ÖAMTC gives tips

Holidays: When you should definitely fill up your tank

(Bild: Kaspars Grinvalds)

April presented car owners with a sight not seen for a long time: for the first time in almost nine months, petrol cost more than diesel. Diesel has been cheaper since mid-April due to an opposing price trend with stronger increases in petrol. When is the cheapest time to fill up in Austria and what should you look out for when traveling abroad? The ÖAMTC has a few tips.

There is currently a public holiday almost every week - including Ascension Day on May 9. If you need to refuel on these days, you should do so directly on the holiday if possible, as experience from previous years has shown that it was on average more expensive the day before or after, according to the motorists' club. If you can wait a little longer, you should only go back to the filling station on Sunday, when it tends to be cheaper - as it still is on Monday morning.

Significantly cheaper in Slovenia and Croatia
If you are planning a trip, you can fill up cheaper in some neighboring countries. Slovenia and Croatia are good examples of this. "As of today, Tuesday, new government-set prices apply again for both countries. At 1.41 euros for diesel and 1.54 euros for petrol in Croatia and 1.484 euros for diesel and 1.541 euros for petrol at Slovenian filling stations off the highway, filling up in both countries is significantly cheaper than in Austria," informs the ÖAMTC. On average, you pay just under 1.70 euros at Austrian filling stations in the local area.

A trip to Italy? Better to fill up in Austria
If you are planning a trip to Italy over a long weekend, it is best to fill up with fuel in Austria. The prices at Italian filling stations are on average much higher than in this country, especially Super currently costs around 25 cents more, with diesel around 15 cents more. In both countries, you should avoid highway filling stations altogether, as they tend to be the most expensive.

A well-known, but nevertheless very helpful tip: an anticipatory and prudent driving style reduces consumption.