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Driving to Austria - Feb Half Term Week

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi

Wonder if anyone could give us any advice/tips. We're a family of four (kids aged 13 and 11) and for the first time we have got to go skiing during school holidays and have decided to give driving there a go. We've never driven abroad before. Husband will be doing all the driving and likes to drive as fast as possible! We are going to Saalbach and are planning on leaving Kent on the Friday morning and going via the Channel Tunnel. We'd like to get as much of the driving done on the Friday as is realistically possible. We have no plans to ski on the first Saturday but at the end of the week we would like, if possible, to ski on the Saturday and then starting the journey home.

Any advice on routes and overnight stops would be gratefully received!

Thanks
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we are doing exactly the same trip but a week later also leaving friday am from london (early morning speedferry) with no skiing plans for the saturday and an extra days skiing on the end saturday, so I will be watching this thread with interest.... so loads of replies please!
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Quote:

We are going to Saalbach and are planning on leaving Kent on the Friday morning and going via the Channel Tunnel.

Sounds a good plan, and you live in the ideal county! You should be able to get very close to resort on Friday and get up there early Saturday before the rush - aim to have breakfast on arrival. You could probably ski too, except that you will probably not be able to get into your accommodation until later in the day. Don't forget to get snowchains which fit your car, and practise putting them on in the comfort of your own drive - doing it for the first time in a layby deep in muddy snow is no fun. Get good breakdown cover for your car - AA five star or similar and make sure your car insurance will cover the trip. Not usually a problem. Can't advise on routes to Saalbach but I guess a fast driver would enjoy the German autobahn rather than the French autoroute! Plenty of advice on the AA website about requirements for driving abroad. Book your place on eurotunnel, it'll be an extremely busy day. Can go free if you have Tesco vouchers. Have fun and welcome to snowHead s.
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I drove to Zell am See last year. Went from Calais, up to Brussels, across to Munich and then down into Austria (will try and remember to look up the exact route later!). I just slept for a few hours in the car at a service station, so can't really advise on where to stay. I seem to remember it working out at around 12-13 hrs driving time. No tolls - I avoided the Austrian motorways so didn't have to buy a vignette.
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I was concidering driving to Austria but thought it was to far. If its only 12 to 13 hrs then thats not much further than france.
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sk8girl, hey, nice to see someone coming to Austria - and from Kent too. We are from Whitstable, we miss the beach a bit, but the hills are definatley better!

I havent driven over yet however some friends have done it in 11 hours from Calais - goodness only knows what speed they were doing!

People often report jams in Germany, so be prepared for that. Also, you will need to stop at a service station to get a Autobahn Vignette which is the motorway toll for Austria. Be careful with the speed when you get to all the tunnels past Salzburg as they have speed cameras with a hefty fine.

You must also have a warning triangle and yellow jacket/vest with you incase of breakdown, and once you start going up the hills, so roads require you to carry snow chains. I dont know about Saalbach - I know you need them for Obertauren and Zauchensee.

Hope that helps - let me know if you need any inside info.

wink
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Thanks for all your replies so far. I noticed on the eurotunnel website that you can do your ski/breakdown insurance through them as an add-on to booking the tunnel. Would this be sufficient or would you recommend further cover?
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sk8girl, came back from Bad Gastein last weekend and on the way there I went Calais, Brussells, Aachen, Koln, Koblenz, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Munich, Salzburg. On the way back I was advised to go a different way and it was much quicker. Try Calais, Lille, Mons, Namur, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Pirmasens, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Munich, Salzburg.

There's currnetly loads of roadworks between Stuttgart and Munich which makes it all a bit slow there but otherwise is was good. I got from Bad Gastein to Calais in 11.5 hours last Saturday.

Hope this helps.

Kersh
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Neil, just to confirm that the 12-13 hours is from Calais not London.
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Drove to Austria last February, got Eurotunnel at about 8pm on Friday and got to Ischgl in time for breakfast at 8.30 Saturday morning. Got the visitors card from the apartment owners and went skiing for the day. Same at the end of the week, clear out of the apartment, ski for the day then drive home overnight.
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How do folks stay awake whilst driving overnight. And how do they feel with the "car lag".
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Frosty the Snowman, on the way to Austria this summer it was a killer. I did a days work, packed the car to the rafters and left the UK at 1.30am. When I arrived in Munich at about 5pm the following day I was cream crackered. Luckily my better half has a sister who lives in Munich so we stopped. I felt rubbish for a few days after though.

