We are making a trip to the lower Alpine areas of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The trip is planned for first 12 days of October. The highest elevation will be 5,250 feet. We are seeking advice from travelers who have driven Alpine roads during the first several weeks of October. Any notes of caution or specific advice on the rental autos would be beneficial.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
2696 posts
First part of October can be really nice, but the days get noticeably shorter that month. you'll lose 5-10 minutes of daylight every 24 hours. It's also possible to hit a few days in a row without rain, and maybe (depending on the weather) some fall "color". By mid October most of the trees will be bare.
Expect rain, possibly snow. Last year it snowed that early. Make sure your rental has winter tires.
Lichtenstein doesn't do much for me, although the area is pretty and a drive down the valley scenic. But on the south end of Lake Constance is the town of Dornbirn (about an hours drive from Lichtenstein.) If the weather is clear go there, take the cable car up the mountain, and have dinner while watching one of the best sunsets you'll ever see. Reservations are a good idea for the meal.
Posted by
296 posts
is this instead of or as well as the Innsbruck visit I've just answered on?
If both, you have a small problem before the tyres. Switzerland and Austria both have a system of tax for using the main highways known as Vignette, usually in the form of stickers in the windscreen. But they are completely seperate so a rental car from one country will not have a sticker for the other. That will be up to you to buy. Both have annual stickers, Austria also offers a 10 day version.
Switzerlan does not have a legal tyre date, you are liable for getting it wrong on any day.