# Brenner Pass, (Austria-Italy)



## rexos (Oct 16, 2006)

Is there a weight limit on the national road on the Brenner Pass please? (We wish to avoid tolls although we have Go-Box.) Thanks


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

Try here, looks like no weight limit

http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9283


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

rexos said:


> Is there a weight limit on the national road on the Brenner Pass please? (We wish to avoid tolls although we have Go-Box.) Thanks


I pretty sure there is no weight limit on either road


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

If you already have a "go box" is it worth it? The high cost in transiting Austria is with the initial purchase of the box at 70 euros. Is there a minimum top up?

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I have just checked the >Go Box web site< charges have gone up w.e.f. 1st Jan 2013 and a box now costs 80 euros and it looks like the minimum charge for a top up is 75 euros. Even though you have a go box that looks like transit across Austria via the Brenner is expensive.

I have a truckers sat nav which I have primed with my motorhome parameters and no way can I force it use the B182, the old Brenner pass road. Change the settings to car and there is not a problem with using the B182. This makes me suspicious that there is a problem using the old road with a larger vehicle?

In earlier threads I have asked the same question and somewhere it has been said there is a weight limit of 3.5 tons but it only applies to trucks not motorhomes? It is likely my sat nav cannot tell the difference.

Hope the last statement is correct but it would be nice to hear from someone who can definitely confirm this.

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Thinking about the above a bit more it would make sense there is a weight limit otherwise the trucks would be using it, which I am sure the Austrians would not want. The question to me is - does it definitely apply to motorhomes?

My interest is I want to transit south to north later in the year with a stop over in Innsbruck and Fussen but 80 euros is a lot to pay for a toll Brenner to Imst of 27 euros.

peedee


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## TishF650 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi there,

We did the old route back in 2009 and there was a 3.5T weight limit then. I can't imagine that it would have changed.

We ignored it though and the road was easily passable in our 3.85t Burstner. Not that I'm recommending you break the law!

Our blog entry is here: http://www.theworldisourlobster.com...s/2009/11/12_10_Germany_-_Bavaria_(sigh).html

Trying to avoid the motorway was a complete pain and the road not easy to find in Innsbruck. Also took us hours longer than it would have on the motorway. But at least we didn't buy a go-box.

Chris


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

As far as I can make out looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Austria if the weight limit sign has a picture of a truck on it then it does not apply to motorhomes.

peedee


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

TishF650 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> We did the old route back in 2009 and there was a 3.5T weight limit then. I can't imagine that it would have changed.
> 
> ...


Rebel!!


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## kenyon (Dec 23, 2007)

The go Box is in fact only rented and costs an initial 5 euros, I would assume that the 80 euros referred to above would be the 5 euros rental and a minimum of 75 euros top up. This is what we have found over the past three years on route to Croatia.


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## kenyon (Dec 23, 2007)

The go Box is in fact only rented and costs an initial 5 euros, I would assume that the 80 euros referred to above would be the 5 euros rental and a minimum of 75 euros top up. This is what we have found over the past three years on route to Croatia.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

We've been to Austria for the last 3 winters avoiding motorways/go box successfully. A few weeks ago, on a road near Imst which we have driven twice before, we did accidentally stray onto a motorway for a mile or so before leaving at the next exit.

You do need to keep the concentation levels up!

Kev


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I had an idea and tried searching google earth for street views of signs but unfortunately there are no street views. I googled the Brenner Strasse and came up with a German 2hr 7 mins video of a trip down the old Brenner to Innsbruck road. I haven't watched it all but 3 mins into the video an HGV is being followed which clearly turns off 25 seconds later, I suspect to go onto the autobahn at a sign which looks like it forbids *trucks* from going any further. I watched it up to the 8mins 25 secs point where there is a clear sign forbidding *trucks* and trailers from using the road.

The video is >here<

It looks like motorhomes, even over 3.5 tons can legally use the old pass road.

peedee


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

In 2010 we traveled from Innsbruck to Italy. At first we headed up the 182, ignoring the 3.5t limit we looking like 3.5t but uprated to 3.850t :wink: 
However we got to a point about 5kms along and found the road closed to all traffic.
Other motorists in the same predicament told us the motorway was toll free except for the payment at the pass so we headed back to Innsbruck up the A13 without go-box or vignette, we paid at the toll booth and headed into Italy unchallenged. 

