 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Samberg Sue and others - thanks for the guidance and we will take your route next Friday (early Chunnel crossing as we live in Kent) and hopefully will be settling into our report late evening all being well! We're in the landrover packed to the gills with children and pulling a trailer full of everything bar the kitchen sink so give us a toot! Happy Christmas and great skiing to all!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
blue, Do not use the Frankfurt to Würzburg A3 route if you can possibly avoid it. There are jams on it every single day, let alone on holiday changeover days when you have the added volume from the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Denmark. When you reach Nürnberg you then add all the northern German, Polish and Baltic drivers plus the traffic from Eastern Germany. The A3/A9 route also has many long term roadworks which due to the sheer volume of traffic lead to some amazing jams.
The route I gave you is the route I and all my expat friends use all the time at any time of the year to get to the Channel and back again. There was a time that I used the Frankfurt route, I even managed to get from Munich to Frankfurt in less than 3 hours once many moons ago. Last summer it took me 5 hours to get from Nürnberg to Munich because of the roadworks and it was not even a holiday weekend.
Another disadvantage of the Frankfurt route at the moment is the need to pass around Brussels and Liege, putting into some serious roadworks as well. Take a look at www.tomtom.com/livetraffic to see what I mean. |
Not even Mr Blue can argue with that! Thanks, we will be taking your advice. Really appreciate your input! Happy Christmas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Anyone out there know how much the deisel is at Berchem services, Luxembourg? I know it is cheaper off the motorway but for ease, we are sticking to it. Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thought Luxembourg was fixed prices, so motorway and non-motorway are the same? No idea of prices, since I never go that way.
PS if anyone is going the route via Brussels and Cologne, then that way is essentially clear of roadworks for the entire Calais-Ghent-Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt section. No idea about Frankfurt to Austria in any direction, but will be going that way in 2 weeks.
Brussels ring, which always has a bad reputation, was yet again no more than 15minutes to get round at 14:20 in a working day afternoon the other day,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Didn't realise that about fixed price! According to a website, deisel in €1.23/litre in Lux. I just presumed it was more expensive on motorways as in the rest of Europe. Cheers for that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
There are some cheaper outlets but the price difference does not warrant the time lost looking for the cheaper places. Remich is one place I know of and another in Mondorf les Bains but they are not 24/7 so just as easy to stay and fill at Berchem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great. Thanks Sue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By far the best way is via brussels, archen, cologne, frankfurt, nuremberg and munich. It takes me 7 hours to nuremberg from calais and another 3 to Soll.
Yes diesel is cheaper in Luxembourg but not by a great amount and not worth the hassle considering the poor road network. Now that road works between
Wertheim and Nuremberg have been completed the above route is hassle free. Except you will always get a lot of traffic entering Austria especially on a Sat evening
as highlighted above.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
handy to know about frankfurt-nuremburg section - was going to have to go that way in Feb, although A6 was still an option.
calais-frankfurt vis brussels/liege/aachen is all essentially completely clear at the moment (where they're building new autobahn near aachen is not a problem at all, currently, BUT ignore the satnav at the A4/A44 junction, and follow the signs!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kevinraine, Put a ruler between Salzurg and Dunkerque and see where it goes. I use the route given to me by a friend down here many moons ago. He runs a HGV company and relies on getting his vehicles quickly and as cheaply as possible to and from A to B. When he heard me complaining about the hold ups I encountered along the route I had always used (yours), he roared with laughter and bet me that I would be quids in in terms of time, convenience and stress if I followed his route. Cost me a bottle of fine malt, but I have not varied my route since then. Good to hear that they have finally cleared the roadworks between Wertheim and Nürnberg, but the sections between Würzburg and Frankfurt still feature way too often in the traffic reports for me to even contemplate it. I may be more likely to visit Würzburg though now, the Juliusspital is always worth a weekend up that way!
The Dutch clients coming into the accommodation I manage do not speak so highly of your route by the way. Most seem to favour stopping at Luxembourg, especially for diesel and then choosing the shorter route via Karlsruhe and not filling up again until they cross into Austria. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Samerberg Sue, With the greatest respect I too have connections with the transport industry and the shortest route is not always the fastest and cheapest. Granted Dunkerque to Schladming by your route is the shortest 676miles according to Via Micheline whilst my route is 22miles longer at 698miles. Via Micheline also estimates that my route is 15 min quicker as more is on motorway. In terms of fuel costs the longer route via Cologne and Nuremberg is far less undulating and I'm my experience much more economical than the far more hilly route via Luxembourg as well as being a more relaxing drive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Hello - just a quick question if anyone could help.