On the way back it was fine. I left Austria in the morning and arrived home 11pm. No probs the following day.

I think driving during the day and sleeping properly before you set off makes it easier for sure .. BUT you loose a days holiday.
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Kersh wrote:
I felt rubbish for a few days after though.

That would be my biggest concern - no point driving (or training) to get an extra day in if you end up in no real state to enjoy it once you get there.
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FenlandSkier, I have taken the same route as Kersh out to Hintertux and stopped in Lille for the night.
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I go Calais, Lille, Liege, Aachen, Frankurt, Nurnberg, Munich, Salzburg and go through Lofer, Saalfelden to Saalbach. I normally go without chains (due to changing cars and I'm not sure you can get them for a Bugatti Veyron wink ) and, actually, you're unlikely to need them assuming you're going to dump your car at the hotel and forget it... if you do, Austrian petrol stations sell them cheaply. Main roads are kept meticulously clear. If you get a really early tunnel you can do it in a oner. Stop to buy the Austrian Vignette at any of the service stations beyond Munich - it isn't worth trying to avoid Austrian M roads just to avoid paying the minor amount it is for 10 days.
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 Poster: A snowHead
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sk8girl,

My wife and I often drive to Kitzbuehel or St Anton/Lech and we find the best thing is to swap driving every 2 hours - you don't feel too bad by journey's end and with kids you will need pee stops etc. We are rigorous about only doing 2 hours at a stretch and have found it much easier than trying to push on.
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hi everyone .long time since i posted ,but do read daily though.We did mayerhofen last may got the early train and got to calais at 9am ,then drove to munich stayed at a hotel just of the a8.We hit bad traffic which lost us 2 hours and arrived at munich at 7 oclock in the evening ,we stayed at a hotel called the langwieder see which is literally just of the a8
We then left at 8 in the morning and got to mayerhofen for 11 and booked in and skied for the afternoon .
And on the way back we left at 7 in the morning did a steady 80 to 90 and got to calais at 5 ,its a really easy journey regards gary
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Bode Swiller, what's it like going the Nurnberg route? How long did it take? I went to Nurnberg while I was over in Germany and it's a good road between there and Munich - proper fast. Laughing
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pam w wrote:
You could probably ski too, except that you will probably not be able to get into your accommodation until later in the day.


Why are these two mutually exclusive - its not that hard to drop em in the car park and then put you ski kit on and hit the mountain. I have been skis on at 10:00 am on a satruday before now and remember Saturdays are like gold dust as the slopes, lifts and restaturants are empty...
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Kersh, it's more miles than the Karslruhe route but less fiddly and more derestricted AFAIK. The other way I've done it is getting the ferry to Ostend (and some kip) and then straight down to Brussels, Aachen etc.

I have no idea why so many drive to France yet consider Austria too far. It really isn't more than 50 or so miles further (depending on resort), no tolls (apart from a few bucks for the Vignette), no fear of big fines, better sausages and the chance to test the manufacturer's claims regards top speed of your motah!
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Don't forget winter tyres (could be legal & insurance implications if you are only running summer tyres or worn all season tyres) and there is still a legal requirement (currently under review) to drive with your headlights on even during the day. Just because you have 4WD doesn't mean you don't need winter tyres. A 2WD with winter tyres performs much better than a 4WD without in winter conditions. The locals generally have much more experience driving in winter conditions - try not to get into a winter rally race with them Wink

When a bus indicates to pull out it has right of way.

When turning left at traffic lights take note of the pedestrians right to cross indicated by the green man. Just because you have a green light it doesn't mean you always have right of way.

Not sure if Austrian speed camera photos are legally binding as in certain countries the picture is taken from the front (in Austria the picture is taken from behind). Don't assume because a non-Austrian is storming down the motorway at 100 mph that you can get away with it too.

The speed limit on Austrian autobahns is not unlimited like certain autobahns in Germany. It's generally 130 km/h (ca 80 mph).

Don't forget to pay the toll (Vignette).

Wether you need chains will be dependent on the weather and the access road to your resort / hotel. (e.g. resorts like Obertauern and Obergurgl have steeper higher alttitude roads). Best to phone a local (e.g. your hotel) and see if you really need them. It could be that a large snowfall means you have to get a set of chains for the way out.
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DB wrote:
When a bus indicates to pull out it has right of way.