Questions:
a) Is the A13 free except for the toll at the booth.
b) Was it free because the 182 was closed
c) Is the A13 toll plus go-box/vignette
d) Were we just lucky.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Jean-luc back in 1996 you could just pay for the Brenner Pass all other autoroutes were then toll free except for some of the road tunnels. Since they introduce tolls this is now not the case. You need a GO Box, manual tolls are no longer collected for the Brenner Pass autoroute. I recently checked this with the Austrian authorities who confirmed this, so I guess in your case it was just because the 182 was closed.

peedee


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## rexos (Oct 16, 2006)

*Brenner Pass*

Thanks all for your responses. Our mh has a gross weight of 4.5 tonnes. Consequently it all hinges on whether the sign indicates 3.5, or 7.5 !
Its such a short distance from Innsbruck to the border, yet very expensive( from my point of view). This trucker will be an oap from May...no violins though, please.....


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

rexos, if you watch that video I referred to, it looks a very good road and in fact trucks can use most of it and do appear on the video from time to time. From what I saw it looked like only a small section near Innsbruck was actually banned to trucks just to stop them using this route. I did observe buses using the whole route and about 12 minutes into the video, on what I think is the banned section there are three motorhomes parked just off the road. There does not seem to be any weight limit, just a total ban on trucks on one section.

The route is not at all what I imagined it to be like. One or two narrow sections through built up areas otherwise I do not see a problem in using it. I will build in a couple of slack days into my plans in case I have got it wrong and have to take an alternative route. On the evidence, I certainly intend to to try it, the worst that can happen is I have to buy a Go Box. :wink: 

peedee


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

BTW, we entered Austria (Innesbruck) via the 177 from the German border.
The last section (Zirlerberg / Seefelder Straße) is *very* steep, I needed a lot of brake to stop the revs rising in second gear and ended up with a strong smell of hot brakes three quarters way down. 
I hind sight I should have made use of more of the stopping places further up, instead of just the one.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

update which I have also posted on another thread.

For those interested and who do not want to purchase a Go Box, I came down the old Brenner Pass road, the B182, two days ago in my 6.5 ton motorhome without any problem whatsoever. I even passed two sets of traffic police who seemed more interested in the motorbike outfits than anything else. It is a good wide road a little twisty towards the bottom end as you get near Innsbruck but no hairpin bends, tunnels or overly steep gradients. I will be going up the Fern Pass when I leave to complete the toll free route through Austria.

My sat nav tried to avoid the route like the plague but the B182 is well signed from the Italian end and I had no trouble keeping away from the autoroute.

peedee


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Peedee
Thanks for updating. We are heading to Croatia within the next week or so and glad of info on Austria
Chris


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## rexos (Oct 16, 2006)

*Brenner Pass*

Hello everyone,
Thank you all for your info. An update is that we now have an RV with a gross weight of 7.4t. I don't make it easier for myself do I? Have still not found out any definite info re weight limit on the national road. Gonna try E-mail to an Austrian motorhomer friend....


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

rexos there is definitely a weight limit of 3.5 tons but to the best of my knowledge and from the research I did it only applies to trucks. I certainly treated it as such and had no problem.

peedee


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

FWIW Two weeks ago we used the Autobahn from Vipi in Italy over Brenner to Innsbruck and our 3.5t MH was charged €8.50 on top of the vignette which we already had.


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## ChaseTracker (Aug 22, 2012)

Used the old road two weeks ago no problem but I am in a Auto Trail Tracker at 3.5T so no Go Box needed. Did not use the Austrian Motorways no rush so no point... 8) 
The old Brenner Pass road was ok and stopped when we liked plus very light traffic no big trucks etc.


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

I second Jean-Luc's warning about the road from the German border near Mittenwald to Innsbruck. 

I have done many Alpine/Dolomites passes with no more than a faint whiff of hot brake pads. This road was the first time that I have ever seen smoke coming off the brakes!

Roger


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