Outrageous prices

28 € too much: filling up on the highway as a cost trap

The difference in fuel prices is striking.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

Cars are swallowing up more and more money. The prices for a full tank of gas are outrageously high along the main routes used by vacationers. A short detour pays off.

Standard consumption tax, motor-related insurance tax, non-cash benefits, CO2 pricing - the list of vehicle expenses is long and has serious consequences. The costs associated with private cars have risen by a whopping 25.7 percent in three years. The general price level has not risen that much; the increase has leveled off at 21 percent.

Commuters pay more

A highly unpleasant realization, especially in a commuter region like Burgenland. "The average earner has to spend almost a third of their income on their car," calculates an ÖAMTC expert. For the state, on the other hand, the money is on the street, so to speak: in 2023, the tax authorities collected €15.5 billion in duties and taxes alone.

Holidaymakers need to be careful

In the current vacation season, there is another financially strong aspect. Whether it's to the Adriatic along the Italian coast, to a rocky beach in a Croatian village or to the sea in Greece - summer trips by car within Europe are very popular.

New season, higher prices

But there are treacherous pitfalls along the way, or rather along the highways and freeways. "As is the case every year, fuel prices have been increased in time for the start of the vacation season," says Martin Heissenberger, Regional Director of ARBÖ.

Oil companies set the pace

"As always, petrol and diesel became a few cents more expensive just in time for the start of the vacations," says Heissenberger. Customers at filling stations on the high-ranking road network are feeling the pinch. At a service station on the A 3 in the Eisenstadt district, a driver has to fork out a hefty 2.149 euros for a liter of diesel or Eurosuper.

Save by taking detours

A short detour pays off: At the petrol station on the B 16 just five kilometers away, a liter of diesel costs "only" 1.579 euros, a liter of Eurosuper 1.589 euros. "With a 50-litre tank, filling up with Eurosuper on the freeway therefore costs 28 euros more, and 28.50 euros more for diesel," emphasizes Heissenberger. Good advice is expensive.