Hello,

I am planning to rent a car once I have already arrived in Vienna. Then I plan to drop in Munich. Can anyone recommend a good car rental agency for this trip and what station in Vienna I should pickup the car. I read a lot about the cost being higher for airport pickup and dropoff, so I plan to avoid that. However Avis and other coampnies have several pickup spots and it's hard to determine which one to choose for both rates and ease of accessibility.

Any other tips for car rentals would be very appreciated.

Thanks,

Timu

You will pay a very large drop fee for picking up in one country and dropping in another.

Try picking up in Vienna and dropping on the Austrian/Germany border. Then taking a taxi/bus/train into the nearest town in Germany with a rental agency... pick up there and then drop in Munich. Typically, there is no fee for a one-way drop within a country.

I like the consolidators, kemwel.com (seems I get best prices there) or it's sister-company, autoeurope.com. Check them both, if one has a better price, the other will meet it.

Check carefully for a convenient location for picking up your auto other than at the airport.
Examples Hertz has a most convenient office in the city center on the Ringstrasse not far from many hotels.
Sixt a regional service has an office in the Hilton Stadtpark hotel.
Avis ,while formerly with an ideal location just across from the State Opera moved several years ago to a much less convenient location outside of the city center.
Loo to use a consolidator like Gemut, autoeurope as mentioned above - rates often much less and the auto still from a major firm.
Always check to see that the rental has a valid Vignette ( highway use tax sticker ) most will have one but some rare instances not and the driver will be fined a large amount payable immediately.
Diesel fuel is much cheaper in Austria than normal gas - look for a rental with a diesel engine.
Manuel transmission most always considerably less than autommatic transmission.

Do not pick up your auto until leaving the city - the auto is an expensive liability in the city.
Expensive parking and as the Vienna public transport system is excelent and takes you most all places you will probably visit.

Yo can drop off your auto at Salzburg-
just north of Salzburg - a very short taxi ride is Freilassing Germany - you casn get an auto rental there for Germany and probably save hundreds in drop off fees.

Molker,

Thanks so much for your post. This is exactly what I am trying to figure out. As it turns out I have flipped the cities, so I will arrive Munich depart Vienna.

Could you recommend how I could best accomplish renting a car given the following itienerary.. I am open to changing cities if it makes a difference..

Get car leaving Munich - Rothenburg - Rhine - Fussen or Reutte - salzburg - durnstein - drop off car in Vienna as I arrive in city

Thanks so much...

Just reverse the rental process - pick up auto in Munich when you leave - avoid airport pick up to save on airport surcharge- drop off auto in Freilassing before Salzburg
An alternative is a train to Rothenburg - tour there then pick up the auto.
Taxi Freilassing to Salzburg hotel- tour Salzburg - then pick up austrian rental ( most will already have the vignette ) tour as you wish-
A tip for Durnstein- it is an auto free zone except for residents and hotel guests- several parking lots available at nominal fee at either end of the village- use them- the village has an active patrol to give tickets to offending autos.
Drop off auto when you get to Vienna.
Remenber the need for the austrian vignette for the german rental car.
Reutte area is in Austria and police active along this area- also you may be in Austria a little before Freilassing

Molker,

Perhaps you may have some insight that could help me. Is there a chance I could drop off the car in Salzburg and still enjoy a few days on the Danube/Wachau area before arriving Vienna. I have reservations in Durnstein, but can move them if need be. I would like to see the small towns and stay a least a night or 2 along the route. How is the train service? My travel partner is a bit scared of tight spaces, undergrounp tunnels, this sort of thing.. Therefore I was very focused on just driving the car. The extra money isnt a bother just ease of transport and avoiding any headaches of Vienna dropoff at the Hilton station if traffic is very bad.

Thanks so much for your input.

Just use the above info regarding picking up an auto in Germany for that portion of the trip in Germany - drop it off in Freilassing - taxi to your hotel in Salzburg - a short ride-
after your time in Salzburg - rent a auto for the time in Germany- An avis is in th ecentral area by the train station-

a nice drive through the Salzkammergut ( Lake Country ) stop at Melk to visit Melk Abbey.
At Melk simply cross the Danube River bridge and take the route S- 3 along the Danube to Durnstein ( Melk - Durnstein is about 30 minutes drive - 25 miles - nice scenery and villages.

No tunnels - but in Durnstein a short tunnel under the village to divert traffic away .
You as a hotel guest do not need the tunnel as you can drive through the village to your hotel.
Sanger Blondel, Lowenherz, Schloss Durnstein have parking facilities.

Durnstein a good base and nice in itself.
Nearby Krems and Stein ( 5 miles make for a nice visit .
The nearby wine villages Weissenkirchen, Loiben, St. Michael and Spitz fun to visit also.
Nice Danube boat ride available from Durnstein too.
Then just onward to Vienna- 1 hour 15 minutes from Duenstein.
If concerned about city traffic - simply bypass the city and drop the auto at the airport- then transfer to your Vienna hotel- taxi perhaps 35 euro .

OK thx a million