Restrooms in southern Germany and Austria and Switzerland

On Autobahn rest stops, if it's a full service stop with a petrol station and restaurants, you usually €0,70 into a turnstyle machine, and you get a coupon worth €0,50 at the restaurant or snack bar. However, the toilets at unmanned rest stops (which are not as common) are free of charge. As mentioned, restaurants do not usually charge anything, except for some fast food joints in areas with a lot of foot traffic.

Not all facilities require payment. Some do and some don't. If payment is required it varies from half a Euro (fifty cents) to a Euro and a half. We always make sure we have some small coins for potty money and also make sure we have some tissue with us just in case. TC

It depends on what you mean by "public". In restaurants, you rarely have to pay, although it's not unheard of. Everywhere else, expect to pay, it's usually 50 cents, can be as high as 1 euro though. There will usually be a sign posted with the 'recommended tip'. Of course it is recommended in most places (unless you actually have to put money in a machine and go through a turnstile), you don't HAVE to, but I think it's really bad manners not to.

Yeh, it depends. Not in airports, bars & restaurants, but often in train stations and roadside rests on the superhighways, and almost always in public squares. Keep some coins on you. It may vary from 20 ct to 1 eu. Sometimes there is attendant with a tip plate, sometimes you have to put in the coin slot to open the turnstile. I've seen in roadside rests where the turnstile spits out a receipt and you can use to buy a cup of coffee. On my last ski trip in Austria, some of the gals decided to take the day off and take the train to Innsbruck. When they arrived at the station they found the facilities required a coin to get in and had no change. Then they saw a change machine, put a 5 eu note in and got back a pack of condoms. But they wondered outloud why it seemed like every town in Austria seemed to be named "Naechste Halte".

Many but not all public restrooms in Europe will have an attendant. Generally, there is no set "fee" to use the restroom but you'll often see a plate on a table which may have a suggested amount ranging from .20, .30, .50 cents or so. However, I've also come across an attendant at a cashiers window before a turnstile who charged for access. My only surprise was when I went to use the facilities at the Printemps Department store in Paris... the fee was €1.50. The reception desk outside the bathrooms is what I'd expect at a beauty salon and staffed with gorgeous people! Anyway, always a good idea to have your 'lil coin purse!"