List of rivers of Austria facts for kids

Drainage basins of Austria:
  Rhine    Danube    Elbe

Austria is a country full of amazing rivers! These rivers are like natural highways, carrying water across the land. Almost all of Austria's rivers eventually flow into the Danube river. The Danube then travels all the way to the Black Sea. A few other rivers in Austria flow north, eventually reaching the North Sea.

This article will help you learn about the most important rivers in Austria. We'll look at them based on where their water ends up. We'll also provide an alphabetical list to help you find specific rivers easily. A river's "tributaries" are smaller rivers or streams that flow into it. Think of them as branches joining a main tree trunk.

Rivers Flowing to the Black Sea

Most of Austria's rivers are part of the Danube (Donau) river system. This means their water eventually joins the Danube. The Danube is one of Europe's longest rivers. It flows through many countries before reaching the Black Sea in Romania.

Here are some of the main rivers in Austria that are part of the Danube basin:

• Danube (Donau)
  • Drava (Drau): This river flows through Austria and then into Croatia.
    • Mur: A major tributary of the Drava, it flows through Austria and Slovenia.
      • Sulm: Joins the Mur near Leibnitz.
      • Mürz: Meets the Mur in Bruck an der Mur.
    • Lavant: Joins the Drava at Lavamünd.
    • Gurk: Flows into the Drava near Völkermarkt.
      • Glan: A tributary of the Gurk, near Klagenfurt.
    • Gail: Joins the Drava in Villach.
    • Möll: Flows into the Drava near Möllbrücke.
  • Rába (Raab): This river flows into Hungary.
    • Lafnitz: Joins the Rába in Hungary.
  • Leitha: Flows into Hungary near Mosonmagyaróvár.
    • Schwarza and Pitten: These two rivers meet to form the Leitha.
  • Morava (March): This river forms part of the border between Austria and Slovakia. It joins the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia.
    • Thaya: A significant tributary of the Morava.
      • German Thaya and Moravian Thaya: These two rivers combine to form the Thaya.
  • Fischa: Joins the Danube in Fischamend.
    • Piesting: A tributary of the Fischa.
  • Schwechat: Flows into the Danube at Schwechat.
    • Triesting: Joins the Schwechat at Achau.
  • Wien: This river flows right through the city of Vienna.
  • Traisen: Joins the Danube in Grafenwörth.
  • Kamp: Flows into the Danube in Grafenwörth.
  • Enns: A large river that joins the Danube in the city of Enns.
    • Steyr: Flows into the Enns in Steyr.
    • Salza: Joins the Enns in Landl.
  • Traun: A major river that flows into the Danube in Linz.
    • Alm: Joins the Traun near Lambach.
    • Ager: Flows into the Traun in Lambach.
      • Vöckla: A tributary of the Ager.
  • Inn: This powerful river flows from Switzerland through Austria and Germany. It joins the Danube in Passau, Germany.
    • Salzach: A very important tributary of the Inn. It forms part of the border between Austria and Germany.
      • Saalach: Joins the Salzach in Germany.
      • Lammer: Flows into the Salzach at Golling an der Salzach.
    • Tiroler Achen: Flows into a lake in Germany, which then drains into the Inn.
      • Großache: A major river in Tyrol that becomes the Tiroler Achen.
    • Ziller: Joins the Inn in Münster, Tyrol.
    • Sill: Flows into the Inn in Innsbruck.
      • Ruetz: A significant tributary of the Sill.
    • Ötztaler Ache: Joins the Inn east of Imst.
    • Sanna: Formed by the meeting of two rivers at Landeck.
  • Isar: This river flows into Germany.
    • Loisach: Joins the Isar in Germany.
  • Lech: Flows into Germany near Donauwörth.
    • Vils: Joins the Lech near Füssen, Germany.

Rivers Flowing to the North Sea

A smaller part of Austria's rivers flow north. Their water eventually reaches the North Sea. These rivers are part of the Elbe or Rhine river systems.

Here are some of the main rivers in Austria that are part of the North Sea basins:

• Elbe
  • Vltava (Moldau): This river flows through the Czech Republic. Some Austrian rivers are its tributaries.
    • Lužnice (Lainsitz): Flows into the Vltava in the Czech Republic.
    • Malše (Maltsch): Joins the Vltava in the Czech Republic.
• Rhine (Rhein)
  • Bregenzer Ach: Flows into Lake Constance in Bregenz. Lake Constance then drains into the Rhine.
    • Weißach: A tributary of the Bregenzer Ach.
  • Dornbirner Ach: Also flows into Lake Constance near Bregenz.
  • Leiblach: Flows into Lake Constance between Lindau, Germany, and Lochau.
  • Ill: A major river in Vorarlberg that joins the Rhine near Feldkirch.
    • Samina: Joins the Ill at Frastanz.
    • Alvier: Flows into the Ill at Bürs.
    • Litz: Joins the Ill in Schruns.

All Rivers in Alphabetical Order

Here is a list of rivers and their tributaries that are found in Austria, sorted alphabetically. This can help you quickly find any river you are looking for!

Ager, Aist, Aldranser Bach, Alfenz, Alm, Almbach, Alvier, Antiesen, Arbesbach, Archbach, Aschach, Aurach, Berchtesgadener Ache, Bolgenach, Brandenberger Ache, Bregenzer Ach, Breitach, Brixentaler Ache, Brunnbach, Danube, Dornbirner Ach, Drava, Dürre Ager, Enns, Erlauf, Erzbach, Fallbach (Inn, Innsbruck), Fallbach (Inn, Baumkirchen), Fischa, Fischach, Fischbach (Linder), Fischbach (Weiße Traun), Fornacher Redlbach, Fotscherbach, Frutz, Fuscher Ache, Gaflunerbach, Gail, Gailbach, Gailitz, Galina, Gampbach, German Thaya, Geroldsbach, Gießenbach, Gießgraben, Glan, Glanfurt, Gleirschbach, Gölsen, Großache, Gschnitzbach, Gurglbach, Gurk, Gusen, Hartbach, Höttinger Bach, Ill, Inn, Innbach, Isar, Kainach, Kaiserbach, Kamp, Kelchsauer Ache, Kieferbach, Kitzbühler Ache, Klausbach, Krems (Lower Austria), Krems (Upper Austria), Krimmler Ache, Krottenbach [ceb; de; sv], Lafnitz, Lammer, Lanser Bach, Laudach, Lavant, Lech, Leckner Ach, Ledava, Leiblach, Leitha, Leoganger Ache, Leutascher Ache, Lindenbach, Litz, Lizumbach, Lohbach, Loisach, Lužnice, Malše, Melach, Meng, Metnitz, Mieß, Möll, Mölsbach, Morava, Moravian Thaya, Mühlauer Bach, Mur, Mürz, Myrabach, Navisbach, Neualmbach (also called Neualpbach), Northern Taurach, Oberach, Obernberger Seebach, Ötztaler Ache, Pesnica, Piesting, Pinka, Pitten, Pitze, Rába, Rabnitzbach, Ranna, Rhine, Rißbach, Ruetz, Saalach, Salza, Salzach, Samina, Sanna, Schlossbach, Schwarza, Schwarzlofer, Schwechat, Seeache, Sill, Sistranser Bach, Steinbach, Steyr, Subersach, Sulm, Taugl, Thaya, Tiroler Achen, Traisen, Traun, Triesting, Tuffbach, Viggarbach, Vils, Vöckla, Vomperbach, Wattenbach, Weiherburgbach, Weißach, Weißache, Weißbach, Weißenbach, Wien, Windauer Ache, Wulka, Ybbs, Zeller Ache, Zeller Bach, Ziller