Rental Car Options in Austria at Lake Constance/Bodensee?

Rick rightly points out that inside the Ring road Vienna is basically car free. And the old town in Salzburg is definitely car free. So you would have some issues there

Is there anywhere on the lake to pick up in Austria?

A look at the map will convince you that you can limit your search to Begrenz (Hertz) and Dornbirn (12 kms away; Europcar, Sixt). Or, opposite direction, you could rent in Lindau, Bavaria (Sixt, Europcar), but then return in Freilassing, just outside Salzburg, to avoid the high drop off fee for return abroad.

Phred, point taken. I wouldn’t drive while in Vienna and I realize a car isn’t necessary in Salzburg, though it can be helpful when going to smaller nearby towns. Salzburg parking is also expensive. We spent a week in St. Johann im Pongau one year and drove to Salzburg one day. It was ridiculously expensive. When we went another day we took the train. We picked that car up as we were leaving Vienna and had a nice stop at Melk Abbey on our drive to St. Johann.

I thought I might be an advantage to have a car for Lake Constance, it worthwhile to keep for our journey to Salzburg. Maybe it’s not necessary.

Thanks sla019. I had also considered that.

AutoEurope showing several options in Bregenz, one of the few Bodensee town in Austria.

do be aware, Andrea of the very high car toll at the S16 Arlberg Expressway and its long tunnel from Switzerland into Austria (and v.v.) which is currently €11.50 per trip and is not covered by the mandatory vignette.

There are a few more Austrian tunnels and highways with separate tolls on top of the vignette.

Something to be aware of when considering getting a virtual vignette - if you use the Austrian vignette app, because of Austrian law regarding cancellation within 18 days the virtual vignette is not valid for 18 days after purchase. Tough with a rental car. If you get a virtual one at various physical locations and pay with contactless it is valid immediately.

Confus-a-cat? https://www.asfinag.at/maut-vignette/vignette/digitale-vignette/

I must be missing something. Why not just buy a physical vignette at a gas station?

Thanks Nigel.

Chris, my question has nothing to do with a vignette. I don’t want to rent a car in one country and return in another, as would be the case if I picked up a car in Switzerland or Germany.

Yup I was responding to Nigel above

I speak for myself - my car, my personal car - has so many Swiss and Austrian vignettes on the windscreen as well as both German and French environmental stickers and other required stickers there really isn't much room left for another Austrian vignette. Only a slight hassle to get the Austrian one on but it needs to be in the correct place or a ticket may be in the mail, and they are a real pain to get off (designed that way) so if I can just go into a rest area with the number plate info and use a contactless vending machine and be done vs. walking into the same station, waiting in a line, paying the person for the vignette, wait for them to punch the two holes, then walk out to the car, carefully take the backing off and put it in the right place (right way up - been there) after removing the one from before - which choice might I make.

In Andrea's case the car may well already have the Vignette, but there will be plenty of folks reading whose car won't...