Short answer. Austria warns the public with a nationwide siren network and with AT-Alert, a cell broadcast system that reaches every phone in the affected area without an app or registration 12. There are three siren signals: a 3-minute steady tone (Warnung), a 1-minute rising and falling wail (Alarm) and a 1-minute steady tone (all clear) 3. The sirens are tested every first Saturday in October between 12:00 and 13:00 31.
What do the three Austrian siren signals mean?
The Interior Ministry (BMI) defines three civil-protection signals 3:
| Signal | Sound | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Warnung (warning) | 3-minute steady tone | Danger approaching: switch on ORF radio or TV and follow the instructions |
| Alarm | 1-minute rising and falling wail | Danger: go to protective areas or rooms and follow instructions on radio or TV |
| Entwarnung (all clear) | 1-minute steady tone | End of danger; any remaining restrictions on daily life are announced on radio or TV |
The official wording is short: "3 Minuten gleich bleibender Dauerton - HERANNAHENDE GEFAHR!" for the warning, "1 Minute auf- und abschwellender Heulton - GEFAHR!" for the alarm, and "1 Minute gleich bleibender Dauerton - ENDE DER GEFAHR!" for the all clear 3.
When are the sirens tested?
A nationwide civil-protection test alarm takes place every first Saturday in October, between 12:00 and 13:00 31. If you hear the signals outside that window, treat them as real.
How many sirens does Austria have?
The BMI warning page cites over 8,000 fire-brigade sirens, plus 165 civil-protection sirens installed in Vienna 1. The BMI's AT-Alert page gives about 8,300 civil-protection sirens 2. The two figures come from different pages and are not directly comparable; both describe a dense nationwide network.
What is AT-Alert and do I need to sign up?
AT-Alert is Austria's cell broadcast system 2. Key facts:
- Messages go to all phones in the affected mobile cells, triggered by the Federal Warning Centre and the State Warning Centres 2.
- No registration and no app are needed. It is enabled by default on Android 11 or later and iOS 17.4 or later 2.
- It also reaches foreign phones roaming in Austria, and messages are sent in German and English 2.
AT-Alert uses several levels 2:
| Level | Note |
|---|---|
| Notfallalarm (emergency alarm) | Always on, cannot be switched off, sounds even in silent mode |
| Extreme Gefahr (extreme danger) | |
| Erhebliche Gefahr (significant danger) | |
| Gefahreninformation (hazard information) | |
| Abgängige Personen (missing persons) | |
| Testwarnung (test warning) | |
| Übungswarnung (exercise warning) |
Check that the lower levels have not been switched off in your phone's emergency alert settings.
Where do I get information after a warning?
The official channels are ORF radio, TV and online 34. For radiological emergencies, the BMLUK runs notfallschutz.gv.at, and ORF Teletext page 623 shows readings from the radiation early-warning network 4. Because power and mobile networks can fail, keep a battery radio: see Which radio and alerts do you need when networks are down?.
Is there an official warning app?
No official app is required for AT-Alert 2. For emergency calls, DEC112 is the official text-chat emergency-call app for deaf and hard-of-hearing people 5. Other emergency numbers are on our Austria emergency contacts page.
What should I do after an Alarm in a nuclear emergency?
Go to protective areas or rooms and follow the instructions given on radio or TV 3. Iodine tablets are taken only on explicit order of the radiation protection authorities 6; see our Austria iodine page. For general principles, see Shelter in place or evacuate after a nuclear emergency?.
Frequently asked questions
Can I turn off AT-Alert?
Not the top level. Notfallalarm messages are always on, cannot be switched off and sound even in silent mode 2.
Will a tourist's phone receive AT-Alert?
Yes. AT-Alert also reaches foreign phones roaming in Austria, with messages in German and English 2.
What does a 1-minute wailing siren mean in Austria?
It is the "Alarm" signal: danger. Go to protective areas or rooms and follow radio or TV instructions 3.
When is the siren test?
Every first Saturday in October, between 12:00 and 13:00 31.
Sources
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — Warnung und Alarmierung — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/skkm/warnung.aspx (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — AT-Alert — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/at-alert/start.aspx (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — Warn- und Alarmsignale im Katastrophenfall — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/skkm/files/020_warn_und_alarmsignale.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- oesterreich.gv.at (content responsibility: BMLUK; last updated 16 Feb 2026) — Verhalten bei radiologischen Notfällen — https://oesterreich.gv.at/themen/notfaelle_unfaelle_und_kriminalitaet/katastrophenfaelle/1/Seite.29500321.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
- oesterreich.gv.at — Notrufnummern — https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/notfaelle_unfaelle_und_kriminalitaet/notrufnummern (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Sozialministerium (BMASGPK) — Kaliumiodid-Tabletten bei schweren Reaktorunfällen — https://www.sozialministerium.gv.at/Themen/Gesundheit/Strahlenschutz/Kaliumiodid-Tabletten.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Austria, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · Warnung und Alarmierung checked 2026-10-20
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · AT-Alert checked 2026-10-20
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · Warn- und Alarmsignale im Katastrophenfall checked 2026-10-20
- oesterreich.gv.at (content responsibility: BMLUK; last updated 16 Feb 2026) · Verhalten bei radiologischen Notfällen checked 2026-10-20
- oesterreich.gv.at · Notrufnummern checked 2026-10-20
- Sozialministerium (BMASGPK) · Kaliumiodid-Tabletten bei schweren Reaktorunfällen checked 2026-10-20