# Tolls and Vignette in Austria



## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Will be travelling through Austria early next month. 

Will be travelling from Munich to Insbruck on the E 533 non Toll road. Would then like to travel on the Autobahn Brennar Fast route to the Italian boarder. 

Sorry I am aware that there are many posts on this subject but I am still confused. 

Do I need to purchase a vignette (8 euros) and also pay a toll (8 euros) for Brenner Pass? I am aware that the Vignette alone will not get you on the Brenner Pass motorway as you have to pay the extra toll but do you need to purchase the Vignette for this journey??

thanks alun


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Since 1997, the use of all autobahns requires the purchase of a vignette for passenger cars up to 3.5 tonnes or a GO-Box (electronic toll system) for trucks and buses. On routes which are more costly to maintain, mostly Alpine routes with tunnels -sections of the Pyhrn Autobahn, the Tauern Autobahn (Tauern Tunnel) and the Karawanken Autobahn (Karawanken Tunnel), as well as the Brenner Autobahn- an additional toll (Maut) is required which is collected at time of use via toll plazas.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahns_of_Austria
(See the paragraph marked "Tolls.")

It's only 8 Euros (less than two pints of beer) for complete peace of mind.


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks John. That clarifies things now 

The Answer therefore is to purchase a Vignette to get on to the autobahn at Insbruck, then pay another 8E at the Toll Plaza for the Brenner Pass.... sorted 

alun


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Alun

check whether your MH is under or over 3.5 tons - you will need a go box if it is over, and they are not cheap!


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Now that leads us on to another interesting point. Our MH is a Rapido 786F originally plated at 3450 but was uprated to 3650 by previous owner. This is shown on the V5 Reg docs

However Normal gross weight laden is normally<3400 as checked on weighbridge. The Austrian Autobahn Toll system talks about large MH >3500kg need to purchase the GO Box.

My question is therefore: How do they know the weight of the van? If it went on to their weighbridge on a Toll Plaza it would show<3500 Only indication being the Plate on the door. Surely they do not check that plate or the Registration Documentation V5 at the Toll Plaza. Again their computer system does not tie up with the DVLA to read registration plates or does it???.

Has anyone any answers on this one please

thanks

alun


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

As you say, it is not a perfect science. They have both dedicated enforcement officers and cameras to monitor and check compliance. The penalties are here:-

http://www.asfinag.at/toll-enforcement-and-monitoring


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Alun, I don't think its worth the risk, I have a plate at the side of my van which clearly indicates my GVW as 3900kg, i'm assuming yours is similar, I don't think they are interested in the actual weight even if it is under 3500kg.

We might be heading that way in September through to Slovenia, have you thought about not bothering with a GoBox and avoiding the autoroutes and expressways?

See attached map and avoid these roads accordingly....

http://www.asfinag.at/c/document_li...712-2ee7-4e7f-8c1e-ba49cce74179&groupId=10136

I've identified two possible non motorway routes across to Italy so far...

Fussen (D), Reutte (A), Nassereith, Landeck, Nauders and then over the Resia pass into Italy, as far as I know, no toll on that pass unless anyone knows different.

Reichenhall (D), Lofer (A), Kitzbuhel, Mittersill, through Felbertauern tunnel (toll) Lienz, Kotschach and into Italy.

Theres probably a few more.

Pete


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We have just spent nearly a month in Austria. We are under 3500kg so just purchased 2 10 day vignettes when we needed them. We were down at Halstatt south east of Salzberg and could have easily gone to Slovenia without using thr motorway but diverted to Villach and lake worther and and as the weather was bad used one tunnel at 8e.

In the end though we ended up further east and crossed into Slovenia over a none toll pass from ferlach to Ljubljana. Good roads and nothing too steep.

Great scenery 

I reckon they will go on your plated weight not the actual weight unless they weigh you like they did to us in Switzerland.

Having said that we never saw a single police car or check point anywhere in austria apart from on one minor road where for some reason they were pulling up every single car into a layby an causing a massive tailback.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

If buying a GoBox you need to know your Euro emissions class to complete the purchase. If you don't know it will be assumed that your vehicle is in the most expensive class, that costs a lot per Km.

Also we entered Austria via a minor route over some mountains and found it very difficult to find a sales point to buy one. I checked the government web site for sales outlets and plenty were listed, we used the addresses to go to the nearest but the first several we tried to find did not exist!

In the end I just asked at a filling station and got directions. We were 100k ish into Austria before we got one. It used all the credit, €70 I think, in a couple of hundred Ks, Alan.


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks for all your help and advice on this matter. The last question re weights is still an interesting one!

Regarding Tolls etc on the Brenner Pass I now have a definitive quote from asfinag web site (Autobahn owners)

http://www.asfinag.at/special-toll-routes

*A 13 Brenner motorway*

_As the entire A 13 motorway is a special toll route, no (additional) mandatory toll sticker is required when using this motorway. Please note that a valid toll sticker is however required for using the A 12 motorway. For drivers who wish to avoid the road network that falls under the toll sticker system, the Innsbruck Süd junction is the first access to and/or the last exit from the A 13._

I think this is very clear and as such if you use non Toll roads to Insbruck yiu can use the Brenner Pass fast Autobahn without having to purchase a Vignette or a Go Box

Good news!!!!
alun


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## Darloboy (Oct 27, 2010)

Whatever you need to be compliant its worth getting it.

