Traveling by car through the EU Schengen area is easy enough w.r.t. borders, you just drive through. But over the years new elements to take into account have emerged. Various countries introduced road tolls, to be paid by buying a window badge, and others have introduced badges for emissions (which allows you into city centers or not). Some badges you buy for the car and remain valid, others are time limited.

This summer we had a ‘4 badge journey’, visiting first France, then Switzerland, Austria and finally Germany. As we drive a different car since May we had to get all badges again.
The four badges are two for emission limits in cities, one for France (purple), one for Germany (green), and two for road tolls, one for Switzerland (orange) and one for Austria (green).

The French and German environmental zone badges.

Road toll badges for Switzerland and Austria.

E and I wondered how many badges you’d end up with if you drove your car to all Schengen states? Would you still be able to look through the windshield? When will Member States get around to aligning emission badges, so we have one for, in our case, both France and Germany?

At least the Austrian one can be removed as it’s no longer valid. The Swiss one will be replaced in the new year.