressed to that box. Business-oriented variants of both exist. There are also independent private companies in Austria offering their own PO box solutions.

How do you write a postal address in Austria?

Austrian address formatting follows a straightforward and consistent convention. The recipient’s full name occupies the first line; when addressing business correspondence, the organisation name leads on the first line with the individual’s name on the second. The street address follows, and the postcode and city share the final line before the country name.

Here is an example of a correctly formatted Austrian address for international mail:

The postcode and locality name share the same line with no intervening punctuation, always in the order: postcode first, city second. For items sent abroad, “AUT” should appear in capital letters on the very last line. One important difference from English-speaking conventions: in Austria, the street name is written before the house number, not after it.

When the recipient uses a PO box, replace the street address with “Postfach” followed by the box number. Floor and apartment details can be added to the address line if needed — for instance, “3/4” would indicate the third floor, apartment 4. For addresses in rural areas where a named street does not exist, the name of the hamlet or farm can be listed, followed by the nearest town, the postal code, and the country.

How do you find or look up a postcode in Austria?

Austria’s postcode system — officially referred to as Postleitzahlen, or PLZ — was introduced as a unified four-digit national numbering scheme on 1 January 1966, with the aim of improving the speed and accuracy of mail sorting and routing. Unlike the five-digit codes used in neighbouring Germany, Austria’s system has remained a clean four-digit numeric format throughout, with no alphabetic elements or extensions.

Each of the four digits carries a specific meaning. The first digit identifies the broad geographical region: “1” denotes Vienna, “2” covers eastern and southern Lower Austria together with northern Burgenland, “3” encompasses western Lower Austria and south-eastern Upper Austria, “4” is for Upper Austria, “5” for Salzburg, “6” for parts of western Austria including sections of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, “7” covers Burgenland and Styria, “8” applies to southern Burgenland, and “9” designates Carinthia and East Tyrol. The second digit narrows this down to the regional sub-area within the relevant state, the third reflects the routing allocation along railway and postal car routes, and the fourth identifies the specific post office responsible for that area.

The postcode database is maintained centrally by Österreichische Post AG, which keeps the system current and accurate. It is refreshed daily thanks to input from more than 9,000 delivery staff who flag address changes and new developments encountered during their rounds.

To identify the correct postcode for any location, the most dependable resource is the official PLZ lookup tool on the Austrian Post website at post.at. A street name, town, or municipality name can be entered to retrieve the relevant four-digit code. Postcodes are obligatory on all mail, domestic and international alike, and appear directly before the locality name without any separator — for example “Anton-Jahn-Gasse 9 2372 Gießhübl AUT”. As of 2025, no major overhaul of the postcode system is on the horizon.

What should expats know about sending and receiving international mail and parcels in Austria?

Dispatching items to destinations outside the European Union requires customs declarations to be completed. All shipment and customs data for letters and parcels containing physical goods must be submitted electronically. If electronic pre-submission is not possible for you, the CN23 customs form can be obtained in paper format at any post office branch, where staff will enter the information into the system electronically at the time of posting. A charge of €2.90 applies for this service (as of 2025 — check post.at for the latest fee).

The responsibility for understanding import and export rules at the destination rests with the sender. This includes any bans on certain goods, quarantine restrictions, and regulations governing pharmaceuticals, as well as documentation requirements such as commercial invoices, certificates of origin, and health certificates for products of animal or plant origin. Austrian Post’s website provides country-by-country guidance to assist with this.

For parcels arriving in Austria from abroad, the applicable customs rules depend on whether the item originates from within or outside the EU. As an EU member, Austria has no customs formalities for goods arriving from other EU countries, which circulate freely. For goods sourced from non-EU countries, the following rules apply (as of 2025): the previous duty-free and tax-free allowance for goods worth less than €22 was abolished on 1 July 2021, so all goods arriving from third countries are now liable for import VAT regardless of value. Customs duty is levied only on goods valued at €150 or above.

Austrian Post will not add a handling fee for customs processing on items purchased from non-EU online retailers if the value falls below €150, provided the retailer is registered under the import one-stop shop (IOSS) special VAT scheme, meaning VAT was collected at checkout. Many large international platforms already operate under IOSS, so buyers will typically not face further charges on arrival. Smaller overseas sellers may not be IOSS-registered, however, in which case import VAT may need to be settled before the parcel is released. For the most up-to-date thresholds and procedures, consult the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance or the Austrian customs authority directly.

Austrian Post’s “simple registered mail” service enables end-to-end tracking from the point of posting in Austria through to delivery at the foreign destination, with item status viewable via post.at. For higher-security requirements, insured dispatch is available: Post Express shipments come with proof of posting, full item tracking, confirmed delivery via signature or electronic acknowledgement, and insurance coverage up to €1,500. Items of greater value — including cash, jewellery, and precious metals — can be sent as specially handled insured Post Express items with coverage extending up to €10,000.

