# Checks on payments for Tolls on Austrian Roads



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I have read most of the posts about Austrian toll charges and I also note
a few of you visited or crossed Austria last year. The vibs seem to be don't
try to "fiddle" the system because the checks are in place and you will get caught. I have made my mind up that being 3.8tons I will opt to purchase a Go Box.

My questions are:

What checks are applied regarding vehicle weight and number of axles when purchasing a box. My reg cert does not show weight. Do I need to prove I am under 12tons. If it is none and I am caught in a check up what proof is then demanded?

I understand you cannot post pay with a credit card unless it was issued in Austria. Is this still so?

If I have to prepay is the minimum charge still 45 euros plus 5 euros for the box?

It is unlikely I will be able to avoid toll roads completely. Any response about recent experiences of the above will be appreciated.

peedee


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

*Austrian GO BOX*

Like you I have been researching the Austrian GO BOX.

I did email the GO Box site regarding the matter about Post Pay as I had read on their site that credit cards had to be Austrian issued. Although they replied with info they DID NOT answer the crucial question about using UK issued credit cards.
But from reading info elsewhere e.g. in MH magazines/caravan club etc it appears that you can post pay with a credit card..........I have yet to try it out!!
We are planning to attend an Auto-Trail Club Rally at Zell am See and are driving there after our tour in Eastern Europe, from Hungary. We were planning to use the Austrian motorway as little as possible so think the prepay would be too costly for us?
Apparently you can purchase a GO Box before entering Austria at a place near the border and also deposit it before leaving or just over the border after leaving Austria. Some say its easy but other reports say its difficult so don't know what to believe.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Thanks Rita, It might be safest to email them too and see what answers I get? I am only crossing Austria to get to and fro from Croatia. Its a right rip off when a 10 day vignette only costs 7.5 euros if you are equalto or less than 3.5tons. I was hoping I could post pay and limit use of toll roads to pay a resonable cost but this does not seem so and just for being over the 3.5 tons the minimum it appears you can get away with is 50 euros. The minimum top up is also 50 euros. No wonder Robinhood says Austria is now a no go area for him.

I have been to Austria before. Then there weren't any road toll charges but where road improvements had taken place you were forced to use these because they put restrictions on the old roads, i.e where they had built a toll tunnel.

peedee


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## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

I went through Austria to Slovenia and back last year. A friend of ours was travelling a few hours ahead of us. We both decided that we would purchase the go box, These can be got at petrol stations in Germany from about 50 miles before the border. When we were purchasing ours the only thing we were asked was whether we had a single axle or double axle motorhome, we had phoned our friends who had gone through ahead of us and they told us the total cost would be about €55 one way, so we put on €65 the go box we paid by cash, when we were leaving AUstria going into Slovenia we went straight through as we had enough credit if you are short you are sent to an office to pay the difference. Made a bit of a mistake coming back, at the border could not figure out which lane we should be in and ended heading over towards the trucks, and then took another road to the garage as we needed to buy things, we came out of the garage and headed on our way, after about 5 miles we realised that we had by passed the border and had not paid for the extra due on the go box (about 50 euro) Oops ! we were very bold and kept on going, if we had tried to that we would not have been able to. Felt very guilty.


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

I don't mind avoiding the motorways if I'm just dithering, the main roads are sufficient and the towns quite attractive.

The problem that concerns me most aligns with Peedee's words. On using byways I've increasingly come across recently upgraded roads (not motorways) on which the Maut is compulsory, or roads with a 3.5T limit.

The latter drive you straight back on to the toll-roads, the former can catch you out having done your planning on how to avoid motorways (anbd can lead to long detours)

I don't mind paying a reasonable toll (never baulked at the vignette), but long distance at Lorry rates makes it much more attractive to go elsewhere - a pity, because we love Austria otherwise.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

*Austrian GO BOX*

We love Austria too. In the past have had a lot of walking holidays. Now our MH is 3.85t this is a problem. We don't mind paying a fair price but as we will mostly use smaller roads bulk at paying their prepay prices for a small section of motorway (intended) or for the times we are let to the motorway (unintended)!!
It looks as though we will have to find a "long Way around to reach our rally at zell am See!!!


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## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

The charges are high on the Austrian Motorway, this year will have a tag axle which will make it even higher, it took us 2 hours to drive through Austria, and cost us €55 for the pleasure, so I can imagine the cost if you were using these roads for visiting the country in order to get from a to b. Not very motorhome friendly.


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Since I last checked some time ago, the website www.go-maut.at seems to have been fully updated in English.

It seems to answer most of the questions, and though I had also read that UK credit cards may now be acceptable (probably the same article), the website implies not (Except Diners and American Express).