Normally I drive from Dunkirk to Austria (via Luxembourg). This year due to family rebellion we are using euro tunnel, so it will be Calais - Luxembourg - Austria. I was wondering if I am going to be subject to any French tolls during the Calais - Dunkirk section?
Many thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
skimac,no,. you won't
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
skimac, did this journey in December - slightly longer than the heading South through France, but cheaper on balance. If you can get to Luxembourg before the first fuel stop, do. It is much cheaper. We managed it with about 20km of fuel left 
Watch out for the potholes in Belgium...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Cacciatore, Thanks - I did a return run once through France, the tolls certainly add up and the timing wasn't any better, hence the query. I too have experinced the flashing red light on the fuel gauge and just making it into the Luxembourg fuel stop....now the only worry is the Eurotunnel scrum on the Friday half term evening 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
skimac, hmmmm....good luck with that 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
kevinraine, sorry forgot to come back on this - the other major advantage to the more southerly route is that there is no need to fill up in Germany, especially if your car is a diesel.
Fuel in Germany, and particularly in German motorway service areas, is notoriously expensive thanks to the 10+ cent a litre environmental tax the Greens had added to fuel costs during the Schröder SPD/Green coalition. By reducing your route through Germany to an absolute minimum, the chances of making it from Luxembourg (cheapest fuel) into Austria (up to 17 cents a litre cheaper than Germany at times) are way better so you are saving money! I think that is my friend's reasoning as well when he sends his HGVs via the same route. They all have to fill their tanks to the brim in Luxembourg according to him!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
just in case anyone needs or wants to compare fuel prices, I paid €1.539/litre here locally (just S. of Frankfurt) the other day €1.639 on the autobahn, and €1.379/litre in Austria. Not sure what has happened, but it used to be about €1.769/litre here for ages (plus the usual few cents extra at the weekend). PS that's all for 98 octane. No idea about diesel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Ok just re reading through here as we're off on Friday, have a 6.10am tunnel crossing and hotel booked in Munich, pretty sure we're following Samerberg Sue, route, thank you  , can you advise the route to take Saturday morning from Munich to Zell am See please! We do have a very juicy diesel so would like to avoid the expensive fill ups! We have winter tyres, snow chains, spare bulbs, hi viz, warning triangle, super duper anti freeze, anything I've missed?
On our return i guess we will have a busy route home as we will leave resort early Saturday morning and drive all day  Oh and we're praying for snow
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
feefee, remember to pack your V5 doc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Samerberg Sue, thank you very much, will let you know how we get on, I like the reference to heavy snow, I though it was all doom and gloom in Zell? Glad you both had a fab time 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
feefee, the road only closes IF there is heavy snow, but at the moment it is still open despite today's downpour (puking down all day in Radstadt).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
We will be driving early on a Saturday morning from Frankfurt to Innsbruck. Before I looked at this thread I was thinking Wuerzburg- Ulm - Kempten - Fernpass, but your comments Samerberg Sue, re the autobahn from Frankfurt - Wuerzburg have made me think that Karlsruhe - Stuttgart or even via Heilbronn might be a better way to get to Kempten. We are planning on leaving Frankfurt at 08.00h. Any views gratefully received.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
pjd, take a good Sat-Nav and keep an eye on your options is all I would say. I use both the A8 and the A6 and even sometimes nip across on to the A7 to get around big hold ups. You may find the A5 quite busy as it is used by a lot of traffic going down through Switzerland and on into France, but they have widened it and it does keep moving, albeit slowly due to the sheer volume of traffic at times. I usually nip across to the A6 if I get bored with nose to tail stuff. I don't mind the extra miles as long as I'm not in danger of having some impatient idiot drive into my boot!
The Fern Pass can be slow as well on heavy traffic days - they use a system called "Blockanfertigung" (they stop the traffic in one direction and let the traffic going in other use both sides of the road/tunnel). But it is still a good route although you may well have a long day if there is a lot of traffic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Samerberg Sue, thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
pjd, normally, I'd drive A5 or A67/A6 to (sort of) Heidelberg, then A6 to Heilbronn (look out for concorde and konkordski at Speyer), then A81 to Leonburg/Stuttgart (usually a bit busy, but flowing, at that junction), A8 to Munich (new bit near Augsburg is ace), round Munich to Kufstein, etc.
in the last few weeks I've also driven A3 - A9 via Würzburg to Munich (Friday day time, leaving 10am), and A5 - A8 to Munich.
