Good Friday is one of nine national holidays in Germany. Things have been different in neighboring Austria since 2019. That’s why you can still go there to shop on Good Friday in 2024.
Also read: Good Friday bans: Respectful or out of date?
In Germany, shops are closed on Good Friday and there is even a ban on dancing. Because Good Friday is not only a public holiday in the Federal Republic, but also a quiet day. If you would still like to go shopping, you can do so at your neighbors in Austria. Good Friday has no longer been a public holiday there since 2019.
Also interesting: The Czech Republic is discussing opening hours on public holidays
A personal holiday
According to the Austrian government, Austrian employees can take a personal holiday off, but shops, restaurants and bars are usually open as normal. Employees who want to attend church services there on Good Friday or who otherwise need time off must actively take time off. As a compromise, Austria has created a personal holiday or vacation day for all employees in the Working Hours Act.
Repeated criticism of the new regulations
But this is always criticized there. “This is a painful wound and also the awareness that we were not treated with the necessary respect here,” said Michael Chalupka, bishop of the Protestant Church, in an ORF interview. For him, the personal holiday is “a misnomer, it’s simply a vacation day.”
Public holidays in Austria
The current public holidays in Austria are January 1st (New Year), January 6th (Epiphany), Easter Monday, May 1st (national holiday), Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi, August 15th (Mary Ascension Day), October 26th (national holiday), November 1st (All Saints Day), December 8th (Mary’s Conception), December 25th (Christmas) and December 26th (St. Stephen’s Day). There are also state holidays in honor of the respective state patrons. However, only school students have time off, some offices are closed. This is the case in Salzburg, for example, on Ruperti Day, September 24th.
More information about Easter can also be found on our special Easter page.
On Good Friday, there could be a number of commuters from Germany in Austria, especially in the area near the border, who are drawn to the neighboring country to shop.