Bavaria and Austria

Yes, you will need a windshield sticker to drive on the Autobahn in Austria (it is not required for other roads). If part of your trip will include the Autobahn, you will need to buy one before you enter. They are sold in German border towns (even as far away as Munich), and you can of course buy them in Austria, but before entering the Autobahn. As for the IDL, I have always purchased one before leaving the US. It only costs $15 (plus the photo - although I make my own copies of an earlier passport photo) and the AAA office is a mile away from my house. However, I don't think I've been ever been asked to show it, even in Poland where the guidebooks suggested you purchase an IDL. But for $15, why take a chance?

Driving back to Oberstaufen from Garmisch thru Austria via Reutte will not require a vignette as you will not be transiting an Autobahn. I have driven extensivly in Austria and have never carried an IDL.

How about driving your car to Eibsee and taking the cable car up and the cog wheel train down? We did this in '07. As for eating on top of the Zugspitze your choices are only what is up there. We have found that it is not hard to find inexpensive places to eat while traveling in Germany. In Fussen there is a hotel that Rick has recommended in the past to stay at that has a good restaurant and desserts. We have also stopped at a small diner/take away place to grab a bite to go. I am sorry I can not remember the name so perhaps someone else can help on that one. The road we took into Austria from Germany had a sign reminding you to buy a vignette which we did at the very next Shell station. There were a number of people lined up to buy the stickers. I buy the sticker to be safe and look at it as a cost of my travels. The same for the IDL. I find it to be a small cost for the peace of mind if I were to be pulled over. We all travel differently and to our own comfort level. Do what is best for you.

Betty - Thanks for the interesting link. Another Austrian requirment: "Drivers are required to carry a Reflective Safety Vest in their car at all times. This new regulation is required by law and is subject to heavy fines." I'm curious if this is a common requirement throughout Europe and if the car rental company supplies those? I know a reflective vest is not part of the RS packing list.

OK, once and for all. An International Driver's License IS REQUIRED in Austria. You may never need to show it, but why risk it for just a few dollars cost? Also, you CAN BE FINED (300 to 3,000 Euro) on the spot for driving on the autobahn in Austria without a Vignette affixed to your windshield. You can buy one that is good for 10 days and cost 8 Euro so why risk getting caught without one? http://www.austria.info/us/plan-your-trip/driving-regulations-in-austria-1084578.html

Hi Susan, First, it is NOT an International Drivers License. It's an International Drivers Permit (IDP). Second, concerning the Austria "Vignette" (highway toll sticker), why risk a hefty "on the spot fine" for 8 Euro ($11)? No, you probably don't need this, but I'd buy it just in case. I call both of these cheap "peace of mind". As for driving from Oberstaufen to Garmisch via the castles, that should be no problem. What time are your tickets for? A mile or so from Neuschwanstein is the Tegelberg cable car and luge ride (Sommerrodelbahn). The luge is a lot of fun. After visiting the Zugspitze, visit Ludwig's Linderhof Palace. We prefered this tour to Neuschwanstein, plus it's on the way. Reserve tickets for the Zugspitze? Even if you can, why chance it? There you are paying for and reserving tickets during a beautiful, clear evening and there you are standing with tickets in the rain the next morning. The Zugspitze is an expensive waste of time without the views from the top. IF you have rainy day, check out Ettal Monestary and Linderhof palace instead. Just an opinion... IF both Neuschwanstein AND the Zugspitze are your primary reasons for visiting this area, I wouldn't reserve tickets for Neuschwanstein or the Zugspitze. If it's a clear day on the drive from Oberstaufen to Garmisch, I'd do the Zugspitze trip this day (a sure thing this day beats a maybe the next day). You could do the driving route Oberstaufen to Garmisch via Reutte and Lermoos/Ehrwald (Austria). You can get to the top of the Zugspitze from Ehrwald, Austria a lot quicker and even cheaper than from Garmisch. Just a thought. www.zugspitze.at Paul

The last couple of times we rented a car in Germany, the vest(s) were in the trunk of the car.

Sorry, Paul, but on the website link regarding Austria driving regulations, they do call it an International Drivers License. Whatever you call it, for what it cost, I wouldn't leave home without one.

Hi Betty, No need to say you're sorry. I'm just going by what AAA issues and it's the IDP I've bought for our trips. http://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html http://www.gemut.com/car-rental-europe-basics/3763-do-i-need-an-international-driving-permit-idp.html Whatever you may call it, I also wouldn't drive in Europe without it. As for the reflective vest... a few years ago we didn't have one in the trunk of our car, picked up at Munich airport. For a few more Euro, I bought one when I bought the Vignette. I now take it with us when we travel to Germany and Austria. Otherwise, it stays in the trunk of my car. It's a good idea to have in my car anyway. Paul

First of all, you do need an IDP to drive in Austria, it's the law. RICK'S STATEMENT WAS VERY BADLY WORDED - HE NO LONGER BUYS ONE IF HE DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE IT. If you want to know what can happen in a country that requires one when you don't have one, go to the Graffiti Wall and look at Bob Halton's post dated 01/06/12. It is the voice of experience and it's ugly. As for the Austrian Autobahn vignette, make sure your rental car has one and take a picture of it on the car just for luck. If you have to buy one, keep the receipt. Every once in a while the roasdside cameras make a mistake and by the time the ticket wends its way through the rental company, across the ocean and to your door step the fines are ballstic. That is the experience of a recent poster. Roadside technolgy can make big mistakes like the one in England a couple of years ago that sent a Mini driver a ticket for doing seven-hundred-fifty miles per hour in a thiry-five zone.