kristyn920

My group of 4 is looking to fly into Vienna and spend a few days there and then rent a car and drive from Vienna through the Alps and ending up in Zurich where we would like to fly out of. Our goal is to see the Alps by driving through them and also stopping for several days of hiking at various points. Is this a feasible idea? What driving route would anyone suggest? I understand it's very expensive to rent a car in one country and return it in a neighboring country. Does anyone know approximately how expensive or have any other ideas about how we could see Vienna and the best areas of the Alps in Austria and Switzerland with hiking stops while still being able to fly out of Zurich so we wouldn't have to drive all the way back to Vienna? Thank you for any advice!!

Trophywife007

Topping for you...

It would be good if you provided a few more details... what time of year you are traveling and how many days on the ground there... do you want to stop at, for example, Melk Abbey, or Salzburg, on your way to Switzerland or not, or are you looking for suggestions for stopovers, etc.?

For the rental vehicle you might look up Auto Europe, plug in your places and dates to see what's available for how much. Try it using different configurations to see how much of a difference it makes and then decide whether or not the fees are worth it to you.

Enjoy your planning!

kristyn920

Thank you for responding! We are travelling in June from June 8 until June 16, so we have about 8 days on the ground. Besides seeing Vienna, are biggest priority is doing some of the most beautiful and challenging hikes in the Alps. I am looking for suggestions of stopovers and what routes to drive through the Alps.

bobthenavigator

If you only have 8 days I would spend them in Switzerland and do Luzern and the Berner Oberland. Forget the car.

PalenQ

Vienna - drive along Wachau Valley - gorgeous stretch of the Danube with the famous Melk Abbey on the route to Halsttat - a primo Alpine resort with rugged high Alps then head to Salzburg iva the Austrian Lake District and from there take the inland route thru the heart of the Austrian Alps via places like Zell-am-See, Kitzbuhel, San Anton - Innsbruck -the later three with lots of Alpine hiking areas.

but back to the OP - the Austrian Alps tend to peter out a bit near to Switzerland - around Liechtenstein - so return you car in the last possible Austrian city to avoid drop off surcharges and take the train to Zurich.

A really sweet drive with some really neat varied hiking/Alpine resorts en route.

But I agree with bob above - nothing can compare to staying for some days in the wondrous Jungfrau Region up from Interlaken - trails going off everywhere as do mountain trains and aerial gondolas - hikes for any degree of difficulty - many no special shoes or gear required. No need to relocate as there is so so much variety of things to see and do here - in addition to hiking boat rides on the two lakes bookending Interlaken. If taking the train here from Vienna via Zurich some kind of Swiss Pass or Swiss Transfer Ticket may be of great value - for lots on Swiss trains and passes - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

June is a perfect time for those areas as it is before the July-August tourist season in the Alps though at higher climbs/climes you may still see some snow and cold. But the Astrian Alps I believe have lots of hiking places at lower levels as does the Interlaken area.

JoyC

Renting from Vienna and dropping off at Zurich airport will incur approximately a €200 one-way fee in addition to the actual rental amount. So not too expensive and definitely doable.

PalenQ

For 4 people the train fare from Austrian border town to Zurich would be about 200 euro or a bit less so keep the car.

neckervd

You could perfectly visit the Austrian Alps by public transport.
If it must be a car, give it back at Bregenz, Dornbirn or Feldkirch, all Austrian towns close to the Swiss border from where you can easily reach Zurich airport in about 2 hrs by train.
For your hikes, you would find less (or no) snow in South Tyrol, the area between Lienz and Reschenpass. From Reschen, you could easily drive through the scenic Swiss Engadin Valley (and some more mountain valleys) to the Austrian town of Feldkirch in order to give back your car.

neckervd

I suppose you are a group of 4 adults (children would pay half fare or nothing on Swiss railways).
If you want to do it in a cheap manner, you may drive the other 3 people to Zurich airport, then go alone to Bregenz (70 miles) and turn back by train. That would cost you about 100 EUR, 40 of them for the Swiss highway sticker.

PalenQ

That would cost you about 100 EUR, 40 of them for the Swiss highway sticker.> Plus a day of car rental plus fuel - return the car at your last stop in Austria - and train to Zurich - as neckervd says the free Family Pass lets kids traveling with adults go free on all transports virtually in Switzerland as long as their parents buy a ticket or have a pass to cover the trip.

Michael

If driving to Switzerland, consider rte. 188 from Landeck to Bludenz to experience the high Alps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7622926792957/