# Austria & Go Box



## kountrylite_kiwi (Mar 14, 2010)

Hi All
I intend to travel through Austria with my 5th wheel, not intending to stop but travel by the most direct route from Germany to Italy.
The time in Austria will be less than 5 hours.
Do I need to get a vignette or Go Box for this very short period of time? Tow vehicle is a Toyota Invincible.

Mike


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## lookback (Dec 4, 2005)

HI, went through Austria to Italy in September in my 7m motorhome. Bought a vignette at the border. Did not display it on the windscreen as per instructions and was pulled over by the austrian border guards at the italian end. Showed them the vignette and they told me to stick it on the windscreen or pay a hefty fine!
It all depends on how long you are going to stay in Italy. Vignette validity are for different periods. Weigh up the cost of a short term vignette and maybe purchase another on your return journey (depending on how long you are staying in Italy)

Ian


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Vignette for under 3.5 tons, Go-Box for over. You need one or the other for toll roads which are mainly if not all motorways, Alan.


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*EASY VICTIM*

if you were a lazy austrian traffic cop who needed to quickly get his daily allotment of fines in where would u lurk,yep u guessed it right half way along the short hop across austria picking up tourists.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

If over 3.5 tons you will have to prove the Euro Norm for your vehicle, if not you will automatically pay the highest charge. Here is a link, you can download the form you need to submit from here,

http://www.fdeservicepartner.com/Default.aspx?ID=29

Alan.

Edit: To complete that from you need to know your Euro Emissions Category which I assume the vehicle manufacturer can supply.


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

I travelled through Austria spending a couple of weeks camping there. The campsite owner confirmed that the vignette was only required on certain roads (mostly the motorways). Other tolls applied in specific areas eg some tunnels, payable at the booth. 

Don't know where 5th wheel or over 3.5 tonnes fits into this.


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

Go-Box ONLY on Motorways and Expressways.

<<Here>>

List of Motorways & Expressways

<Here>


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Thanks Les, from your link,


If you use Austrian motorways ('Autobahn') and 'S' roads you must display a Motorway Vignette on the inside of the windshield of your vehicle as you enter Austria. Failure to have one will mean a heavy, on-the-spot fine. Motorway Vignettes are obtainable at all major border crossings into Austria and at larger petrol stations.

All vehicles above 3.5 tonnes maximum permitted laden weight and using the Austrian network of motorways and expressways are required to attach a small device - called the 'GO-Box' - to their windscreen. Note that this includes larger private vehicles such as motor caravans that are above the weight limit. If your vehicle is close to the weight limit you are advised to carry documentation confirming the maximum permitted laden weight. If your registration documents do not clearly state this, you will need to produce alternative certification e.g. from a weighbridge.

Alan.


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

erneboy said:


> Thanks Les, from your link,
> 
> If you use Austrian motorways ('Autobahn') and 'S' roads you must display a Motorway Vignette on the inside of the windshield of your vehicle as you enter Austria. Failure to have one will mean a heavy, on-the-spot fine. Motorway Vignettes are obtainable at all major border crossings into Austria and at larger petrol stations.
> 
> ...


Not Totally true Alan, Not ALL "S" Roads are classed as Expressways.


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

I Think the basic rule is if you see the Autobahn sign, you need a go-box


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't remember in detail Les, I just cut and pasted that from your link as I thought it added some clarity. 

Do you think it is wrong? It may well be I found that the FCO information was not entirely accurate when we went to Austria.

I did find an Austrian Government link this morning that might be more accurate although I would not bet on it. We found that their web site giving details of where to buy Go-Boxes was very hard to use and listed several points of sale which when we went looking for them did not exist, Alan.


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

Hi Alan, It is very ambiguous indeed, We spent a good deal of time with some Austrians and this was a big conversational topic and caused a lot of discussion, What we all settled on in the end is that all the Roads with the Autobahn sign as in my last post are the roads that you will need a Go-Box, Only Motorways and Expressways use this sign.

I edited first post and pasted a link for all the qualifying roads and they do tend to keep this up to date.


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## robflyer (Nov 17, 2006)

Check out the Asfinag website. It explains the toll system, charges etc but is still open to misunderstanding. 
For some reason the Austrians delight in making life difficult for people travelling in their country.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I must admit that when we were in Austria I hadn't done much research and ended up just buying a Go-Box from a machine at a filling station. 

I think we put 50 euros credit on it which is the mimimum. We used that up very quickly and then avoided toll roads till we left the country.

I looked for more information today and as far as I can see once you are over 3.5 tons all that alters the tolls you pay is the number of axles. We are three axles and so pay just over 21 cents a km. It looks to me as though a fifth wheeler could well be four axles and pay over 32 cents a km. Not cheap motoring, Alan.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

July this year we went through Austria heading for Italy from Germany. We arrived in Innsbruck via the B2/E45 (Germany) which became the Zirlerbergstrasse (Austria).
I'm not sure if this route is permitted for caravans but 5th. wheelers might be ok, it's a 16% gradient down in the direction of Innesbruck.
I was told at the first service station I encountered on the Austrian side that I did not need to pay tolls on that route.
In Innsbruck we were also told that the A13/E45 did not require a go-box or vignette just payment of a toll at the tollbooth on route.
So in out no hassle just the toll for the Brenner Pass.


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## kountrylite_kiwi (Mar 14, 2010)

Thank you all for your comments. In 2006 in our campervan we went the way Jean-Luc suggests and our front brakes overheated going down the steep hill, so I am a little concerned in taking the 5th wheel that way. On that trip I bought a vignette for a few euros.

MERRY XMAS

Mike


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

kountrylite_kiwi said:


> Thank you all for your comments. In 2006 in our campervan we went the way Jean-Luc suggests and our front brakes overheated going down the steep hill, so I am a little concerned in taking the 5th wheel that way. On that trip I bought a vignette for a few euros.
> 
> MERRY XMAS
> 
> Mike


Know what you mean, the route is not for the fainthearted.
My descent was in 2nd. gear plus some brakes to keep the revs from rising above 2,500. They did get a bit hot but we pulled into the viewing area 3/4 ways down to let them cool off.

On a 5th. wheeler you have four axles (eight sets of brakes) in theory I think you might be better off than a regular two axle MH, but................. :? :?


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