 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I have driven from Munich to Austria once before and also had the fun of Christmas week transfers but this year we are doing things a bit differently and would like some advice from those "in the know".
We (myself, wife and daughter) are flying into Munich early on Christmas Eve and have hired a car. Being Christmas Eve will the route down to Austria (Niederau) being busy or okay? If very busy what would be the best way to drive there?
We are staying 10 days, coming back on Saturday 2nd January. I assume this will be a very busy changeover day? Will avoiding the motorways be advisable? Last time we did a transfer back on a Saturday we had loads of snow so it was quite chaotic.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@TallGuyUK, Xmas eve will normally be really quiet. The Germans & Austrians are busy putting up trees, eating and giving each other prezzies. The days leading up to Xmas are also one of the quietest times to go skiing. I've had Lech almost to myself in that week.
As far as the Jan 2 is concerned, yes it may be busy. Not an awful lot you can do about that other than leaving the resort really early.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@TallGuyUK, agree with @Steilhang about the Christmas Eve traffic situation, from personal experience it is always very quiet, especially from midday onwards. We work on Christmas Eve up to midday as the morning is a normal work day. But many people do take the morning off as well. As Christmas Day falls on a weekend this year, I would expect things to be very quiet work-wise just about everywhere. Christmas Eve is the big family celebration here and people usually spend it at home then depart for their skiing holiday on 26th/27th December.
Coming back on the 2nd January you may well have problems, especially if you are trying to get to the airport between 10.00 and 16.00. There are routes you can use to avoid the motorways and even in heavy snow these will be cleared because we locals use them to avoid the jams that always occur on transfer days. I travel quite frequently around the area as I only live about 30 minutes from Niederau and can suggest a few work-arounds for you to look at.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Christmas day falls on a Friday, so CE will be the Thursday. Sorry to disappoint you.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Samerberg Sue, The Billa and Spar supermarkets are open in the afternoon on High Days, Holidays and Sundays in Saalbach during the main holiday seasons. They began to do this last winter, I believe after a change to the opening laws. I don't know whether this applies nationwide, just in Salzburgerland or just in the Zell am See jurisdiction.
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@quinton, It is just in the ski resorts during the ski season, though the shop workers trade unions tried to get the workers more time off a couple of seasons back. holidayloverxx was sent some info about it the season before last I think which she passed on to me to warn our guests. But I have to say there I didn't notice much apart from perhaps the supermarkets in some ski areas being closed for part of the Sunday whereas they used to be open all day in the ski seasons. Even then it is just for a couple of hours.
I was actually referring more to the general situation really away from the ski resorts. In Munich for example, I believe even the 24/7 Edeka supermarket in the Airport Terminal Building is closed on Christmas Day. Here out in the sticks even the bakeries don't open over the holiday period, so the supermarket shelves are cleaned out of "Toastbrot" etc! 
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| quinton wrote: |
| @Samerberg Sue, The Billa and Spar supermarkets are open in the afternoon on High Days, Holidays and Sundays in Saalbach during the main holiday seasons. They began to do this last winter, I believe after a change to the opening laws. I don't know whether this applies nationwide, just in Salzburgerland or just in the Zell am See jurisdiction. |
Not the case in Tirol and Vorarlberg from what I've seen. Only shops that I know that open on Sunday/Holiday are the 'super'markets in IBK translation and by the hospital.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
@TallGuyUK, agree with @Steilhang a
Coming back on the 2nd January you may well have problems, especially if you are trying to get to the airport between 10.00 and 16.00. There are routes you can use to avoid the motorways and even in heavy snow these will be cleared because we locals use them to avoid the jams that always occur on transfer days. I travel quite frequently around the area as I only live about 30 minutes from Niederau and can suggest a few work-arounds for you to look at. |
Thanks for the responses - any info on alternative routes would be great.
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Last Christmas in Soelden all supermarkets (Spar and an "M"(?) one) were closed on 25 December. Unfortunately, I can't remember now whether they had reduced opening times on 24 December or not as I was up the hill skiing.
Another thing: if you are planning on having dinner in resort on 24 December, it might be advisable to phone ahead and reserve a table in a restaurant as really the 24 December is the main day for celebrating Christmas.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| quinton wrote: |
| @Samerberg Sue, The Billa and Spar supermarkets are open in the afternoon on High Days, Holidays and Sundays in Saalbach during the main holiday seasons. They began to do this last winter, I believe after a change to the opening laws. I don't know whether this applies nationwide, just in Salzburgerland or just in the Zell am See jurisdiction. |
Not the case in Tirol and Vorarlberg from what I've seen. Only shops that I know that open on Sunday/Holiday are the 'super'markets in IBK translation and by the hospital. |
Spar in St Anton opens Sundays during the ski season, likewise holiday days during that time too, albeit for fewer hours, ditto Billa. I vaguely remember the Lech one being open on Sundays too.
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