Hi,.
We are planning a road trip (renting a car in Vienna) and travelling to Budapest via Bratislava. And then will stay in Budapest. And then drive from there to Ljubljana through Zagreb. Stay in Slovakia. And finally drive back to Vienna.
What should we know before crossing these international borders? Do we need some sort of permit to travel between these countries. We hold US passports.
Any suggestions are highly appreciated
Thanks a lot
As these countries are all in the Schengen Zone, there is no formal border procedure between these countries. You will need vignettes for your car for Austria and Slovenia. Croatia uses a toll system.
And then drive from there to Ljubljana through Zagreb. Stay in
Slovakia. And finally drive back to Vienna.
Maybe you didn't mean " Slovakia"? Maybe you meant "Slovenia"? Or your description is out of sequence?
You realize that car is going to cost you thousands of $$ before it's all over ..... which is okay. Just a heads up this isn't a drive across the Midwest US cost wise.
Have a blast.
Yes, I meant from ZAgreb to Slovenia
Why do you say that sir?
We looked up rental charges and they were decent enough.
Just the gas and Toll charges we had to take care of now.
Is there something else we are missing?
Thanks
In all countries you want to go to, i.e. Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, you have to pay toll for using the freeways (Autobahn). In Croatia you pay at toll booths, in all other countries you need a toll sticker (either physically at the windshield or virtually linked to the car's license plate).
You will need an international driver's permit. Usually issued by automobile clubs.
And gas is considerably more expensive and for parking i would figure 30 euro a night. Then maybe 100 euro in traffic fines.
We are booking hotels with parking spot. And if we pay toll charges and purchase the vignettes, why are we fined? Is there something here we are missing?
Thanks
anusha.phd, no you arent missing anythng. I was sort of joking. Reading the posts here sometimes it seems a lot of people end up getting traffic tickets in the mail 6 months later. And if you got hotels with free parking you are all set to go. To be honest I cant think of a better way to see Croatia and Slovenia than to drive, so I think that much is a brilliant idea. And do take a moment to let us know which hotels in Budpaest, Vienna and Salzburg you found with the free parking. That will be useful for a lot of people.
... why are we fined?
Most people are fined for exceeding the speed limits.
Highway Tolls
- Every car rental in Austria will come with the highway vignette. If you are unsure ask at the rental counter.
- Slovenia also has highway vignettes that are linked to the car's license plate. You can purchase this online once you have your rental car. Be sure to purchase this before you enter a Slovenian highway. The current cost is 16 euros for one week. These can also be purchased at gas stations, but I've only done it online.
https://www.gov.si/en/topics/tolls/
- Croatia has a pay as you go system with toll collection at the exit. Credit & debit cards are accepted.
Zone Surcharge for leaving Austria
Depending on the car rental company, there is a surcharge for leaving Austria. For example, Hertz will charge about 18 euros per day for the entire rental (not just the days you are across the border). Based on my experience, some Hertz locations will ask and add the charge and some will not. For a longer rental, this adds up. This information isn't obvious anywhere on the Hertz online reservation system.
Sixt has a flat fee of about $60 this year that you can add to your rental when you make your reservation.
Driver's Permit
As others mentioned the International Driver's Permit (from AAA in the US) is an official translation and verification that your driver's license is valid. You will still need to bring your driver's license. The rental companies don't really care about the IDP, but if you are stopped by local police, the police may make a fuss, it depends on the country and the officer. AAA charges about $35 (IDP and photo). It is valid for 1 year and you choose the date it becomes valid when it's issued.
To avoid fines, make sure you know the basic road signs and traffic rules in each country. For example, in Austria, when you enter a village (there is a sign with the village name), the speed limit drops to 50km. You are expected to know this and there are no speed limit signs. Drive the speed limit even if everyone else is not ,as there are plenty of speed cameras. No right on red and no passing cars on the right.
Border Crossings
Generally there won't be any border crossing stops between these countries. However, we noticed some enforcement on small back roads in Austria, both along the Hungarian and Slovenian borders last year. They will ask for your passports and send you on your way. We did not see any checks on major highways.
Enjoy your trip!
I suggest you confirm that you will be allowed to take the car into those other countries. Some agencies don’t want their cars going into places with high rates of vehicle theft or other potential problems.
