Tolls & vignettes

• Austria: buy a 10-day digital vignette (~€11.50) before you cross — it covers Aug 15–22. Buy online (asfinag.at) or at the last German gas station before the border.
• Fernpass route (Garmisch → Imst, B179): a small separate toll (~€10) if you go that way. Arlberg tunnel (if you use the Bregenz corridor on Aug 22): ~€11 — or take the free Arlberg Pass road in summer.
• Ötztal panoramic roads: the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road (~€19/car) and the Ötztal Glacier Road (toll) are paid — pay at the booth (card OK).
• Germany: no car toll on the Autobahn. Fuel is usually cheaper in Austria — top up before crossing back.

Speed limits & enforcement

• Austria: 130 km/h on the Autobahn, strict enforcement. Watch for IG-L zones (100 km/h) — fines are high.
• Germany: Autobahn is often unrestricted, but many stretches are posted (120/130) — the A8/A95 around Munich and Stuttgart frequently are.
• Headlights ON in daytime on Austrian highways.

Mountain-driving sanity (Ötztal)

• The Timmelsjoch and the Glacier Road are steep switchback toll roads — low gears on the descents, expect cyclists and motorcycles, and allow far more time than the GPS suggests.
• Mountain weather swings fast — keep a warm layer accessible; the high passes can be 10–15 °C colder and windy even in August.
• Pay-and-display parking in the valley towns — keep a small stash of coins; always display the ticket on the dashboard.

The long haul (Aug 22: Sölden → Rust, ~5h)

• ~450 km — plan a real lunch/leg-stretch around the 2.5h mark: Lindau or Bregenz on Lake Constance if you take the Arlberg route; Memmingen if you go via the Fernpass + A7.
• Leave Sölden by ~08:00 so you land at Bell Rock mid-afternoon with the Europa-Park afternoon still ahead of you.