 Poster: A snowHead
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Afternoon all,
Just booked Mayrhofen for a week, heading out next weekend. Can't wait. Now just need to decide on the best way to get there.
Flights into Salzburg and Innsbruck are very expensive, as is the cost of car hire. I am looking at flying into Memmingham and renting a car (need a car to do some shopping on the way as we are self catering). What's the current situation in regards to entry requirement for flying into Germany and transiting into Austria for 2 double jabbed and boosted adults?
The other option would be to drive as we live a stones throw from the tunnel. I've driven into France loads, but not any further. If we went with this option, is there a better way to go? How is it working with transiting through France, Germany, etc at the moment via car?
Finally, am I right in saying that Austria will require winter tyres? I'm looking at getting some anyway for the car for future trips into Europe. Would a set of All Season tyres (mud+snow) fit the bill as long as they have the snowflake symbol on?
Thanks all!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Fridge03, I am inclined to dig out the groundhog image, this has been dealt with endlessly over the past couple of months.
Assuming you are fully vaccinated there are no issues with travelling, maybe some forms when entering Schengen from UK (not up on French or Dutch requirements but not needed for Germany or Austria) other than that zero issues, and very unlikely to be any checks. Stock up on FFP2 masks as they are needed in parts of Germany & Austria though becoming less so.
Get an app like Corona Warn as much easier to use than the NHS one, though the requirement to show the QR code is becoming less important but for the moment necessary.
Yes you need winter tyres in both Germany & Austria, I believe any tyres with the relevant symbol on qualify
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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2 hours from Munich airport. You'll have a great selection of flights if you are close to london airports (and probably others though that is just a guess) and hopefully better pricing. Easy to drive that and done it before myself. However that was pre-covid and I have no idea what the covid restrictions are.
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| Fridge03 wrote: |
The other option would be to drive as we live a stones throw from the tunnel. I've driven into France loads, but not any further. If we went with this option, is there a better way to go? |
We've driven to Austria a few times and like you are a stone throw from ET. There are a few threads on the best route and having tried via Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany into Austria and through France to Metz, then crossing into Germany at Baden Baden I don't think there is a great deal of difference in times or miles. There are pros and cons and advocates for each route. We've gone at half term and have tended to stop over on the way, but return in one hit.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| knackered knees wrote: |
| Fridge03 wrote: |
The other option would be to drive as we live a stones throw from the tunnel. I've driven into France loads, but not any further. If we went with this option, is there a better way to go? |
We've driven to Austria a few times and like you are a stone throw from ET. There are a few threads on the best route and having tried via Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany into Austria and through France to Metz, then crossing into Germany at Baden Baden I don't think there is a great deal of difference in times or miles. There are pros and cons and advocates for each route. We've gone at half term and have tended to stop over on the way, but return in one hit. |
+1. We've visitied many times driving and flying and would agree with the route above. We've stop also usually on the way out but return in one hit. It really is a straightforward journey on good roads. If the traffic is bad through Germany (use an old Tom Tom with traffic or the Tom Tom app for live traffic), through Switzerland and then on the the Voralberg is fine as well. Germany (again depending on traffic) can be the fast route then across the Rhine up through France to Calais. Snow tyres are manadory in Austria in winter months.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I drove there last week, easy enough to do. I would pick the outbound route via Strasbourg then few km north to pick up the Stuttgart route to Munich then down into Austria. The Sat nav indicates a more direct routing over the Fernpass but I ignored preferring to stay autobahn all the way - works out about 20 mins longer but easier at the end of a 1000km drive. No checks on entry into any country but your hotel/appartment host will want to see your Covid pass.
Slightly off topic, but after day 1 I attached my FFP2 mask to my helmet - much easier to pull up and down to converse/eat and you don't get chafed ears from the thicker strips under your beanie/helmet
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@Tourbillon, glad to hear that route works as we'll be doing it just before Easter (to Mayrhofen), with an overnight stop in Strasbourg on the way out (and at Reims on the way home)
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So we’ve gone for flights to Munich with Luthansa and car rental with Enterprise.
