How can I combine Austria and the Dolomites in Italy by car?
Feb 9th, 2014, 11:20 AM
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How can I combine Austria and the Dolomites in Italy by car?
Hi all,
Our plan was to pick up a car in Venice, drive the Dolomites and then drive to Austria. We are starting our Dolomites portion of the trip in July so we can take the lifts for hiking. They open late June. We were going to take two weeks driving the Dolomites and two weeks driving mountain areas in Austria (Zillertal, Grossglockner region, for instance) ending up in Salzburg and taking the train to Vienna for a few days. There are some places, like Hallstatt, to which we would take side trips by train. A major problem is that if we pickup a car in Italy and drive it into Austria then the drop off charges are exorbitant. We don't think we can be without a car in either the Dolomites or much of Austria because we will want to do some driving tours.
When I say fees are high, I got quoted $4000 plus $800 drop off fees for one month. I've leased a car before but the fees are still high because I am not picking up or dropping off the car in France.
So I am thinking of picking up in Venice and drop off maybe Bolzano or even drop off in Venice and fly to Salzburg and pick up and drop off car there.
Does anybody have any suggestions? Or has anyone done this?
One time we ended up dropping car up in Como, taking the train to Switzerland and picking up another car there.
Maria in Los Angeles
Our plan was to pick up a car in Venice, drive the Dolomites and then drive to Austria. We are starting our Dolomites portion of the trip in July so we can take the lifts for hiking. They open late June. We were going to take two weeks driving the Dolomites and two weeks driving mountain areas in Austria (Zillertal, Grossglockner region, for instance) ending up in Salzburg and taking the train to Vienna for a few days. There are some places, like Hallstatt, to which we would take side trips by train. A major problem is that if we pickup a car in Italy and drive it into Austria then the drop off charges are exorbitant. We don't think we can be without a car in either the Dolomites or much of Austria because we will want to do some driving tours.
When I say fees are high, I got quoted $4000 plus $800 drop off fees for one month. I've leased a car before but the fees are still high because I am not picking up or dropping off the car in France.
So I am thinking of picking up in Venice and drop off maybe Bolzano or even drop off in Venice and fly to Salzburg and pick up and drop off car there.
Does anybody have any suggestions? Or has anyone done this?
One time we ended up dropping car up in Como, taking the train to Switzerland and picking up another car there.
Maria in Los Angeles
Feb 9th, 2014, 12:22 PM
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Start and end in Munich--if you have a month---and use the Peuguot buy-back plan for a big savings on the car. Get a quote at Kemwel.com
You can loop in two directions and still include all of your destinations.
You can loop in two directions and still include all of your destinations.
Feb 9th, 2014, 03:08 PM
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I've also made the same trip you're looking at 2 times--out of and back into Munich.
If you're going for a month, be sure to pickup the car in a city location--not at the airport.
Virtually every airport has taxes and service fees that may not be charged at the same rental operation's city locations. And we're often talking a substantial difference in pricing.
I looked at a 4 week rental at Hertz in Munich center city, and the base rates were running $145-175 per week--according to the size of the vehicle. And that wasn't even using my Hertz Gold fleet discount card.
I agree with the two above postings. I'd suggest you go back to the drawing board. The drive from Munich to Venice and through the Dolomites is incredibly beautiful.
If you're going for a month, be sure to pickup the car in a city location--not at the airport.
Virtually every airport has taxes and service fees that may not be charged at the same rental operation's city locations. And we're often talking a substantial difference in pricing.
I looked at a 4 week rental at Hertz in Munich center city, and the base rates were running $145-175 per week--according to the size of the vehicle. And that wasn't even using my Hertz Gold fleet discount card.
I agree with the two above postings. I'd suggest you go back to the drawing board. The drive from Munich to Venice and through the Dolomites is incredibly beautiful.
Feb 9th, 2014, 08:17 PM
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WOW, guys. I had not thought about Munich.
This is the kind of feedback I was hoping to get.
My husband also suggested to pick up car in Bolzano, do the Dolomites and drive to Austria do whatever we wanted to do and return car to Bolzano. Then go by train to Vienna.
But, I think I can get better rates at Munich.
Yes, back to the drawing board. I will report back what we end up doing.
Maria
This is the kind of feedback I was hoping to get.
My husband also suggested to pick up car in Bolzano, do the Dolomites and drive to Austria do whatever we wanted to do and return car to Bolzano. Then go by train to Vienna.
But, I think I can get better rates at Munich.
Yes, back to the drawing board. I will report back what we end up doing.
Maria
