What happens at the Germany-Austria border? I heard that I will need to buy a "tow tag"?

The autobahn there is the perfect trap. Before you even notice, 100 meters behind the border, there they stand, waiting for victims.

For driving on Austrian motorways you need a toll sticker -- if that is what you mean.
It costs 7.70 for 10 days.

Starting in late summer, there will be a new corridor toll sticker, for those who only want to use that short bit of Austrian motorways around Bregenz to go to Switzerland. That sticker will only cost 2 Euros per direction, but I have not yet read any information when it will become available.

If your destination is the city of Bregenz itself, and you do not plan to drive anywhere else in Austria, you don't need a sticker when you leave German motorway 96 at exit #2 and follow directions for Bregenz on local roads (appr. 10km).

cowboy,
Yes, I meant a toll sticker. Thanks for the info. My initial destination is Bregenz, but will be driving to other places in Austria and Switzerland - possibly Italy.

logos999,
So, if you don't buy the toll sticker, then you'll end up paying a fine?

Something between 300€ and 3000€. It used to be 120€, but since this season they are totally out of their minds.

http://www.asfinag.at/docs/Mautordnu...sch_gesamt.pdf

Link too long, sorry ....

Checked again, it's still a 120€ on the spot fine. If you can't or refuse to pay instantly, it's up to 3000€

Gas stations in Germany just before the border sell the toll stickers; they are also available right at the border; it's very well-signed.

You'll need a sticker for Switzerland too.

I made the drive from Munich to Interlaken last summer. The autobahn is a good route and leads to the tunnel around Bregenz.

We bought the short term sticker for Austria and the only one available for Switzerland.

I had heard the same stories about cars driving in Austria on the authbahns without those vignettes being a cash crop. It is like some of the speed traps in the USA, only that one is binary: either you have it or you don't, and if you don't whammo.

I am trying to remember where I got mine. It was close to the border at a gas station that had a window set up just to sell the stickers for Austria and Switzerland.

We will be driving from Cesky Krumlov to Salzburg. Will we be able to get these at gas stations in the Czech Republic or right at the Czech-Austria border?

When you follow the direct route from Cesky Krumlov via Lienz to Salzburg, you won't have to worry since the first 30 or so kilometers in Austria are toll-free federal highways anyway. Either at the former checkpoint of the border or later along the road you will find enough gas stations which sell the sticker.