Whats the terrain like

[California Dreamin]

After Berlin Fest this summer, we are planning to head straight south roughly following Linz/Salzburg/Innsbruck through Austria and onto Zurich. I was just a little concerned about the terrain having travelled up and over the St Gutthard pass two years ago where the poor old bus was feeling the strain.
We were just wondering if anyone else has had first hand experience of this particular route and how it compares...how severe is it?
I know....take it easy...don't over strain the engine, stop regularly....which we will do, but is this a particularly taxing route for the old bus or nothing to be concerned about?

Cheers guys n Gals.

Martin

[Titus A Duxass]

I haven't gone all the way along that route but the run through to Innsbruck won't give you any problems.

[Ian Hulley]

The route round from Linz to Zurich is mostly valleys and tunnels if I remember from our failed trip 5 years ago.

Ian

[Titus A Duxass]

The route round from Linz to Zurich is mostly valleys and tunnels if I remember from our failed trip 5 years ago.

Ian

Your memory doesn't fail you Ian.
You spend more time underground than in daylight.

[Ian Hulley]

The route round from Linz to Zurich is mostly valleys and tunnels if I remember from our failed trip 5 years ago.

Ian

Your memory doesn't fail you Ian.
You spend more time underground than in daylight.

Sadly we didn't have the pleasure of seeing it Paul ... that was supposed to be the route home from Czesky Krumlov when the gearbox failed. I remember it from the planning meetings I had with The Present Mrs Hulley (God Bless Her !)

[California Dreamin]

Thanks Ian & Paul....great news...
We did wonder about tunnels...it does look like there are quite a few..

Lets hope that everything holds together

Martin

[Titus A Duxass]

Martin,
Don't forget the Vignette for the Austrian Autobahns.
And have your Hi-Viz vest visible.

The Austrian Gendarmes have been known to "cruise" the Rastplatz and service stations looking for non-vignetted vehicles - my mate came out after buying a coffee and found a 250 € fine on his screen.

[Ian Hulley]

Martin,
Don't forget the Vignette for the Austrian Autobahns.
And have your Hi-Viz vest visible.

The Austrian Gendarmes have been known to "cruise" the Rastplatz and service stations looking for non-vignetted vehicles - my mate came out after buying a coffee and found a 250 € fine on his screen.

Many of the tunnels have automatic Vignette readers too (allegedly) as well as the average speed cameras

[California Dreamin]

Hi vis vests VISABLE! ...like on the dash? What the blithering heck.

Looks like we have some expense as we will also need to by the Swiss pass vignette as well.
Martin

[Ian Hulley]

Hi vis vests VISABLE! ...like on the dash? What the blithering heck.
Martin

Do like the locals and have them round the back of the car seats

[Titus A Duxass]

Hi vis vests VISABLE! ...like on the dash? What the blithering heck.
Martin

Do like the locals and have them round the back of the car seats

Genau!

[jes*b]

Titus is bang on. I drive from Munich to Italy all the time. The police wait at the first services in austria and check vehicles - I have been stopped on leaving and had my 'papers' checked , Interpol , etc etc . The first services is now very modern and they do great coffee IIRC

[California Dreamin]

ARH....NOW THAT'S GOT ME READING....and...whats this low emissions sticker thing all about for Germany..32 cities? so do you know when you're entering 'A Zone' do we need to Pre-buy, is this something you really need to have.

Cheers guys...for a fairly well travelled person there sure seems to have been quite a few changes of late and we really don't want to get caught out with any chizzle like this.

And HOW are you supposed to see out of your windscreen with all these piggin stickers blocking the view

Martin

[Titus A Duxass]

If you haven't got a sticker in your windscreen you stand a chance of being fined 40€ for having a dirty vehicle in the clean zone.

The (D)umwelt (Environmental) zone comes at three levels - Red, Yellow and Green.

Some cities let in Red and Yellow but the majority only allow Green stickered vehicles.
This page will tell you all you need to know - http://www.environmental-badge.co.uk/en ... badge.html

Basically if you have a diesel - forget it!
The diesel don't meet the requirements - that's why many of us changed to 2,0i Petrol.

Some petrol engine buses with cats make the green standard.

In some cities the police are not checking for the plakette and in some cities (Berlin) they are.
The traffic wardens in every city are checking and they are, as to be expected, a bunch of ........

I know several people with photoshopped green plakettes.

[California Dreamin]

Arhhh rite...so I should be able to get a green sticker with my 2.1 MV petrol with Cat? shame I took the Cat off when I went with the Brickwerks SS system end of last year.....lol.
Thats a joke as I was always going to remove it!
Still runs pretty clean at well under 1% CO

Martin