Nationwide public holiday. In 2026, Austrian National Day falls on Monday, 26 October 2026. 26 October is a statutory public holiday across Austria and is listed in section 7 of the Austrian Rest Period Act. [1]
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2026
National Day: public holiday and autumn break
26 October is a statutory public holiday; neutrality, public events and the school break give the day its distinct context.
- Date
- In 2026, Austrian National Day falls on Monday, 26 October 2026.
- Status
- Nationwide public holiday
- 26 October is a statutory public holiday across Austria and is listed in section 7 of the Austrian Rest Period Act.
- School
- Autumn holidays from 27 October
- The Ministry of Education lists the 2026/27 autumn holidays from 27 October to 31 October 2026.
- Leave
- 9 free days with 4 leave days
- Austrian National Day falls on Monday in 2026. Taking leave from Tuesday, 27 October, to Friday, 30 October, creates a block from the Saturday before through All Saints' Day.
Practical
National Day in practice
Organisation depends on holiday status, location and published opening hours.
Work
Holiday restFor most employees, public-holiday rest applies. Work on 26 October is only possible in permitted sectors such as healthcare, transport, restaurants, tourism, safety, supply services or other statutory exceptions.
Shopping
Mostly closedRegular supermarkets, shopping centres, banks, public offices and many service providers are closed. Exceptions are mainly travel-supply locations, petrol stations, emergency services, restaurants and tourism businesses.
School
Autumn holidaysAustrian National Day is school-free. In the 2026/27 school year, the Ministry of Education lists the autumn holidays from 27 October to 31 October 2026; individual school types or locations may organise details differently.
Traffic & events
Vienna & outingsIn Vienna, Heldenplatz, the city centre, museums and open institutions can become crowded. At the same time, many families use the day for hiking, spas, short breaks or the start of the autumn holidays.
Legal position
Public-holiday rest and the autumn break
Read legal status, school rules and workplace arrangements separately.
Public-holiday list
Section 7 of the Austrian Rest Period Act explicitly names 26 October as Austrian National Day. For normal employment relationships, this is the central employment-law basis.
National Day Act
The Federal Act on the Austrian National Day sets 26 October as Austrian National Day and states that it is to be celebrated festively throughout the federal territory.
Public-holiday work
Anyone who has to work on statutory public holidays should check the collective agreement, duty roster, pay, compensatory rest and sector-specific exceptions. Tourism, care, transport, restaurants and security services are especially relevant.
School
For families, the combination matters: Austrian National Day on 26 October, autumn holidays from 27 October and All Souls' Day on 2 November as an additional school-related reference point.
Austria locally
Neutrality, state and public life
Local organisers publish the relevant dates, religious forms and regional customs.
Neutrality Act 1955
On 26 October 1955, the National Council passed the Federal Constitutional Act on Austria's permanent neutrality. Parliament describes this decision as the first political act of will of free Austria.
After ten years of occupation
The State Treaty made Austria sovereign again in 1955. 26 October therefore stands not only for a law, but for the return of political self-determination after the occupation period.
From Flag Day to public holiday
Flag Day became Austrian National Day in 1965. In 1967, a dedicated National Day Act followed, definitively anchoring 26 October as the national feast day.
Not the State Holiday
Austrian National Day and the State Holiday are different days. The State Holiday is 1 May; Austrian National Day is 26 October.
Red-white-red flags
Visible symbolThe Armed Forces and public institutions refer to hoisting red-white-red flags. This is a clear visual signal without overdramatising the day.
Armed Forces & swearing-in
HeldenplatzThe Armed Forces usually mark Austrian National Day in Vienna with a swearing-in ceremony, information and performance display and additional locations. The current programme decides times, places and closures each year.
Open institutions
DemocracyAround the day, state institutions, museums or political sites often open their doors. For visits, times, security checks and arrival matter.
National hiking day
AutumnIn many places, 26 October is a hiking day. Regions, huts, spas, family routes and weatherproof alternatives are especially useful for planning.
Quellen & Weiterführendes
- RIS - Austrian Rest Period Act § 7 : nationwide public-holiday list; 26 October is listed as Austrian National Day.
- RIS - Federal Act on the Austrian National Day Art. 1 : sets 26 October as Austrian National Day.
- RIS - Federal Act on the Austrian National Day Art. 2 : defines the festive observance throughout the federal territory.
- Austrian Parliament - A voluntary commitment : historical context for the State Treaty, Neutrality Act and 26 October 1955.
- BMB - school holidays 2026/2027 : lists the 2026 autumn holidays from 27 to 31 October for all federal states.
- BMB - autumn holidays : explains the nationwide autumn holidays and their relation to Austrian National Day and All Saints' Day.
- Austrian Armed Forces - National Day factsheet : history, flags, school and work rest, Heldenplatz, swearing-in and performance display.
- Annual leave planner Austria : compare bridge days and long weekends.
- School holidays in Austria : check autumn holidays and school-free days by federal state.