Driving to Austria (Hintertux) in November

[propaintballa]

Hey Guys,

My girlfriend and I are planning on road tripping for 10 days mid November, starting in Santander and culminating in Bruges. On the way we are planning on a few days skiing in Hintertux (though could be somewhere else) and am scratching my head a little bit about the weather to expect, specifically with regard to the driving conditions.

As I'm sure some of you are aware, in Austria winter tyres are mandatory if driving on snow covered roads from 1st November. I am wondering whether to expect snow on roads up to Hintertux, and indeed after Austria, up through Germany? The videos and pictures I have seen suggest there isn't usually snow on the roads, but on the glacier, much higher up.

Any information on this and your past experiences in that area would be great!

 

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

Hey Dude, I worked in various ski resorts over the years up until 2015 when I quit the industry.

Hintertux is very very small and narrow, the roads are bit of a pig and not in the best condition (Austrian Alps are pretty poor in general) In all honesty I wouldn't worry about snow on them in November, it's just glacier skiing minimal snow fall, unless there is a supernatural event and it dumps it down you'll be ok, they generally do a good job in clearing the roads, so long as you are not out late at night or early in the morning. So don't plan for pre 8AM departures if it snows the trucks will still be out and they kick up tons of crap as they go past you in the opposite direction.

"Winter tyres" out there aren't what they crack it up to be, When I had my Fiesta ST out there for a couple of months I had mine on a set of Uniroyal Rainsports and the police were fine with them. One thing I did get schooled on was the "headlights must always be on" rule, this applies to the whole of Austria. DRL's and Sidelights do NOT cover it. Dipped beams must be on. 99% of the time you'll get flashed by a copper to turn them on and that'll be it but if you're in a "sporty" driving manner and they aren't having a good day they won't hesitate to sting the evil foreign driver flouting their rules.

Other things to note, in France, Austria and Switzerland ( I think CH applies to this) is they do not take kindly to any form of sat nav that indicates where speed cameras are or anything that detects radar, if you have fitted Nav turn this feature off.

Also if you have Xenons you can set them to work on the other side of the road manually so no need for the reflector crap on a Z4 (mine has this feature anyway) pretty cool.

Should be a great trip though, Have fun driving in Bruges / Brugge. 90% old cobble stone streets will be nice and bumpy, kerbs there are gigantic also.

If you are crossing from France to Switzerland via Geneva ( this will be the best route) on the way to the boarder there are several nasty speed cameras disguised as bins and they do work and are set to trap anyone at 53KPH or higher... And they do pursue foreign drivers relentlessly for their 120EUR fine.

Anything else let me know.

 

[propaintballa]

Hey Dude, I worked in various ski resorts over the years up until 2015 when I quit the industry.

Hintertux is very very small and narrow, the roads are bit of a pig and not in the best condition (Austrian Alps are pretty poor in general) In all honesty I wouldn't worry about snow on them in November, it's just glacier skiing minimal snow fall, unless there is a supernatural event and it dumps it down you'll be ok, they generally do a good job in clearing the roads, so long as you are not out late at night or early in the morning. So don't plan for pre 8AM departures if it snows the trucks will still be out and they kick up tons of crap as they go past you in the opposite direction.

"Winter tyres" out there aren't what they crack it up to be, When I had my Fiesta ST out there for a couple of months I had mine on a set of Uniroyal Rainsports and the police were fine with them. One thing I did get schooled on was the "headlights must always be on" rule, this applies to the whole of Austria. DRL's and Sidelights do NOT cover it. Dipped beams must be on. 99% of the time you'll get flashed by a copper to turn them on and that'll be it but if you're in a "sporty" driving manner and they aren't having a good day they won't hesitate to sting the evil foreign driver flouting their rules.

Other things to note, in France, Austria and Switzerland ( I think CH applies to this) is they do not take kindly to any form of sat nav that indicates where speed cameras are or anything that detects radar, if you have fitted Nav turn this feature off.

Also if you have Xenons you can set them to work on the other side of the road manually so no need for the reflector crap on a Z4 (mine has this feature anyway) pretty cool.

Should be a great trip though, Have fun driving in Bruges / Brugge. 90% old cobble stone streets will be nice and bumpy, kerbs there are gigantic also.

If you are crossing from France to Switzerland via Geneva ( this will be the best route) on the way to the boarder there are several nasty speed cameras disguised as bins and they do work and are set to trap anyone at 53KPH or higher... And they do pursue foreign drivers relentlessly for their 120EUR fine.