That explains why the bus driver was getting irate with me in Bad Gastein about a week ago. Toofy Grin
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Hi sk8girl, lots of good advice here but one thing more ~ don't rely on one driver. Unless you are prepared to stop frequently it's really not a good idea or safe (its a long old drive and you say its your first drive abroad) And remember that this is a skiing holiday you are going on, even a smallish injury could mean that someone isn't comfortable to drive.
We always drive now and even with two drivers, it's hard on the way back after great but knackering holiday
Have fun wherever you choose Madeye-Smiley
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I've done the journey many times and always go the same way as Bode Swiller, it seems to be more direct. Definitely go via Aachen and try to avoid Brussells - the ring road can be a nightmare. I drive to Zell am See which is very close to Saalbach. It's unlikely you'll need snow chains to get to Saalbach, but if your hotel is up on the hillside then you might - i'd check with them. The road into the Saalbach Valley is virtually flat and very well cleared of snow. But you will need winter tyres - it is dangerous to drive without them in winter (and illegal in Austria).

I always come into Austria near the town of Kufstein, and then come off the motorway. THis does away with the need for the vignette (you can go one junction at Kufstein where the requirement for a vignette is waived), but I also find that this is the most convenient route (and the most scenic). But anyway, it's only about 9 euros for a week's sticker.

We always do the drive in one day, early channel crossing then just straight down the autobahn to Austria. Takes about 12 hours, swapping over driver every 2 hrs. Take lots of sandwiches so you don't have to eat horrible service station grub!
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bertie bassett, I was not suggesting that skiing on day of arrival, before having access to accommodation, was impossible. But with a car load of kids it needs forethought, so you can get them all kitted out without dragging the entire contents of the car out onto a muddy carpark! I have done it several times in the past, not driving but on early arrival on coach or overnight train.
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sk8girl ,

I have driven to Austria a few times but mostly starting from Amsterdam. I have done a lot of trips from Kent too as I have a pal living in Ashford and we went together as two families in two cars touring European countries.

I always use the software Autoroute which I find pretty accurate with time and distance. All I add is the stopping times for fuel and meals. Normally the time for a 650 miles journey is accurate to 15 minutes and distance to 10 miles.

The Autoroute tells me From Calais to Saalbach is about 730 miles. That is not too demanding if you do it more than one day.

Assuming to departing Calais at around 9am I would recommend an overnight stop at Stuttgart (465 miles) or Augsburg (565 miles). In your case you might have to consider the Stuttgart as you have two young children, asking you "How much longer?" continuously.

The shortest route appears to aim at Reims driving along A26 in France. After passing Reims you should turn to A4 heading Metz, pass Saarbrucken and eventually turn off to A35 just before Strassborg and cross the River Rhine. You would have just done 400 miles when you cross the River Rhine near Baden Baden. Afterward just follow the Autobahn A5 going North to turn into A8 at Ettlingen. Suttgart should be 65 miles from the River Rhine crossing.

I normally use Ibis as this hotel chain is very reliable and has nice clean rooms especially throughout Germany. If you want to save money then staying in France side is better as accommodation is always plentiful and affordable in France. Etap and Formula One Hotels all have 3 beds and good value for money. I used Formula One hotel a lot in the early days but the toilet and shower are shared. From Etap upward the rooms have en-suites. The France side, possibly around Strassborg, will also have big hyper markets which are good places to eat too. The downside in France is during mid term breaks they can be hard to book so booking early is recommended.

From experience the like traffic jam along this route could be from Munich to the Austrian border. I would not recommend going into Munich at all as the road work inside the city can set you back several hours easily. The ring road around Munich is bad enough. The Munich road to Austria has been very busy in recent years and you should branch off into A93 near Rosenheim heading to the Innsbruck direction instead of continuing with A8 to Salzburg.

The last leg from Niederndorf to Saalbach, about 63 miles, is country road and can take 1.5 to 1.75 hour easily because of the winter condition and getting dark by the time your reach there. Luckily the road is reasonably busy and usually well maintained unless you hit a snow storm. I would tell the hotel to expect late arrival and drive carefully and leisurely especially in the last leg. Make sure you have plenty tread on the tyres and sips pattern (zig zags thin grooves) is very useful for driving on snow surface.

I recommend carrying a set of snow chains and find a secure place to fit them when a need arrives, normally in heavy snow when there isn't time for the roads to be cleared, otherwise snowchains are seldom necessary along this route. However that would be an investment I would make for my own family. Do try to fit the snow chain at least once, say in a car park to test it before commenting the journey. The place you are expect to use it is in the last leg of the journey or the beginning if you leave Saalbach. Also having it available means you can drive around Saalbach/Hinterglemm valley too and possibly have a go at Zell am See & Kaprun which is just out side the Saalbach Vallley at a distance of 15 and 25 miles away respectively. Kaprun has a glacier and can be an insurance policy when there is insufficient snow everywhere, although if there is lack of snow in Austria in February then there will be almost no snow elsewhere.

