Driving in Austria and Germany

"tim(yet another new home)" wrote in message
...

"Jens Arne Maennig" wrote in message
...
Wolfgang May wrote:

"Warnweste" (I don't know the english word ...

European legislation (EN 471) refers to it as a warning vest. :-)

the real english name for it is tabard, but the average man
in the street probably doesn't know this either.

tim

colloquially = hi-viz vest (as in high visability) widely found on building
sites, railway workers and, increasingly, police officers.

By the way, in my experience, credit cards are not as widely accepted in
Austria as they are in the rest of western europe so carry some cash.

Paul

"coolblock" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
oups.com...

This post reminds me of a episode I had back in 1990 in Austria.
.......
He finally made me understand I needed a "sticker"...not
a problem I gave him 30 or 40 US dollars and he waved me on and never
bothered with the speeding infraction

In 1990 there was no motorway sticker in Austria. It was introduced in the
mid-90ies!

lg Gernot

you made my day with your sense of humour.

Thanks everybody for answering to my questions.



Jens Arne Maennig wrote:
wrote:

I was told that for driving in Austria I will need a sticker (for
autobahn)
Is it the same for Germany ?

No, if you drive an automobile. If you drive a truck over 12 tons,
please refer to http://www.toll-collect.de/.

I am going to drive daily form Innsbruck to the following destinations

Kuhtai Glacier
Stubaier Glacier
Ischgl
Solden
Arlber St Anton

I will do this for skiing.

Sounds like a good idea.

I have a few questions:

-What currency am I supposed to have with me ?

They really like euros around here. :-)

-For those of you who went there ...what are the supplimentary charges
applied for a VISA or Mastercard transaction (my account is not in the
local currency) .

Ask your bank or credit card provider. This question has been posted
here many times but there are no general rules valid for all bank
accounts and/or credit cards.

I am not happy to travel with a lot of cash with me.

Cash dispensers exist. Even in Austria. Look for "Bankomat".

-Where can I buy the stickers for Germany and Austria and for how much
(if you know)

For Germany, there is no sticker necessary, see above. For Austria, I
would suggest to get it at any autobahn gas station in Germany or any
gas station near the Austrian border *before* you enter Austria. Ask
for "Vignette" or "Pickerl". There are stickers valid for 10 days
(7.60 euro) and valid for two months (21.80 euro) plus a version for
the whole year which might not be relevant for you.

-How much would be to rent complete set for skiing (boots, poles,
skiis) ?

I'd calculate 25 to 30 euro a day, going down for more days. I
understand you would like to rent once in Innsbruck for the whole time
and take your equipment with you each day. Have a look at
http://tinyurl.com/ycd7x7 and maybe http://www.letsrent.at/preise.htm
for some more information.

Any recommendations for driving eating and skiing for these
destinations would be much appreciated.

I'd still be sitting here typing by tomorrow morning. Start some
research at http://www.tyrol.com/.

I would also like to know if the parking is OK for these
destinations. Are there any fee for parking ?

Normally not. In return, they will charge you a fortune for the
skiing tickets.

Jens

On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:18:50 GMT, "tile"
wrote:


pls note that in Germany there are NORMALLY no speed limits on Autobahnen..
so if you want to experience driving a car at 250 kms.. you might do it.

you will have to buy a sticke in Austria.. they havea different cost
depending on how long they are valid for..
I think the minimum is one week / 10 days.. the maximum one year

besides. you will need to pay extra charges in tunnels or bridges ( i think
there are 6 such locations where you pay extra money in Austria. )

I would not risk travelling without a sticker in Austria..
if they check. and you are without..
you will pay huge money..

Not actually huge - but the oh-so-polite policeman in 2003
informed me that, at ¤120, I was being fined much less than
a local would have been. But then, as I informed him
somewhat less politely through gritted teeth, a local would
have been aware of the requirement.

Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere
being visa and mustercard the most commonly accepted
without any surcharge.
ATM machines are also everywhere

No need for a vignette in Germany - just a need for eyes in
the back of your head when you move from the right lane to a
passing lane. It's disconcerting when you check the mirror,
see that it's clear, then move over and find a BMW or
Porsche - or even a VW - has appeared seemingly from nowhere
and wants to drive in your boot.

Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Pompeii, Amalfi, Bari
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/

"Alan S" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:18:50 GMT, "tile"
wrote:


pls note that in Germany there are NORMALLY no speed limits on
Autobahnen..
so if you want to experience driving a car at 250 kms.. you might do it.

you will have to buy a sticke in Austria.. they havea different cost
depending on how long they are valid for..
I think the minimum is one week / 10 days.. the maximum one year

besides. you will need to pay extra charges in tunnels or bridges ( i
think
there are 6 such locations where you pay extra money in Austria. )

I would not risk travelling without a sticker in Austria..
if they check. and you are without..
you will pay huge money..

Not actually huge - but the oh-so-polite policeman in 2003
informed me that, at ¤120, I was being fined much less than
a local would have been. But then, as I informed him
somewhat less politely through gritted teeth, a local would
have been aware of the requirement.

I got fined in CZ, not for not knowing that I needed
a sticker, but for not knowing that the road I was on
led only to a 'sticker' area.

I was following a diversion across a motorway rebuilding
and by the time that I got to the "sticker required from
here" sign, there was nowhere else to go, the free exit
being closed by the road works. The policeman was
waiting 100 yards down the road.

Boy was I annoyed. IIRC he fined me about 4 Euro, but
that's wasn't the point.

tim

Following up to Wolfgang May :

If you rent a car, I would expect that it has such a sticker (called "Pickerl"
in Austria).

It's called a "Vignette".
A "Pickerl" is the sticker you get when the car takes its MOT (TÃœV).
--
Tim C.

Following up to Jens Arne Maennig :

I'd calculate 25 to 30 euro a day, going down for more days. I
understand you would like to rent once in Innsbruck for the whole time
and take your equipment with you each day. Have a look at
http://tinyurl.com/ycd7x7 and maybe http://www.letsrent.at/preise.htm
for some more information.

The Intersport shop in St.Anton/Arlberg charges between €37 and €47 per day
for a set.
http://www.sport-alber.com/de/rent_preise.php
--
Tim C.

Following up to Jens Arne Maennig :

In nearly 30 years of using ATMs in Germany and Austria, I have't seen
any of those dangerous pickpockets.

They're professionals, you won't see them they're too good. ;-)
--
Tim C.

Following up to "coolblock" :


This post reminds me of a episode I had back in 1990 in Austria.I
crossed the Austrian border about midnight and there wqs nobody at the
crossing,it looked totally deserted.Anyway a couple days later I was
driving on the autobahn and I happened into an area that actually had a
speed limit and naturally I was exceeeding it and a nice policeman
pulled me over.He spoke almost no English and right away he could tell
I was clueless.He finally made me understand I needed a "sticker"...not
a problem I gave him 30 or 40 US dollars and he waved me on and never
bothered with the speeding infraction

You obviously were clueless.
You were probably being fined for the speeding offence.
--
Tim C.

"Martin" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:18:50 GMT, "tile" wrote:


ha scritto nel messaggio
oups.com...
Hi

I was told that for driving in Austria I will need a sticker (for
autobahn)
Is it the same for Germany ?

I am going to drive daily form Innsbruck to the following destinations

Kuhtai Glacier
Stubaier Glacier
Ischgl
Solden
Arlber St Anton

I will do this for skiing. I have a few questions:

-What currency am I supposed to have with me ?
-For those of you who went there ...what are the supplimentary charges
applied for a VISA or Mastercard transaction (my account is not in the
local currency) . I am not happy to travel with a lot of cash with me.
-Where can I buy the stickers for Germany and Austria and for how much
(if you know)
-How much would be to rent complete set for skiing (boots, poles,
skiis) ?

Any recommendations for driving eating and skiing for these
destinations would be much appreciated. I would also like to know if
the parking is OK for these destinations. Are there any fee for parking
?


pls note that in Germany there are NORMALLY no speed limits on Autobahnen..
so if you want to experience driving a car at 250 kms.. you might do it.

"German roads are fast and well maintained. Notoriously, German
motorways (the Autobahn) are free of speed limits in certain areas,
but where speed limits do exist they are generally strongly enforced
and as such it is obviously advisable that you stick to them."
--

Martin
agree..
still it is nice not to have any speed limit..
and where there are speed limits.. there is a good reason for that.-

I can tell that in Italy most accidents do not happen on toll roads.. but in
normal roads

75% of the casualties are during the so called
Friday Night war..

most young people come out of discos full of alcohol drugs and tiredness
and then accidents occur