Austrian Go-box

[Guest Colin Robinson]

Has anyone experienced the Austrian Go-box? Our van is 5 tonnes so we shall need one of these if we use the motorways. There was an awful report in the (Dec?) MMM magazine about the obtaining of one of these boxes, and the subsequent re-imbursement of unused funds etc. I know that we don’t need it for travel over the Brenner pass to Innsbruck. But our plan is then to go to Lake Constance in Germany. Our options are :- 1. Use the A12/E60 to the lake, for which we need the Go-box. 2. Use the old 171 road, but this then seems to become the S16, the same road as the E60. 3. Go north from Innsbruck avoiding motorways, and wind our way into Germany on numerous winding roads that will probably take ages. Any views on this would be greatly appreciated. Colin Robinson.

[Guest Brian Kirby]

Colin You don't say where you'll be coming from but, if from Italy, look at the Reschen/Resia pass. North from Bolzano, the left at Merano up the Val Venosta. Good surface and fairly easily graded last time I used it (quite a few years back, but even if the surface has deteriorated since, the gradients won't have changed!) and gets you across Austria on ordinary roads via Nauders, Landeck, Nassereith and Ehrwald to Mittelburg in Bavaria, then left to Bodensee/Constance. No Go-box required! Regards Brian

[Guest Mel B]

I may be being rather thick, but am I right in believing that if you don't use the motorways in Austria you don't need a go box, or anything else for that matter, regardless of the size of your vehicle? We're going to Germany etc in August/September and might dip into Austria if the mood takes us.

[Guest Brian Kirby]

Mel No, not thick: the situation is somewhat less than totally clear. In principle, avoid motorways, and you won't need a go box (or a vignette, for that matter), as I understand it. See November '05 MMM, letters, p 9, "Vignettes and Go boxes" from Cynthia Webb, para 4. She quotes her German Knaus dealer as saying (re. Go boxes) "but why travel on Austrian motorways? Whenever we want to travel to Italy, we just use the main roads and ignore the motorways". Caravan Club "Caravan Europe 2", bears this out, but states that the requirement applies equally to roads esignated "expressways" and bearing an "S" prefix, as well as Autobahnen with an "A" prefix. Also, there are a number of separate toll roads (Arlberg, Brenner, Felbertauern, Gerlos, Grossglockner, Karawanken, Pyhrn, Silvretta, Tauern, and Timmelsjoch), that are neither A nor S roads, and some stretches of A11, A12 and A13 do not require vignettes or Go boxes. However, I believe the route I gave to be toll free, and quite an easy Alpine crossing. If anyone knows different please say, because I intend using it in April! Hope this helps Brian

[Guest Foxy]

Colin, I took the same route that Brian has described last year.I believe it is known as the "Intal". Someone reccommended it to me instead of the Brenner pass, said it was quieter and more scenic. Having not done the brenner pass I could not compare but I must admit it seemed quiet and the scenery was stunning. No go box required. Foxy

[Guest Colin Robinson]

Thanks for your responses. We'll probably take the non-motorway route into Germany.