Car rental

A quick check on expedia shows hertz has a $32 one way drop fee added to the regular rate. So , yes, as long as you pay.

You should also notify the rental company that you will be going into Austria, they may charge a fee for that. Also Austria requires a Vignette, a sticker, to drive on the motorway...not really sure if it is required for just Salzburg, since it is on the border, but something to look into, and to discuss with the rental company.

There should be no problem with the venture into Austria, they can get a bit sticky about Italy and some of the former eastern bloc nations. When you get the Autobahn vignette, you can get a short term one which is good for 10 days, if I remember the number correctly. They are available at gas stations near the border on both sides of the border. It's only a few bucks, easy to get, and very expensive if you get caught without one and since they use roadside cameras for enforcement, you will get caught. Be sure to follow the instructions about which corner of the windshield to mount it on. The alternative is to do what a Brit friend of mine used to do ... don't use the Autobahns. I have always just smiled and paid the money.

More important is that you and anyone else who may drive the car in Austria must have an IDP ($20 and a passport photo at AAA). If you get caught without one, the fine is substantial and as the nice lady from the Austrian tourist board told me long ago, "if you have an accident, the financial downside is unlimited because you will find that your insurance policy is Void."

I don' say this to scare you, only to warn you. We have drive in Austria many times and enjoyed it. When you are in Salzburg, stop in the McDonalds in the old town and have a slice of torte, you won't believe it. Have a good trip.

I can confirm, at my cost, that a vignette is required for Austria even for the relatively short drive from Salzburg to Munich (or vice versa in my case).

If I remember correctly, the Austria vignette was fairly pricey for the limited time you’ll probably be there. We bought ours at the border. Once you buy it, ensure it is affixed to the window properly, or you could get a ticket.

Thanks Nigel. I knew one was expensive and thought it was the Austria one.

Austrian is cheap - pre plague it was 9.40€ for 10 days. The Swiss one is the expensive one - CHF40 for 14 months of a calendar year (Previous Dec-the year-following Jan).

from Füssen to Salzburg would you expect to drive through Austria or through Germany? Both are possible and quite different.

You only need the Austrian Vignette for the Autobahn. I've travelled to Salzburg from Germany without a Vignette many times. Just get off the German Autobahn before you reach Austria and set your Navi for no Highways/Autobahns. I enjoy taking the secondary roads and haven't bought an Austrian Vignette in 10 years. You'll get a lot more mountains driving thru Austria. You just have to have the time. Maybe a short stop along the way like Innsbruck?

Since nobody mentioned it: take care that you have a valid driving permission (not license only) for both countries, e. g. for Germany.

Also: both countries have different regulations on car related features, e. g. winter tyres, ...

Living in Austria, we rented cars often. Although the vignette was included in our rental fee because we were originating in Austria, we were always asked at pick up if we were taking the car out of Austria. Thus, be prepared to pay - at the rental desk when picking up your car - an out-of-country fee.

Different companies have different fees/rules... I want to say our out-of-country fee was about $35 USD, (Generally, we rented through Hertz). There could be a substantial fine (or loss of insurance coverage) if you had an accident or a violation (where the rental company was notified) if you were outside the country of origin and did not disclose this at the time of pickup.

I'm not sure if there are any restrictions on overnight parking (if you would need it), but there are 260 free parking spots in the P&R lots at the Freilassing Bhf. Freilassing is a German town across the Salzach River from Salzburg.

From the Freilassing Bhf, you can take frequent trains (there were 7 in the one hour period I checked) into the Salzburg HB, or you can walk a couple of blocks up to Salzburger Str. and take a twice hourly bus into the old town of Salzburg (Ferdinand-Hanusch-Platz).

That way you can avoid parking in Salzburg and needing a vignette.

Are you sure you really want to drive from Füssen to Salzburg. It will save a little time, but at a higher cost and, apparently some inconvenience.

According to ViaMichelin, the fastest way from Füssen to Salzburg is via Bad Tölz; it takes about 3 hours. Taking the train involves a change of trains in Munich and regional trains take about 1¾ hours longer, but almost an hour of that is a stopover at the Munich Hbf. With a little planning, you could make that a lunch stop. I did that years ago when I went from Rothenburg odT to Berchtesgaden. We left Rothenburg just after 9 and arrived in Munich just after noon. The next train to Freilassing was in 20 minutes, but I waited for the following one and had an hour twenty minutes for lunch. There are multiple restaurants and a "food court" in the Munich Hbf.

Two people can go from Füssen to Salzburg on regional trains using a 33€ Bayern-Ticket; that's only a little more than the ViaMichelin estimate for fuel alone for a small car, and you won't have the days of car rental cost or have to spend the time picking up or returning the car.

You certainly can do that. Not sure how many rental places are in Fussen however, you may be limited in what companies have cars there. While I love Hertz their rates are far higher than Enterprise. And if you are from here, you might want an automatic car - depending on your skill level or if you use one a lot already.

since the original poster - the person who asked the question - the OP - posted this nearly a month ago and has never returned after that one and only post, its possible that kfa521 isn't seeing the replies

Thank you all so much for your in put. I now have a file with all of your suggestions. It will be a great help when we actually start making our reservations and can really travel again. THANKS!

Just my .02 here.. The train system is fantastic in Germany, and yes, you can save some if you decide to go that way.. However, you do miss some really great experiences doing so. I spent two weeks driving through Bavaria (and did the Fussen to Salzburg drive in a day as well.)

We stopped at a number of brown sign sights (tourist markers) and saw things like Wieskirche (a grand pilgrimage church nestled away between Fussen and Oberammergau) and Ettal Abbey (where Benedictine monks still brew a rather tasty beer!) And then you have the incredible beauty of driving through small roads in the Alps. It's pretty great.

Again, not for everyone, but if you enjoy getting away from what everyone else does for a bit, it's a great way to spend a day.