Winter tires in November
 

Hi,

Just wondering, we're looking to rent a car in Munich for our Germany/Austria trip in late November. Planing on the Berchtesgaden/Salzburg area and the Mittenwald/Innsbruck area with a trip or two into Italy. The rental co. charges 14 Euro/day for winter tires. I know it's a law in Germany to have them when driving in snow conditions. Has anyone ever rented a car around this time without the winter tires?

My husband once had an accident due to black ice on the road in the Rhein-Main area in early November. The car did not have winter tyres. It can happen. We were told that sometimes there is a sudden early blast of winter and then the weather returns to normal for a couple of weeks before winter proper starts (usually December). We nowadays always prefer winter tyres from November onwards,

Lavandula

In Austria from November 1 to April 15 winter tires are mandatory when driving in snow/ winter conditions.
If only driving in dry conditions they are not required.
But who can predict such happenings.
Most here have two complete sets of tires including rims - one for summer and another for winter.
Many auto places have programs to store the extra set and make the changes as needed.
So here it is relatively easy.
Note that one having an accident during the above period and in snow conditions without winter tires is considered to be at fault and must prove otherwise.
Fines can be high.

Snow chains not a good alternative to me - not just a hassle to mount but only allowed in fully snow covered road conditions.

If possible - perhaps you wish to examine renting the auto in Austria- it should be equipped with winter tires and also a vignette during this time.

Train from Munich to Salzburg and find the auton there.

You will be in the Alps and wintery conditions with snow and, worse, ice are very likely there in November. Driving without winter tyres would be sheer madness. Black ice can appear out of nowhere, for example on bridges or exposed stretches of road, or in the morning, and it is more or less invisible. Road clearing is efficient but the service cars need their time to arrive and complete their task, so don't rely on all roads being clear.

I live in the Netherlands. Winter here is generally mild, but sometimes is snowy. By late November we can be having serious frosts and black ice can be the result. Worse still is freezing rain, which we can also get from mid- November.

I put winter tyres on my car at the end of October and they stay on until April.

I'm not sure I would want to risk driving in the Alps in late November without winter tyres.

If the 14 euros a day extra for safe tires is too much perhaps you should take the train. Driving in winter weather without proper tires is simply asking for trouble. (And if you're involved in an accident how many thousand euros will it cost you?)

Let me get this straight: you are planning a trip to the German Alps in November and have a problem with having to pay for winter tires? Well, either take the train, take a cruise, or skip the latte mecamoccha...... Hope I don't run into you given your responsible concern for your own safety and that of others..... geeee, some people ought to stay home.

Viajero, I didn't say I had a problem paying extra for the winter tires. I re-read my post and didn't see where I said it was a problem. Just asking for other's experiences. Geeee, that was harsh considering you didn't know what I was thinking. Thanks anyway.

Paul

Well - I do have a problem with having to pay an additional fee for winter tyres, too, because I think car rental companies ought to be obliged to rent out cars that meet all safety requirements without charging extra. What will come next - a charge for headlights and functioning brakes?
However, unfortunately there is nothing we clients can do about this ripoff practice, so we have to "bite the sour apple" (German saying) since having winter tyres is essential.

I would have thought so also. Our 10 day rental would pretty much buy 2 of the tires. I will get them of course. Rather be safe than sorry.

I echo molker's statement....winter tires are mandatory in Austria in the November to April time period. We paid quite a bit one December and unfortunately it was a very dry December with hardly a snow or ice on the ground. Its quite funny really that in the parking lot, our car is the only one that has winter tires but c'est la vie!!