Mittenwald, Germany to Ortesei, Italy by car, avoiding Austrian toll freeway

I don't think there is any way to avoid the Austrian autobahns. Not if you're going via the Brenner Pass.

Rt 182 runs parallel to the Autobahn over the Brenner Pass and requires no vignette.

Look at viamichelin.com for alternative routes, they have a search option "without tolls". A quick check shows about 45 min slower (1h46 to 2h25).

It’s possible, but navigation is not easy in and around Innsbruck, as all road signs will lead towards Autobahn. Fines are heavy if you get caught driving on toll roads without valid vignette.
Thus, you would need a good satnav with the setting to avoid toll roads.

Avoid driving Brenner pass route on weekends from end of May through mid of September. Traffic will be heavy on weekends and there will be some local road closures of transit traffic.

I also just wanted to write that it may be possible that you can't drive any other way than on the highway in Austria. In recent years roads have repeatedly been closed because traffic in the small villages was simply too much. So you need a really good reason why you can't drive on the highway - unfortunately saving 10 Euros is not a reason.

If you manage to navigate ordinary roads between Zirl and Innsbruck, you can enter the city and drive up to highway entrance Innsbruck-Süd. South of Ibk-Süd the highway is a toll one, and not cheap, but you pay directly as you cross the Europa bridge and a vignette is not required; even cars with vignette are required to pay. Using the toll highway to Brenner saves time; even if the stretch of ordinary road between Matrei and Brenner is easy and pleasant, the stretch between Innsbruck and Matrei is quite curvy and slow.

Please note that in August weekends, as the highway is very congested, in order to avoid congesting villages as well roads around Innsbruck are limited to local traffic only. There will be police controlling. I remember being once stopped and questioned in Patsch (I was only going to buy bread at a local supermarket).

Thanks for the detailed responses. I think we’ll just get the vignette and stick to the highway.

fun fact - as you go through the Brenner Pass there is a McDonalds there with an absolutely killer view.

I drove from Innsbruck to Sterzing and back twice in December on 182. No need for the Brenner Autobahn. If I'm not mistaken the Brenner Autobahn has additional tolls above the vignette. Roads were clear of snow. Twists and turns mountain road. Only issue is if you get stuck behind a bus or trucks (slow go). You'll pass places like the Gschnitztal (Krampus 5 Dec) that don't see many tourists. Seeing the Brenner Autobahn from underneath is impressive. Some traffic by the Outlet Center Brenner too. I set my Navi to "No Tolls" and cruse along. Not sure what happened to the Austrian effort to limit traffic on secondary roads a few years ago (to include limiting Navi real-time traffic updates). I never ran into it. I rarely travel the Austrian toll roads, but will next week as I'm driving with my bike carrier and E-Bikes to Vienna and the Melk area on the Danube.

I’d spend the 10€, well worth the time savings.

Stop at McDonalds. The views are killer.

Quick heads up if you choose the old road over Brenner Pass from Innsbruck, please be aware of and careful around the many cyclists climbing the same route. The road gets narrow and windy in places, but there is no alternative for cyclists who want to ride up, not bypass by train. On a summer day there could be tens or hundreds of people riding that road, one of whom on one summer day will be me :)

Thanks!