New toll in Austria
In Tyrol, a trip south over the Fernpass threatens to become increasingly expensive. The journey to Lake Garda is becoming increasingly expensive.
The route through Tyrol is one of the most frequented on the way south. On some days, almost 30,000 vehicles roll over the pass.
That is about to change: with another toll. 11 euros will be added for a one-way trip south. This is expected to bring in up to 50 million euros, which, according to the Tyrol, will be used for the restoration of one tunnel and the construction of another.
Only those vehicles that come from the district of Reutte (Außerfern) and have an RE on their number plate will be exempt from the toll. But that is not enough for many. The Chamber of Commerce in Reutte fears that the toll will also make all deliveries to supermarkets, traders and craftsmen more expensive. This would lead to higher prices or insolvencies.
Critical voices, however, do not believe that this toll has much of a future, because the German Minister of Transport also failed miserably in his attempt to introduce a toll for foreigners before the EU. Legally, this could violate the principle of equal treatment.
The people of the Allgäu are also hoping that the toll will not be imposed on the motorway that leads them directly to the south. Otherwise, a trip through Tyrol to Lake Garda could cost at least 44 euros in the future: for one thing, the Austrian toll sticker of 9.60 euros is charged. In addition, tolls for the Brenner Pass at 10.50 euros and for the Italian A22 on the route Sterzing-Gardasee at 12.80 euros are needed. Now 11 euros are to be added for the B179, which runs through the north of Tyrol. In addition, trucks over 3.5 t will have to pay an environmental sticker for the environmental zone on the Inntal motorway - here, however, only diesels with Euro6, i.e. the purple sticker, are allowed to drive. Those without a sticker or with an insufficient sticker will be fined up to 2,180 euros.
So far, only the environmental sticker for lorries and vans has been compulsory in Austria's environmental zones. In the future, however, this could change, in which case motorists would not only be faced with constantly rising toll costs, but also driving bans and a compulsory environmental sticker. In Außerfern, there is already a driving ban for motorbikes that make too much noise.
It has not yet been decided when the new toll will be introduced.