Bavaria and Tyrol

This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.

1. In mid October will I have any difficulty with snow on the roads in
the mountains?
2. What sights are most worth seeing?
3. Would it be better to choose a single location and make day trips
from there or move from place to place each day?
4. Can anybody recommend pleasant hotels (preferably rural or in a
small town)?
5. With the EU in place are their any delays in crossing between
Germany and Austria?

I thank you for answers to any or all of these questions.

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 00:40:50 GMT, Joe wrote:

This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.

1. In mid October will I have any difficulty with snow on the roads in
the mountains?

In the Tyrol, you *might* but probably won't. Snowfall can be heavy, but
generally short-lived. November/december are the bad times.


2. What sights are most worth seeing?
IMO the nicer bits of the Tyrol are towards the Vorarlberg: Take the cable
cars up from St. Anton, or drive over the Bielerhöhe/Silvretta
Hochalpinstrasse. Or the cable car up to the glacier/ski region in the
Stubai valley (south of Innsbruck).
The Ötz valley is nice, and there is some spectacular scenery and walks
from Sölden and the Rettenbach/Tiefenbach glacier road and also up by
Obergurgl, and the Timmelsjoch.

3. Would it be better to choose a single location and make day trips
from there or move from place to place each day?

I would - if nothing else, it saves you the wasted time and effort trying
to find a place to stay every day, and you can leave your luggage. I'd stay
at one location in each area. Otherwise you'll waste even more time
driving. It's a compromise.

4. Can anybody recommend pleasant hotels (preferably rural or in a
small town)?
5. With the EU in place are their any delays in crossing between
Germany and Austria?

None whatsoever. What border? You might notice a sign that says "Republik
Österreich" or "Freistaat Bayern" as you cross and the road signs change
colour but that's it.


--
Tim C.

"Joe" wrote in message
.. .
This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.
snip

Just a note. A permit called a vignette is required to drive in Austria. The
cost varies according to how many days you will be on the Austrian roads.
You can buy it at the border or in a gas station near the border. Or in post
offices or Tabaks.

The little vignette office is probably the only thing manned at the
German-Austrian border. Otherwise, you just zoom right through.

Marianne

mimi wrote:
Just a note. A permit called a vignette is required to drive in
Austria.

No! The "Vignette" is just needed for driving on motorways and
dual-carriage-ways. There is no toll for normal roads. (excluding tunnels
etc. where you will have to pay!)

lg Gernot

Joe schrieb:

This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.

1. In mid October will I have any difficulty with snow on the roads in
the mountains?
2. What sights are most worth seeing?
3. Would it be better to choose a single location and make day trips
from there or move from place to place each day?
4. Can anybody recommend pleasant hotels (preferably rural or in a
small town)?
5. With the EU in place are their any delays in crossing between
Germany and Austria?

I thank you for answers to any or all of these questions.

I'd just mention that if you're travelling round, we found the
accomodation in Bavaria was generally much better value for money than
in Austria. The beer was a lot better too.

T.

Joe wrote:

This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.

1. In mid October will I have any difficulty with snow on the roads in
the mountains?
2. What sights are most worth seeing?

Schloss Neauschwanstein is Fussen, which is right along the border. We
stayed in Garmishe-Partenkirchen and found it very pleasant.


3. Would it be better to choose a single location and make day trips
from there or move from place to place each day?

That would depend on how much of the area you want to see and whether you
want to be looking for new accommodation every day or spend our time going
back and forth along the same routes. There are lots of things worth
seeing within an hour drive of G-P.


4. Can anybody recommend pleasant hotels (preferably rural or in a
small town)?

We enjoyed both the Gasthaus Fraudorfer and the Poste Hotel in G-P. The
POste was nicer and had a tremendous breakfast buffet. The Fraudorfer was
cheaper, but very hospitable.

5. With the EU in place are their any delays in crossing between
Germany and Austria?

LOL... I got lost coming back to G-P from Fussen. We figured we crossed
the border 6-7 times. You have to keep a sharp lookout for the border or
else you will miss it. Once you arrive in the Schenken zone you do not have
to worry about border crossings between the member countries.




I thank you for answers to any or all of these questions.

My preference is for staying in one place and doing day trips. It's a
lot more relaxing, and you'll probably end up saving money, too. We
often stay near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the nearby town of Grainau
(right at the base of the Zugspitze mountain). There are many
different types of lodging in this small town, from B&Bs for 13 Euros
a night/person, to nice hotels. Grainau is in easy driving distance
from all the sights in Bavaria (Neuschwanstein, Fuessen, etc.), and
only a bit further to Tirol. Or, also consider Mittenwald, which is
closer to Austria, or Reutte, which is in Austria.

You may wish to also consider the Alpine region in and around Hohe
Tauern National Park in Austria (I can't remember whether its in
Salzburg or Tirol province). Krimml and Zell am See make good bases
for exploration. Depending upon how early in autumn you are traveling,
a trip up the Grossglockner Alpine road is worthwhile (too late in the
season and it will be closed due to snow).

Brian W.

Joe wrote:

This autumn I will have the opportunity to spend a few days in southern
Bavaria and across the border in Austria. I would appreciate guidance
on several questions. I plan to rent a car and drive and I am more
interested in natural beauty than in man-made sights.

1. In mid October will I have any difficulty with snow on the roads in
the mountains?
2. What sights are most worth seeing?