Tauern Autobahn
Encyclopedia
The Tauern Autobahn is an autobahn
(motorway) in Austria
. It starts at the Salzburg
junction with the Westautobahn
(A1), runs southwards, crosses the Tauern
mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps
and leads to the Süd Autobahn
(A2) and Karawanken Autobahn
(A11) at Villach
in Carinthia
. The Tauern Autobahn is part of the European route E55
from Helsingborg
to Kalamata
.
It is 192 km (119.3 mi) long, 24 km (14.9 mi) of which are in 12 tunnels. The best known of these are the Tauern Tunnel
and the Katschberg
Tunnel that originally both had only a single bore, leading to chronic traffic congestions especially during summer vacations. The second bore of the Katschberg Tunnel opened in 2009, while at the Tauern Tunnel it is still under construction. In derogation from the general Austrian motorway speed limit
of 130 km/h (81 mph) a special environmental speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) is set between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM.
The initial sections of the motorway south of Salzburg and near Spittal an der Drau
were built after the Austrian Anschluss
from 1939 onwards until the cessation in 1942 due to World War II
. Construction works were not resumed until 1968 in view of the increasing mass tourism. The difficult crossing of the main chain of the Alps
started in 1971. On May 16, 1975 within the section between Gmünd and Spittal a newly built bridge collapsed, killing ten workers. The A10 motorway was completed in 1988.
The sections between the Flachauwinkel
and Rennweg
junctions including the Tauern and Katschberg Tunnels are a so-called special toll route. In this area instead of the general vignette
requirement, extra tolls (Maut) are paid in cash or by credit card at the toll plaza at Sankt Michael
or via a Videomaut prepaid system. For driving on all other sections of the A10 the standard vignette is required.
Autobahns of Austria
The Austrian autobahns are controlled-access highways in Austria. They are officially called Bundesstraßen A according to the Austrian federal road act...
(motorway) in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. It starts at the Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
junction with the Westautobahn
Westautobahn
The West Autobahn was the first motorway, or ‘Autobahn’, to be built in Austria originating from plans drawn up for the so-called Reichsautobahn system. Today it runs from Vienna via Linz to Salzburg, where it joins the German Bundesautobahn 8 at the Walserberg border crossing...
(A1), runs southwards, crosses the Tauern
Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs...
mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
and leads to the Süd Autobahn
Süd Autobahn
The Süd Autobahn is a motorway, or ‘Autobahn’, in Austria. It runs from Vienna south to the border of Italy, crossing the cities of Graz and Klagenfurt.-External links:...
(A2) and Karawanken Autobahn
Karawanken Autobahn
The Karawanken Autobahn is an autobahn in Austria. It runs about from the Villach junction with the Süd Autobahn and the Tauern Autobahn southwards to the Slovenian border where it connects the A2 motorway leading to Ljubljana...
(A11) at Villach
Villach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
in Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
. The Tauern Autobahn is part of the European route E55
European route E55
European route E 55 is a E-route. It passes through the following cities:Helsingborg … Helsingør – Copenhagen – Køge – Vordingborg – Nykøbing Falster – Gedser … Rostock – Berlin – Lübbenau – Dresden – Teplice – Prague – Tábor – Linz – Salzburg – Villach – Tarvisio – Udine – Palmanova – Mestre...
from Helsingborg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
to Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
.
Overview
Tauern Road Tunnel
The Tauern Road Tunnel is located in the Austrian federal state of Salzburg in Austria on the Tauern Autobahn north - south connection between Germany and Italy and Slovenia. This is a toll road. Since October 2007, the toll has been 12 euros per car and journey...
and the Katschberg
Katschberg Pass
Katschberg Pass is a high mountain pass in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria between Rennweg am Katschberg in the state of Carinthia and Sankt Michael im Lungau in Salzburg....
Tunnel that originally both had only a single bore, leading to chronic traffic congestions especially during summer vacations. The second bore of the Katschberg Tunnel opened in 2009, while at the Tauern Tunnel it is still under construction. In derogation from the general Austrian motorway speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
of 130 km/h (81 mph) a special environmental speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) is set between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM.
The initial sections of the motorway south of Salzburg and near Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau is located in the western part of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia and the administrative centre of the federal state's second largest district, Spittal an der Drau. It lies between the Lurnfeld area and the Lower Drava Valley. The city consists of the seven...
were built after the Austrian Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
from 1939 onwards until the cessation in 1942 due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Construction works were not resumed until 1968 in view of the increasing mass tourism. The difficult crossing of the main chain of the Alps
Main chain of the Alps
The Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the water divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest peaks of a range; the Alps are something of an unusual case in that several significant groups of...
started in 1971. On May 16, 1975 within the section between Gmünd and Spittal a newly built bridge collapsed, killing ten workers. The A10 motorway was completed in 1988.
Tolls
Flachau
Flachau is a village in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in the Salzburg state, Austria, with a population of 2,639 . Its numerous skiing facilities are part of the Ski Amadé network of ski areas, the largest in Europe.- History :...
and Rennweg
Rennweg am Katschberg
Rennweg am Katschberg is a market town in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, Austria. It consists of the Katastralgemeinden Rennweg, St. Peter and Oberdorf.- Geography :...
junctions including the Tauern and Katschberg Tunnels are a so-called special toll route. In this area instead of the general vignette
Vignette (road tax)
A road tax vignette is a form of tax on vehicles, used in several non-English speaking European countries. The term is of French origin, and is now used throughout Central Europe....
requirement, extra tolls (Maut) are paid in cash or by credit card at the toll plaza at Sankt Michael
Sankt Michael im Lungau
Sankt Michael im Lungau is a market town on the upper Mur River in the Tamsweg district in the Austrian state of Salzburg.-History:The parish church dedicated to Saint Michael was first mentioned in 1147...
or via a Videomaut prepaid system. For driving on all other sections of the A10 the standard vignette is required.