Anyone got any tips for the journey? Or recent experience on a similar journey? I’m planning on giving it 3 hours at both Heathrow and for the return from Munich after reading about he increased times at the moment in airports.
I’ve got winter tyres confirmed and a set of chains.
From what I can see I need to get a vignette for the Austrian part of the drive?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yes you need a Vignette for the Austrian motorway section, you can get them at most of the service areas south of Munich or pull into the Inntal services on the Austrian border. You need to buy a 10 day one. It is possible to avoid by coming off the motorway at Kufstein but isn't worth the hassle of driving on the back roads. You do need to leave plenty of time when you return as the road out of Zillertal can be very slow on changeover days.
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| Chris_n wrote: |
| Yes you need a Vignette for the Austrian motorway section, you can get them at most of the service areas south of Munich or pull into the Inntal services on the Austrian border. You need to buy a 10 day one. It is possible to avoid by coming off the motorway at Kufstein but isn't worth the hassle of driving on the back roads. You do need to leave plenty of time when you return as the road out of Zillertal can be very slow on changeover days. |
Outbound flight is 11:50 so leaving about 5 hours for travel and check in. So will set off from Mayrhofen between 630-7.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Following on from the above comment on the Austrian Vignette, if it helps, we use the ASFINAG app to buy digital vignettes when we need them
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/unterwegs/id453459323
Just be aware of the need to buy them 18 days before use as an individual,something to do with the EU rule of the 14 day money back online purchase thing, IIRC. (I suppose you coiuld tick the company rep part and use it straight away but not tried it asalways got it in advance)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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won't help the OP but we always get a late flight back when flying from MUC and stop at the giant therm (swimming/sauna) complex in Erding. They drilled for oil and struck hot water... Worst case we can skip if traffic/weather.
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@Chris_n, Kufstein has introduced a ban on transit traffic through the town during the winter season at weekends. When I was in Scheffau a couple of weeks back there were security bods on the roundabout at the junction of the road coming out of Kufstein and the road to the autobahn to enforce it (not that there was any traffic that day). I guess there are ways around it if you really want to.
@ptex, just tick the business button, then works instantly (eg if collecting a hire car)
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You know it makes sense.
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@munich_irish, you can go to Kufstein süd without a Vignette so no need to go through the town.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The train in to Mayrhofen from the airport is also very convenient and cheap, £20-25 each way, 1 train an hour approx. Maybe worth considering. Busses + trains are free and in the Zillertan wit a ski pass to get to the different areas
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Chris_n, if there are queues on the autobahn it is often quicker to go through town, hence the locals getting grumpy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Big thanks to @ptex, for link to ASFINAG app, just bought our 10 day vignette for our trip to Austria at Easter. This will be a huge time and sanity saver at the end of our long overnight trip. We’ve been in some mad crazy queues in the past and that was just to park before joining the queue to buy our ticket. Can I just check that this is all digital with nothing now to display on the windscreen. Again, huge thanks.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Just for future reference for Anyone hiring a car , you can order a Vignette sticker on-line and have it delivered for 2 Euros extra .
Ive used them a few times now without a issue , it saves having to pull over at a service station on-route
https://www.tolltickets.com/
obviously if your taken your own vehicle go the digital route as mentioned above.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@wasley, Buy direct from the company that runs the Austrian autobahns https://shop.asfinag.at/en/ . They are digital no need for a delivery. Simply tick the business box to get instant vignettes. No need to display the digital ones but download confirmation just in case.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Never seen the business option before
Knowing my luck the website would be down or my phone would stop working
Might try it next time ??
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Fridge03, a taxi is cheaper than renting this year (Rental prices have doubled - shortage of new cars I guess). I did Salzburg to Zell am See for £114. Innsbruck to Mayrhofen is a very short drive (1 hour).
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