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Thanks, I have emailed the contact on the above site with my questions. It is pretty good but it is not so easy to find the answers and many web sites are not kept up to date with the latest information. If I get a reply I wil post them here.

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

For those that are interested, I had a response to my email sent to the toll authorities in Austria

My questions were:


> What checks are applied regarding vehicle weight and number of axles when purchasing a box. My British registration document does not show weight. Do I need to prove I am under 12tons. If it is none and I am caught in a check up what proof is then demanded?


They didn't really answer this. Just said I had to present my registration document!!!!?



> I understand you cannot post pay with a credit card unless it is issued in Austria. Is this still so?


It is so, I was quoted verbatum from the web site. So we must prepay.



> If I have to prepay is the minimum charge still 45 euros plus 5 euros for the box?


This is confirmed but it is plus 20 percent VAT as well and the minimum top up charge is 50 euros plus VAT



> Are there any concessions for blue badge holders.


There isn't.

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

For anyone interested, I managed outward and homeward crossings of Austria for the minimum Go-Box charge of 55 euros. I entered Austria via Passau in Germany buying the Go-Box at a garage on the A3 in Germany near Passau. I was asked for my registration certificate and paid by credit card. I left the A3 on the German side to cross the border and take the toll free B137 to Wels where I joined the B138 to Liezen. This is a very good road and I made as good a time as if I had travelled on the toll roads. I joined the A3 Austrian toll road just after Liezen at Rottenmann to cross the Alps. (I don't think there is an alternative) to arrive at Stadt Camping in Graz for 2 nights. Graz is well worth visiting and there is a good bus service close to the camp site. This section cost the bulk of my 55 euros. I then took the toll free B67 to Solvenia. 

For the return I left Solvenia from Camping Bled, a terrific place to visit, joining the A10 Austrian toll road at Villach for the short trip to Lendorf where I joined the toll free B100 to Leinz (a little narrow in places but no real problem) where I took the B108 and B161 across the Alps, both excellent toll free roads apart from a cash payment for a tunnel toll. After a night stop in St Johann in Tirol, a pretty spot, I took the B176 and B172 to join the A33, a short toll section, to cross the border into Germany heading for Munich. 

The total Go-Box charges did not exceed 50 euros although I was warned quite early by the beeping of the box to top it up. I ignored these warnings 
in the belief I had plenty of money left for my planned route. This proved to be the case and I never did get the money expired 4 warning beeps although it must have been very close. 

peedee


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Do they check the plating on your van to check what weight it is or do they want to see you dvla log book?

May be a silly question but our logbook says 3800kg but the plating says 3500kg( manufacturer has not put on the higher plate) . Dealer is trying to sort this out but will not be by Saturday so will have to be careful when driving abroad I think.

Any advice please at tolls etc.
Chris


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

No they do not check plating but do record details from your registration document onto a central computer which I think also encodes weight info on the Go-Box so it matches your vehicle and you are correctly charged for your weight. It might also cross check with the DVLA computer, many EU states now have access to this info. I guess if you were stopped, the police may check further but if you have paid for your correct gross weight I cannot see it being a problem.

peedee


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## smokingdragon (Apr 27, 2006)

Hi

Having just gone through all the Austrian tunnels approx 30 Kms, plus all the bridges, I was wondering how would the the Austrians fund the capital expenditure and maintenance on these infrastructures without the funding from vignettes and GoBoxes?

Simon


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

I haven't travelled to Austria since the seventies so am well out of touch - but hope to pass through in October on the way from southern Germany to Pedraces, in the Dolomites.

Does anyone know whether there's a way through (North/South) which avoids Austrian Motorways and the vignette problem?


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Norman, If all you need is a vignette rather than a Go-Box then at Euros7.5 (£5.25) for a 10 day one is is hardly worth bothering avoiding toll roads! You will still get charged for the tunnels which ever way you opt for and they usually cost much more. 

peedee


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

I'm not only out of touch - I'm now confused! There's a vignette and  a go-box!!

The MH has permissible maximum weight of 3.85 tons. Does this affect which device to use?


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

NormanB said:


> I'm not only out of touch - I'm now confused! There's a vignette and  a go-box!!


Yes there is and the minimum charge for a Go-Box is Euros 55. For more information click HERE



NormanB said:


> The MH has permissible maximum weight of 3.85 tons. Does this affect which device to use?


Yes you must purchase the Go-Box because you are over 3.5 tons. Sorry I do not know a route across Austria to Pedraces but you might be able to work one out using the above web site and a map of Austria but if I were you I would only stick to the major roads.

peedee


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