All 3 ways have been pretty much the same tbh.
A9 a bit chokka just north of Munich Airport.
Of all the above, the A8 has the only road works worthy of mentioning (in the vicinity of Ulm, but 20km or so at 80km/h instead of 120km/h is no big deal).
Every bit of stop-start traffic was on Inntal autobahn between Innsbruck and Rosenheim, and A9 near Munich airport on Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Thanks andy, for the last bit I wondered about going via Munich and Rosenheim instead of over the Fernpass but have horrible memories of 'kilometerlange Staus' on that stretch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
pjd, if you can avoid the A8/A93 Inntal route right now it is worth it. The ASFINAG people are causing hold ups at the border near Kiefersfelden as they check the vignettes of the cars on the stretch between the border and Kufstein-Süd. And of course the usual "kilometerlange Stau" over the Irschenberg!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Thanks Sue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Unfortunately this year I think the problem will be getting over the channel! Don't see the Friday night ferries from Dover running to plan with the weather that is forecast. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
feefee, next year is building up to be a perfect storm for those driving. The Dutch and most of the German states look like bein on HT holiday all at the same time as the majority of Britain!
This coming weekend should be fun as well - not!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Also drove back from Innsbruck on Sat. Went via Garmisch which was fine. Avoided the Fernpass because of the Blockabfertigung induced delays, and the Kufstein motorway because of the potential delays from the Tirol returnees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorry to resurrect and oldish thread.
I'm driving down to Radstadt next April (5 of us including 3 under 11).
I'm wanting to sort a Hotel out for the journey, thinking Ulm. Just wanted to check to see if anything had changed, or any significant roadworks that mean the route as suggested by Samerberg Sue, below is not the best anymore?
| Quote: |
Dougie, France down to Lille, then across the south of Belgium (Mons, Charleroi, Namur) at Namur turn south east to Luxembourg and fill your tank to the gills at either Bercham (big service area just south of Luxie City). Then head towards Saarbrücken but do not actually go into it. You go by on the A8. Then, depending on the time of day, day of the week and weather, either change to the A6 and stay on the autobahns all the way around Kaiserslauten and Mannheim before heading down to Karlsruhe to pick up the A8 again. If the weather is good and there are not many trucks on the road (for example on a Sunday) then you can stay on the A8 as far as Pirmaesens. Here you switch to ordinary road, but it is a good fast one (B10 to Landau in der Pfalz). Here you pick up the A5 to Karlsruhe and then the A8 all the way to Munich. After Munich it depends on where you are heading as to how it then goes on! If you are heading to Vorarlberg or anywhere in the west of Tirol, turn off the A8 at Ulm on to the A7 and follow it to the A96 Munich to Lindau motorway.
|
Timing wise, we are starting in Southampton, so getting an early crossing is possible.
Thanks
Jon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That's still the route. If doing the Kaiserslautern/Mannheim bit, I tend to stay on A6 a bit more to Heilbronn and go south there, rather than via Karlsruhe and Pforzheim, but it's 2 sides of a square and not much in it, and half the time I pick whichever takes my fancy, or whichever one doesn't show any delays.
Still a bit early to know exactly what long term roadworks there will be (currently only listing them up to end Nov). Although there were 30km worth of 80kph zone last year (that were all flowing at 80). I can't believe for one minute that it'll be complete, but i've not been that way since March.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@jonkgray78, there are currently no serious new ones as far as I know but I will check closer to the start of the season. Several long term ones are still there of course and they can be seen on the link I give everyone - TomTom Live (http://livetraffic.tomtom.com/ ). Some may start up now the hoiday season is over, but they may well be mothballed during the winter months, i.e. when it gets too cold for the materials to be effectively set.
Many people on here think purely in terms of how many kilometres or the time a particular route planner says it "should" take and completely forget the volume of traffic factor. A former regular poster here took a very long 27 hours to get down to Austria last February HT because they left it too late leaving the UK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@jonkgray78, Ulm is a good place to aim for if you get an early tunnel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
the drive down to Munich on Friday wasn't too bad apart from a couple of accidents, Friday rush hour along with holiday traffic added almost 2 hours to the journey, we stayed just a mile off of the motorway at the Hotel Aigner which was very good, definately recommend it. Saturday morning again it was very slow busy from Munich until the Innsbruck turn off. The journey home, we left Zell am See at 7am and made pretty good time all the way until the junction at Calais for the tunnel 
we arrived at 7.30pm it then took 2 hours to get through onto the train, we had a flexiplus ticket on return which gained us a whole 30 mins! Thanks to 