On the day itself, keep the EU pet passport or health certificate and your transport booking confirmations all within easy reach rather than packed away. If you're flying on Austrian Airlines, arrive with enough time to handle the pet check-in process separately from your own.

If you're taking an ÖBB train, have the muzzle and leash ready and know the floor-seating and fare rules covered in Transport before boarding. If you're using Wiener Linien in Vienna, remember the muzzle and leash need to be fitted before you even enter the U-Bahn station itself, not just before stepping onto the platform or train — a stricter standard than the tram and bus rule.

Once you've arrived, save a local on-call vet (Notdienst) number immediately, per the advice in the Health section, even if you don't expect to need it — ask your accommodation host or the nearest regular vet clinic for the current regional number if you haven't sourced one in advance. And from the very first walk, default to keeping the dog leashed until you've actually confirmed the local rule, rather than assuming it's the same as wherever you last checked.