Einbahn means one way. And an Einbahnstrasse is, quite simply, a one-way street.
- See also:
Not a street name
(The sign shows the direction of the Einbahn)
A sign like the photo above indicates one-way traffic and shows you the direction of that traffic:
Some visitors fall into the trap of thinking Einbahn is the name of the street. Sadly, you’ll have a tricky time trying to find your hotel again if you’re looking for “Einbahn” street, as Vienna has hundreds of them.
Street names usually appear on signs mounted on the sides of buildings. Like this:
(Rotenturmstraße leads away from the cathedral in the city centre)
Two related signs to the Einbahn are, of course…
- The no entry sign to prevent people going down the one-way street the wrong way:
(The international standard no entry sign)
- The oncoming or two-way traffic sign, with its opposing arrows. This indicates that the one-way regulation is ending, and you can expect traffic to approach from the opposite direction, too:
(The lower sign is the two-way traffic one. The upper sign warns of bumps in the road)
A lot of side streets in Vienna use a one-way system to keep traffic flowing, so expect to see all these signs a lot when driving around the city and away from the main routes.
One word of caution: though one-way street rules generally apply to all traffic, some cycle paths may allow cyclists to travel against the flow of vehicles. Such examples should be clearly signposted so you can take appropriate care when merging onto such an Einbahn.