Anything else let me know.

Hey man, good to hear from someone who seems to be in the know! Strangely, I will actually be going in a Fiesta ST, the ST150 that is, not sure which you were in! I suppose I'm not too worried about the actual effectiveness of winter tyres, but more worried about getting stuck without winter tyres and getting fined as a result. From what I've read, they are mandatory on snow covered or icy roads from 1st November, and I have terrible luck, so I'm a bit paranoid!

Thanks for the other advice though, will definitely bear it in mind! As for Bruges, luckily we are only departing from there and don't really intend spending much time there! If you could give me a bit more info on what I just mentioned, that would be great, as I had planned to buy the tyres in the next couple of weeks!

 

[Lance]

From the AA website (whole document here) - https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/country-by-country

It’s compulsory to carry the following in Austria:
 Warning triangle
 First-aid kit - which must be in a strong dirt proof box.
Austria (Central Europe)

 Reflective Jacket – you must carry a reflectorised jacket / waistcoat (compliant with European regulation EN471) which has to be used in the case of a breakdown or accident and even when setting up a warning triangle on the road. This regulation does not apply to passengers, mopeds/motorcycles, however it is recommended.
 Winter equipment – All Motorists have the legal obligation to adapt their vehicle to winter weather conditions (see information below).
Between 1 November and 15 April, vehicles must be fitted with winter tyres (which must be marked M&S on the side walls and have a minimum tread depth of 4mm) or all-season tyres which must be marked M&S (mud and snow) and if roads have a covering of snow, slush or ice outside these dates.
Theoretically snow chains on summer tyres can be used as an alternative to winter tyres where the road is heavily covered with snow and no damage to the road surface is caused by the snow chains. In practice, because road conditions and the weather cannot be predicted, use of winter tyres is effectively compulsory.
Note: It is the driver’s legal responsibility to carry the required winter equipment so it is essential to check that it is included in any hire car.
Other rules/requirements in Austria
All vehicles using Austrian motorways and expressways must display a motorway toll sticker (vignette). The stickers, which are valid for one calendar year, two months or 10 days, may be purchased at some petrol stations located close to the border in neighbouring countries and in Austria: at the frontier, at petrol stations, post offices, tobacconists or in ÖAMTC offices. The ‘Korridor Vignette’ is no longer available. Fines for driving without a vignette can be severe, minimum €120. A vignette cannot be purchased retrospectively.
Some mountain passes are closed in the winter due to heavy snowfall or danger of avalanche.
Tolls are also payable when passing through certain motorway tunnels.
The use of the horn is generally prohibited in Vienna and in the vicinity of hospitals.
When a school bus has stopped to let children on and off, indicated by a yellow flashing light, drivers travelling in the same direction are not permitted to overtake.
It is prohibited to use radar detectors. Dashboard cameras are prohibited in Austria.
If a voucher is required for parking they can be obtained from most tobacconists, banks OAMTC Offices, ticket machines in the metro and some petrol stations.

 

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

Hey Dude, I worked in various ski resorts over the years up until 2015 when I quit the industry.

Hintertux is very very small and narrow, the roads are bit of a pig and not in the best condition (Austrian Alps are pretty poor in general) In all honesty I wouldn't worry about snow on them in November, it's just glacier skiing minimal snow fall, unless there is a supernatural event and it dumps it down you'll be ok, they generally do a good job in clearing the roads, so long as you are not out late at night or early in the morning. So don't plan for pre 8AM departures if it snows the trucks will still be out and they kick up tons of crap as they go past you in the opposite direction.

"Winter tyres" out there aren't what they crack it up to be, When I had my Fiesta ST out there for a couple of months I had mine on a set of Uniroyal Rainsports and the police were fine with them. One thing I did get schooled on was the "headlights must always be on" rule, this applies to the whole of Austria. DRL's and Sidelights do NOT cover it. Dipped beams must be on. 99% of the time you'll get flashed by a copper to turn them on and that'll be it but if you're in a "sporty" driving manner and they aren't having a good day they won't hesitate to sting the evil foreign driver flouting their rules.

Other things to note, in France, Austria and Switzerland ( I think CH applies to this) is they do not take kindly to any form of sat nav that indicates where speed cameras are or anything that detects radar, if you have fitted Nav turn this feature off.