Are there any known issues or practical tips for using the postal service in Austria?

Austria’s mail system works well overall, but a handful of practical considerations come up regularly for expats navigating it for the first time.

Set up a Post Account early. If your daytime schedule keeps you away from home during delivery hours, registering for a Post Account unlocks four free delivery configuration options that help ensure parcels reach you without hassle. Everything can be managed through the Österreichische Post app, which also sends real-time delivery alerts and lets you reroute incoming packages to a nearby Postfiliale or Paketbox parcel locker at short notice.

Be alert to phishing attempts. Fraudulent emails and SMS messages impersonating Austrian Post are sent out on a regular basis. Authentic communications from Austrian Post will always originate from an address ending in @post.at. Treat any message asking you to pay a customs charge or confirm a delivery by clicking an unfamiliar link with strong suspicion — these are the most common formats used by scammers.

Language at post office branches. Staff in larger cities and tourist centres will sometimes be able to assist in languages other than German, but the default language throughout Austrian Post’s operations is German. The official website at post.at is available in English, making it considerably easier to set up accounts, track shipments, and complete customs declarations online before you even step into a branch.

Make use of Postpartner outlets. Authorised postal agents — particularly Trafik shops — provide access to most standard postal services and frequently keep longer opening hours than dedicated post offices. They can handle parcel drop-offs, stamp sales, and a range of registered mail tasks, making them a flexible alternative for everyday needs.

Label your address clearly. Accurate labelling is essential not only for successful delivery but also for emergency services that rely on identifiable addresses. Austrian postal workers will not leave parcels if the name on the package cannot be matched to the label on the mailbox or door, so make sure your name is clearly visible on both.

Use redirection and mail-hold services when travelling. If you are away for an extended period, Austrian Post’s vacation mail hold service (Urlaubspost) keeps your mail at the local branch until you are back. Forwarding arrangements can be set up online at post.at for durations generally between three and twelve months, which is particularly convenient when moving home within Austria.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a parcel sent by Austrian Post?

You can track any domestic or international parcel delivery with Austrian Post by visiting the official website at post.at and entering your tracking number into the electronic tracking system, or by enquiring in person at any post office. The Austrian Post app also provides push notifications for delivery status updates. Tracking is available for registered mail, parcels, and Post Express items.

Does Austrian Post deliver on Saturdays?

Post Express also works on weekends. If you post a Post Express item on a Friday, it can be delivered by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday to the recipient, upon request by the sender. Saturday delivery is available for items sent to all regional capitals in Austria as well as to selected postcode areas. Standard letter and parcel delivery does not operate on Saturdays.

What happens if I miss a parcel delivery?

If you are not home when a delivery is attempted, Austrian Post will typically leave a notification card (Benachrichtigungskarte) indicating where you can collect your item — usually a nearby post office or Postpartner. If you have a Post Account set up, you can pre-configure alternative delivery options such as a safe deposit location, a neighbour, or a Paketbox parcel locker, which avoids missed deliveries altogether.

Do I need to pay customs duties on packages sent from outside the EU?

Since 1 July 2021, the duty and tax-free allowance for merchandise under €22 no longer exists, meaning all merchandise received from countries outside the EU is subject to import VAT. Customs duties apply to merchandise valued at €150 or more. Always check the current rules at post.at’s import information page or with the Austrian customs authority, as thresholds and procedures may change.

Can I open a bank account at an Austrian post office?

Post offices and postal service partners serve as distribution channels for bank99, allowing it to potentially provide financial services for 99% of the Austrian population, particularly in rural areas where bank branches are sparse. Bank99 offers checking accounts for private customers, services for national and international financial transactions, and credit cards. This can be a practical first step for newly arrived expats awaiting other banking arrangements.

How do I find the correct postcode for an address in Austria?

The most reliable method is to use the official postcode search tool on the Austrian Post website at post.at. Postcodes in Austria — called Postleitzahlen — are four-digit numbers, and each city and town has its own code. The first digit broadly indicates the region, so for example all Vienna postcodes begin with “1”. The official database is updated regularly and is the most accurate source.

What courier companies other than Austrian Post operate in Austria?

Many courier services operate in Austria alongside Austrian Post, including GLS, UPS, TNT, DPD, DHL, and FedEx. These are particularly useful for time-sensitive or high-value parcel shipments, and most offer online booking, tracking, and collection or drop-off options. For e-commerce deliveries, DHL and DPD are among the most commonly used alongside Austrian Post.

Is the Austrian Post website available in English?

Yes — the official Austrian Post website at post.at/en is fully available in English. Most core services including parcel tracking, rate calculation, customs declaration completion, and account management can be handled in English online. However, communications from Austrian Post — such as notification cards left at your door — will typically be in German, so it is worth learning a few key terms to avoid confusion.