I was in Southern Germany two weeks ago and went into Austria in my toad. I duly purchased a vignette for the toad 8 Euros for 10 days. 

A few days later I was travelling towards south western Germany in the motorhome and toad and the Satnav route took me back and forth into Austria on our journey. 

At one border point there was a vignette check. I did not have one for the motorhome so they stopped me. They were just to about to issue the 120 Euro fine when I showed them the vignette on the toad. As the motorhome and toad was in effect one vehicle having the vignette on the car satisfied them so they let us on our way. I should have moved it onto the motorhome which probably would have prevented us being stopped but for the sake of 8 Euros it was worth it.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Darloboy said:


> At one border point there was a vignette check. I did not have one for the motorhome so they stopped me. They were just to about to issue the 120 Euro fine when I showed them the vignette on the toad. As the motorhome and toad was in effect one vehicle having the vignette on the car satisfied them so they let us on our way. I should have moved it onto the motorhome which probably would have prevented us being stopped but for the sake of 8 Euros it was worth it.


Thats an interesting one for those who pull toads. So you can effectively just purchase one sticker and affix it in the toad and then use it to travel around freely on toll roads and leave the motorhome on site and also be legal in the motorhome when the toad is on the back.

Don't forget though, that the sticker must be 'stuck properly' in the window of one of the vehicles and cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle unless anyone knows different in this case?

Pete


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

erneboy said:


> If buying a GoBox you need to know your Euro emissions class to complete the purchase. If you don't know it will be assumed that your vehicle is in the most expensive class, that costs a lot per Km.
> 
> Also we entered Austria via a minor route over some mountains and found it very difficult to find a sales point to buy one. I checked the government web site for sales outlets and plenty were listed, we used the addresses to go to the nearest but the first several we tried to find did not exist!
> 
> In the end I just asked at a filling station and got directions. We were 100k ish into Austria before we got one. It used all the credit, €70 I think, in a couple of hundred Ks, Alan.


Phew, not cheap then if over 3.5 tonnes.

Paul.


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Interesting point Darloboy. Just a question ...If you have a Autotrail Mohawk with a MAW of 4250 did you not have to purchase a Go Box?

Did the Border check not raise the issue that the MAW was >3500 or did they not check. Which brings me back to the original question how do they check the weight of these MH? 

In your case with a Toad that means you had one rear axle on the MH and another for the car making two. How did you "get away with it"??? Did they class you as a small MH not being an A Class?

Again this requirement to purchase a Go Box seems "very hit and miss"!!

alun


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## Darloboy (Oct 27, 2010)

I too was puzzled why there was not more problems regarding the weight and need for a Go Box. 

They had began to examine the documentation for the motorhome but stopped when they saw the vignette and said it was OK to go. I did not need telling twice so left sharpish.

When I travelled to Germany three weeks before, we went through the border checks between Germany and Austria and was waved through (no vignette at all at that point in time). We were told (probably incorrectly) that as routes often take people to/from Austria into Germany that the authorities were more relaxed about vignettes on border roads as journeys were often of that nature - purely passing through - does anyone know about this? 

I purchased the vignette for the tow car as I was going to Bechtesgarden and Salzburg so more than just passing through.

The Satnav (Snooper) was set to take me to Sulzburg in Germany via the quickest route. The route selected by the Satnav meant travelling into Austria on two occasions during the trip and then into Swiitzerland going back into Germany at Basel. With hindisght I would have not chosen this route with the problems it caused us but as many of us do we relied on the Satnav. 

However bearing in mind the probably incorrect advice and the experience three weeks before it incorrectly lead me to think that we did not need anything for the motorhome. 

Does anyone know the regulations for towing a car on an A frame in Switzerland? We know the EU regulations and all that surrounds A Frames but at the time we didn't know about Switzerland so kept going


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

The high cost was due to my not knowing our emissions class Coppo. I didn't want to guess so let it go through at the highest class. That was not a good idea but I didn't see what else I could do under the circumstances. 

I suppose that had I guessed and been charged too low a rate it couldn't have been checked anyway. If I didn't know and couldn't find out quickly then I suppose neither could anyone checking, Alan.


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

So it comes back to my original thoughts that this is quite a "hit or miss" situation. If the vehicle "looks" more than >3500 kg then it needs a Go Box (2 axle large MH and lorries) but any others are OK and can get away with a Vignette.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I still don't think its worth the risk.

My van, at 5.99mtrs long doesn't 'look' like a >3500kg vehicle but it is.
The weight stamp is clearly visible on the nearside (LHD) skirt of the vehicle so if I did get pulled over it would be easy to spot.

Knowing my luck, i'd get the thorough officer who checks everything. :lol: 

Pete


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## rexos (Oct 16, 2006)

*Austria*

Our mh is 4.5 tonnes. We have a go-box but wish to cross Austria on way to Slovenia via non-Auto route roads. Is this possible please?


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