Also if you have Xenons you can set them to work on the other side of the road manually so no need for the reflector crap on a Z4 (mine has this feature anyway) pretty cool.

Should be a great trip though, Have fun driving in Bruges / Brugge. 90% old cobble stone streets will be nice and bumpy, kerbs there are gigantic also.

If you are crossing from France to Switzerland via Geneva ( this will be the best route) on the way to the boarder there are several nasty speed cameras disguised as bins and they do work and are set to trap anyone at 53KPH or higher... And they do pursue foreign drivers relentlessly for their 120EUR fine.

Anything else let me know.

Hey man, good to hear from someone who seems to be in the know! Strangely, I will actually be going in a Fiesta ST, the ST150 that is, not sure which you were in! I suppose I'm not too worried about the actual effectiveness of winter tyres, but more worried about getting stuck without winter tyres and getting fined as a result. From what I've read, they are mandatory on snow covered or icy roads from 1st November, and I have terrible luck, so I'm a bit paranoid!

Thanks for the other advice though, will definitely bear it in mind! As for Bruges, luckily we are only departing from there and don't really intend spending much time there! If you could give me a bit more info on what I just mentioned, that would be great, as I had planned to buy the tyres in the next couple of weeks!

I have the later model, the ST180 with Stage 2 Revo, Forge Int Cooler and some other nice bits. Had it from new and can't seem to part with it.

So long as the tyres are something like Rainsports you'll be fine. Unsure what the true definition is out there but something like that is fine.

Sorry I thought you were staying in Brugge, Brugge / Bruges itself is a really nice place worth a visit for a couple of days..

Pro tip... There is a beer brewed there called Straffe Henrick, It's 11% and you can buy it in a 750ML Bottle for 8EUR. It's actually really nice and lethal.
If you are just passing by and getting the ferry it's not actually Brugge, it's Zebrugge which is about 20 mins north. The town itself is a very very old quaint place, all the streets are cobbled, narrow with giant kerbs. I assumed you'd be in a Z4 and I'd hate to drive round there in one. Parking is also around 20EUR a day too.

 

[propaintballa]

Hey Dude, I worked in various ski resorts over the years up until 2015 when I quit the industry.

Hintertux is very very small and narrow, the roads are bit of a pig and not in the best condition (Austrian Alps are pretty poor in general) In all honesty I wouldn't worry about snow on them in November, it's just glacier skiing minimal snow fall, unless there is a supernatural event and it dumps it down you'll be ok, they generally do a good job in clearing the roads, so long as you are not out late at night or early in the morning. So don't plan for pre 8AM departures if it snows the trucks will still be out and they kick up tons of crap as they go past you in the opposite direction.

"Winter tyres" out there aren't what they crack it up to be, When I had my Fiesta ST out there for a couple of months I had mine on a set of Uniroyal Rainsports and the police were fine with them. One thing I did get schooled on was the "headlights must always be on" rule, this applies to the whole of Austria. DRL's and Sidelights do NOT cover it. Dipped beams must be on. 99% of the time you'll get flashed by a copper to turn them on and that'll be it but if you're in a "sporty" driving manner and they aren't having a good day they won't hesitate to sting the evil foreign driver flouting their rules.

Other things to note, in France, Austria and Switzerland ( I think CH applies to this) is they do not take kindly to any form of sat nav that indicates where speed cameras are or anything that detects radar, if you have fitted Nav turn this feature off.

Also if you have Xenons you can set them to work on the other side of the road manually so no need for the reflector crap on a Z4 (mine has this feature anyway) pretty cool.

Should be a great trip though, Have fun driving in Bruges / Brugge. 90% old cobble stone streets will be nice and bumpy, kerbs there are gigantic also.

If you are crossing from France to Switzerland via Geneva ( this will be the best route) on the way to the boarder there are several nasty speed cameras disguised as bins and they do work and are set to trap anyone at 53KPH or higher... And they do pursue foreign drivers relentlessly for their 120EUR fine.

Anything else let me know.

Hey man, good to hear from someone who seems to be in the know! Strangely, I will actually be going in a Fiesta ST, the ST150 that is, not sure which you were in! I suppose I'm not too worried about the actual effectiveness of winter tyres, but more worried about getting stuck without winter tyres and getting fined as a result. From what I've read, they are mandatory on snow covered or icy roads from 1st November, and I have terrible luck, so I'm a bit paranoid!

