Schlegeis Alpenstraße - VERBUND Tourismus GmbH — Attraction in Finkenberg

Fine, we get it. Austria is against people traveling around in a camper. But to let us drive allll the way up to the toll station wasting km’s and gas, where we found out we can’t go up to the Olpererhutte parking is just ridiculous. There is no sign along the way telling campers can’t go up to the parking. We arrived at 6AM with our camper at the toll booth to enjoy nature before the crowds come. Then this unfriendly lady of the toll station says we can’t go up, but we can park somewhere else and take the bus (first one 8AM, so 2 hours waiting!!) She then walks away while we still wanted to ask something. Of course we didn’t wait for 2 hours to take the bus up to Olpererhutte, we are not people that want to hike with hundreds of other people up to a viewpoint, that’s why we wake up at 5 AM on a Sunday morning to be the first ones at a summit. This was another of several unpleasant experiences with our camper in Austria in just a few days traveling around. I mean, you almost feel like a criminal just parking your camper somewhere in Austria with the countless ‘Forbidden for campers’ signs.

So instead of our initial plan of spending our 3 weeks summer holiday in Austria, we decided after another disappointment and unpleasant experience at the Olpererhutte toll station to directly drive 4 hours (it was still early anyway!), leave Austria and explore Slovenia with our camper. Ahh the advantage and flexibility of traveling around in a camper, just go where you feel most welcome. Austria in general and Olpererhutte in particular, did a great job in chasing travelers with a camper like us away, resulting in us not wanting to spend another euro to any other toll road, camping, cable car, restaurant, parking, hotel, ski pass or supermarket in Austria ever in the future. We won’t return! Not with our camper, not with our car and not with a plane. It’s clear how hospitality works here! We rather go back to Norway or Canada next time, where campers are being welcomed with...

I am sure it's a beautiful reservoir but it's not for me at those prices. We intended to drive up to the toll road to reach Olpererhütte, only to be told we couldn't use the road with our campervan. The alternative was parking up at the bottom of the road before the toll for €15 a day and then taking a public bus to the top of the trail head for €20 each. This is ridiculous and quite frankly absurd. How can public transport, the more cost effective and environmentally friendly option, cost more than driving a car up to the top? To make it even more annoying, the people carrier that was allowed to enter the road in front of us, is the same width and length as our campervan. When asked why we couldn't drive up, we were told by the lady at the tool booth "your vehicle is too big". It's absolutely ridiculous and quite frankly discriminative towards people who own a camping vehicle! At €95 for a family of 4 to walk into nature and look at a lake, we decided to give it a miss and visit the beautiful and FREE Alchansee! You should be ashamed of yourselves. It's western greed at it's finest...

Truly stunning views at the top, as is the drive up (and down). The toll lady taught this stupid tourist on how to read my own English language 😉 and that I should "wait in my car and they will come to collect the toll". Well, you live and learn! But no offence was taken, and she wished me an enjoyable visit with a cheery smile. And what an enjoyable visit it was. I do not begrudge the vehicle toll of €15.50 as I am sure there has been significant investment in building and maintaining the road and facilities for us to enjoy. Definitely...