Driving Germany into Austria ... Auto Sticker
 

Hello,
I am in the process of renting a car for our trip to Germany. We are starting out in Munich, driving south to the Garmisch - Partenkirchen, Zugspitze and making our way to Salzburg and then to Berlin. My question is the Auto Sticker. I have heard rental companies offer vehicles with a sticker. If not, where does one purchase the pass? Is it before or after border crossing? Is it purchased for a cetain number of days? I have heard of the steep fine for not displaying the sticker.
Thank you for your assistance,
jane

You need the toll sticker to drive on Austrian motorways (A or S roads).
It costs around 8 euros for 10 days (which is the shortest possible time). You get it at gas stations near the border, already in Germany, e.g. in Garmisch.
If you already know your exact route, you could post it to check if you actually need the sticker.

You can buy it at the border or shortly afterwards at gas stations.

If you are entering Austria coming from Munich and/or Rosenheim, there is a gas station just before the border. Again, there is a gas station at the border when approaching Salzburg from the German highway. If you are arriving from Mittenwald, there should be a gas station on the main road at Seefeld, or you could try the post office at Seefeld. As controls are automated and the fine is stiff, it is not prudent entering an Austrian highway and then looking for the vignette. If you are staying any time near the Austrian border, you are likely to spot gas stations that will sell the Vignette before actually entering Austria.

While we are at it, if the rental car has a sticker, do not assume it is valid and check yourself. There are three types of sticker - annual, two months, ten days. While the annual one has just printed the solar year it refers to, the other two stickers have to be punched to mark their validity. A ten day sticker should be punched on the month and day the validity begins. Expired stickers should be removed but often are not.

You do not need the vignette if you stay off the motorways and expressways. Secondary roads FTW!