During vacations

30 € more per tank of gas is a rip-off

From cheap discounters in Eisenstadt to high fuel prices on the A 2 and A 3 near Hornstein - the differences between the filling stations are horrendous, much to the annoyance of drivers.

(Bild: Grammer Karl/Karl Grammer)

Watch out during the vacations! Fuel is most expensive along the highways. The "Krone" spoke to ARBÖ director Heissenberger.

If you're on a budget, you avoid them like the devil avoids holy water: highway filling stations. This is because the price differences to the pumps away from the high-ranking road network are enormous. Just in time for the start of the semester break in Burgenland, ARBÖ took a close look: A liter of diesel cost €1.699 at a branded petrol station in Neusiedl am See between 7 and 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Eurosuper made up €1.629.

3.50 euro difference
At a discount filling station near the Outlet-Center in Parndorf, drivers had to pay €1.629 per liter of diesel and €1.599 for Eurosuper. In comparison, the difference for a 50-liter tank is €3.50.

If you are going on vacation by car, you should find out in advance about cheap fuel stops along the route. This helps both at home and abroad.

Martin Heissenberger, Direktor des ARBÖ im Burgenland

Expensive refueling on the A3
It gets really expensive for those who stop at a filling station on the A3 in the Eisenstadt district: Diesel €2.129 and Eurosuper €2.129. Customers have to fork out €27.75 or €29.25 more for 50 liters when you compare the prices with those at a discount filling station on the B 16 in Müllendorf. A liter of diesel is marked at €1.574, Eurosuper at €1.544.

A similar picture emerges in the Oberwart district. 2.129 per liter for both diesel and Eurosuper at a filling station on the A 2 near Loipersdorf. At a branded filling station near Kemeten, customers pay €1.599 for diesel and €1.569 for Eurosuper. This is reflected in a price difference of €26.50 for diesel and €28 for Eurosuper.

Save money when filling up

The cheapest time to fill up is between 10 a.m. and shortly before midday. The current regulation on fuel prices at filling stations in Austria states that price increases are only permitted once a day, at 12 noon. However, price reductions are possible at any time, and the most expensive time to fill up is between 12 noon and 2 p.m., according to a random sample survey carried out by ARBÖ. Fuel prices tend to be lower than usual on Sunday and Monday mornings. As the weekend approaches, fuel becomes more expensive.

It's best to fill up before 12 noon
"This rip-off on freeways and dual carriageways as well as the access roads just before the high-ranking traffic network is a cheek on the part of the oil companies," rages ARBÖ regional director Martin Heissenberger. This is a case for the next transport minister. Tip: The cheapest time to fill up is just before 12 noon. The most expensive time is between 12 noon and 2 pm.