We are renting a car in Freilassing Germany and will be driving around the Austrian countryside and then back to several places in Berchtesgaden. We will be returning the car at the Munich airport so car rental is within same country. I have heard that there are delays at the border even though both countries are in the EU. Has anyone recently encountered delays driving across the border?
Thank you.
Either get an Austrian vignette if the car does not have one, or stay off Austrian motorways to avoid delays.
We had a car in Germany for a week last September and drove freely between the two countries. There wasn't too much to indicate when we had crossed over into Austria or back into Germany. Maybe a sign, but nothing huge. We did have that aforementioned vignette and we seriously had zero issues or problems. No border line ups, no nothing.
I've crossed the border between these two countries at different places several times in the last couple of years and there were no stops...just a sign and/or, occasionally, a border station that isn't open.
I have had a slight delay on an autobahn off ramp near Salzburg when the local cops were checking for vignette stickers.
There are random checkpoints setup on the German Autobahns for traffic entering from Austria that can slow traffic for a half hour. Usually you slowly pass through without a stop or ID check. I haven't see any on the secondary roads.
Other than having to get the vignette, not really. After you get it, there may be a random check to ensure you have it and an international driving permit (mandatory in Austria). Getting the vignette may take 15 minutes, but probably less.
Edited: we left our vignette in the rental car when we returned it in Germany.
It is quite likely your car will already have the Austrian vignette. Ask the rental agent before your waste your time and money on one.
It is quite likely your car will already have the Austrian vignette
If they rent in Freilassing it's rather unlikely.
Quoting e.g. the website of Avis Freilassing:
In der Regel befinden sich in den Mietwagen keine Plaketten ("As a rule, there are no vignettes in the rental cars")
Daggum - I’m just suggesting to check before buying. Freilassing is basically a suburb of Salzburg, so for a car not to have a vignette would be weird. I understand that the rental agency has to say these things, but the reality might be different.