Thanks for the other advice though, will definitely bear it in mind! As for Bruges, luckily we are only departing from there and don't really intend spending much time there! If you could give me a bit more info on what I just mentioned, that would be great, as I had planned to buy the tyres in the next couple of weeks!

I have the later model, the ST180 with Stage 2 Revo, Forge Int Cooler and some other nice bits. Had it from new and can't seem to part with it.

So long as the tyres are something like Rainsports you'll be fine. Unsure what the true definition is out there but something like that is fine.

Sorry I thought you were staying in Brugge, Brugge / Bruges itself is a really nice place worth a visit for a couple of days..

Pro tip... There is a beer brewed there called Straffe Henrick, It's 11% and you can buy it in a 750ML Bottle for 8EUR. It's actually really nice and lethal.
If you are just passing by and getting the ferry it's not actually Brugge, it's Zebrugge which is about 20 mins north. The town itself is a very very old quaint place, all the streets are cobbled, narrow with giant kerbs. I assumed you'd be in a Z4 and I'd hate to drive round there in one. Parking is also around 20EUR a day too.

Bet that's good fun! What kind of power is it making now with the mods? I seem to have spent so much on mine just maintaining it that it seems like a false economy to sell it now :/

As for the tyres, unfortunately I'm not running anything like rainsports, so I might have to go the winter tyre route. I'd imagine they like to do spot checks on foreign cars, especially British ones with Brexit, the bitterness and all that so might not be worth risking it.

To be fair, I hadn't really looked into the actual location of the departing ferry, so that's a good tip! In fairness, I think I'm more at risk of cobbled streets in the Fiesta than I would have been in the Z4 I used to have!

 

[propaintballa]

From the AA website (whole document here) - https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/country-by-country

It’s compulsory to carry the following in Austria:
 Warning triangle
 First-aid kit - which must be in a strong dirt proof box.
Austria (Central Europe)

 Reflective Jacket – you must carry a reflectorised jacket / waistcoat (compliant with European regulation EN471) which has to be used in the case of a breakdown or accident and even when setting up a warning triangle on the road. This regulation does not apply to passengers, mopeds/motorcycles, however it is recommended.
 Winter equipment – All Motorists have the legal obligation to adapt their vehicle to winter weather conditions (see information below).
Between 1 November and 15 April, vehicles must be fitted with winter tyres (which must be marked M&S on the side walls and have a minimum tread depth of 4mm) or all-season tyres which must be marked M&S (mud and snow) and if roads have a covering of snow, slush or ice outside these dates.
Theoretically snow chains on summer tyres can be used as an alternative to winter tyres where the road is heavily covered with snow and no damage to the road surface is caused by the snow chains. In practice, because road conditions and the weather cannot be predicted, use of winter tyres is effectively compulsory.
Note: It is the driver’s legal responsibility to carry the required winter equipment so it is essential to check that it is included in any hire car.
Other rules/requirements in Austria
All vehicles using Austrian motorways and expressways must display a motorway toll sticker (vignette). The stickers, which are valid for one calendar year, two months or 10 days, may be purchased at some petrol stations located close to the border in neighbouring countries and in Austria: at the frontier, at petrol stations, post offices, tobacconists or in ÖAMTC offices. The ‘Korridor Vignette’ is no longer available. Fines for driving without a vignette can be severe, minimum €120. A vignette cannot be purchased retrospectively.
Some mountain passes are closed in the winter due to heavy snowfall or danger of avalanche.
Tolls are also payable when passing through certain motorway tunnels.
The use of the horn is generally prohibited in Vienna and in the vicinity of hospitals.
When a school bus has stopped to let children on and off, indicated by a yellow flashing light, drivers travelling in the same direction are not permitted to overtake.
It is prohibited to use radar detectors. Dashboard cameras are prohibited in Austria.
If a voucher is required for parking they can be obtained from most tobacconists, banks OAMTC Offices, ticket machines in the metro and some petrol stations.

Thanks for the post. Interesting that AA word it that way, as RAC suggest the are only compulsory between those dates if the road conditions permit. Having said that, just checked the official "Austria" website and they seem to suggest something more similar to the AA.

Actually, just read the Austria website again and they actually suggest something closer the the RAC, in that they are only mandatory during that time window if driving in winter conditions

"That means that drivers using the roads in wintry conditions during this period must have winter tyres fitted."

So this begs the question of whether the roads will be in a wintry condition! Hahha