Greetings!
Will be flying into Zurich from US, renting a car, then
traveling to Lauterbrunnen & Gimmelwald before
traveling in Austria to Innsbruck then for a week
in Schliersee, Germany, and finally ending in Munich.
Any cost saving suggestions on renting a car for this type of trip
over two weeks in duration? Thanks!
T.C.
Two things to keep in mind.
1. There are likely to be large fees involved with renting a car in Zurich and dropping it in Munich.
2. You will need to purchase an Austrian vignette (toll sticker) as soon as you enter Austria and fix it on your windshield in the right spot.
You might want to contact Autoeurope.com - but call their 800 number. I rented a car in Madrid to return in Lisbon. Their customer service rep saved me over $250 in combined drop off fees and rental cost - though I still had a drop off fee.
Since you're coming from the US, you're probably used to just driving everywhere on vacation. Have you considered doing the train thing instead? It's what all the cool Euros do. And don't forget, gas prices in Europe are quite crazy so factor that into the cost equation.
Most of your destinations are well served by train and public transport. Around Lauterbrunnen, most people leave their cars parked and switch to trains and lifts to go up the mountains, where there are few roads. Perhaps you would only rent the car for the week at Schliersee, both picking up and dropping the car at points in Germany.
How to Look Up Train Schedules Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it.
Thank you for the Car Rental Reply!
Is a vignette required in Switzerland and Germany also? I will check the trains
as well. The thought of just keeping the car while in Schliersee is a good one.
I will explore a Germany pickup and Germany dropoff.
For a week going from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen to Gimmelwald to
Innsbruck to Schliersee, Germany is there a rail pass that would be worthwhile
to purchase for a week time span? Thanks!
Tom
Riverview, FL
If you rent a car in Switzerland, the Swiss vignette should already be attached. No vignette required for Germany.
The Swiss Half Fare Card is a good value in Switzerland. Austria just pay as you go. In Schliersee and the rest of Bavaria, look at buying a Bayern Ticket on travel days. 27 euro covers 2 people traveling all day after 9 am on weekdays, and all day on weekends. Only local buses, subways, trams, S-bahns, regional trains throughout Bavaria. In other words, no high speed express trains. Includes S-bahn trains to Munich airport and regional trains to/from Salzburg to/from Bavaria.