Legally if you travel in Austrian motorway you need a Vignette which isn't expensive and is available in every motorway services. I believe you can buy them for a number of days. Driving on Austrian country roads does not require a Vignette. In fact while I stayed at Zell am See the hotel owner showed me a route to avoid paying the Vignette. I can't remember the price but it is possible between £6 to £10 for 20 days. In your case you could forget it as you only use a very short section of no more than 20 miles each way in the Austrian motorways, between Rosenheim and Niederndorf of which over 50% of the motorway is actually belonging to the Gernmany.
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 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.
Seems to be a lot of good info above already, but here's my handy info...

Some people say Germany has a law requiring winter tyres in winter, but my understanding is that you only need to have non-summer tyres. ie all-weather or all-year tyres are OK. but I'm not a lawyer. I use summer Pirellis all year, but if it snows I use the tram, since my car is a right handful on snow (wide / low-profile).

I do the Calais-Frankfurt bit in about 6 hours usually, and I'd guesstimate another 6 on top to get to Austria.

In German Autobahn services, many of the toilets are now coin-operated, and not attended... make sure you have a handy supply of 50c coins, cos you get no change, and most importantly, use the toilets first and then go to the cafeteria to get a coffee/apfelstrudel, because you get a 50c voucher from the coin-op machine to spend in the shop/cafeteria Smile (actually these are valid for a year at all places in the chain AFAIK)
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thank you to everyone for taking the time and trouble to give me help and advice. It has really helped.
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 You know it makes sense.
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Hi Guys! Returned today from our trip to Austria - fantastic journey both ways - would definitely recommend driving to anyone. I found it much more enjoyable than flying and we've saved loads of money. Even the kids made no fuss at all! Husband loved the German Autobahns! Thanks once again for all your advice - it made all the difference. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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Glad you like the German Autobahns and the Austrian trip. I find them relatively stress free myself. Just did a trip ourselves to spend a week in Zillertal and then another in Silvretta valleys a month ago.

With a car skiing in Austria can be ideal because it has a lot of small and little-known resorts.
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 Poster: A snowHead
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sk8girl wrote:
Hi Guys! Returned today from our trip to Austria - fantastic journey both ways - would definitely recommend driving to anyone. I found it much more enjoyable than flying and we've saved loads of money. Even the kids made no fuss at all! Husband loved the German Autobahns! Thanks once again for all your advice - it made all the difference. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy


Hi, glad all went well - we got back last Sunday. Good fast journey both ways - down thru Belgium, Germany, stopped in a very nice Gasthaus just off the motorway north of Munich, into Ellmau for Sat lunchtime (traffic from Munich down to Kufstein was slow). Came back via Germany and France, stopped near Verdun. We both liked driving in Germany and the French motorways were empty on the way home. We're planning to drive again next year and hopefully go back to Ellmau, but its looking like most accomodation is already booked for the 1/2 term week.
Advice we got on here really helped
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Can't really add too much that others haven't already said. Belguim also requires change to use the motorway toilets and when I filled up the petrol tank late at night in Belguim I had to get my credit card authorised beforehand. Even if you're not expecting snow it is worth having chains/winter tyres especially if you're hotel is on a hillside. I drove without problems all the way to Solden but then needed to apply chains for the last 50m to the B&B - everyone else had winter tyres and so we got a few funny looks!

On my last trip back from Austria we left the Stubai glacier in the early afternoon and made it to the tunnel at about 1.30am. That was pushing it a bit but it meant we could go straight onto an early train.
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I'm debating whether to drive out this year as there are 6 of us (4 kids!) and the flights to Salzburg are a bit pricey at the mo. I was thinking of stopping en route each way fot the night does anyone have any recomendations for a cheap overnighter?
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erikf8, Stuttgart? Pretty sure you could get some cheap accommo there.
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erikf8 wrote:
I'm debating whether to drive out this year as there are 6 of us (4 kids!) and the flights to Salzburg are a bit pricey at the mo. I was thinking of stopping en route each way fot the night does anyone have any recomendations for a cheap overnighter?


We drove to Ischgl for New Year 2006/7 and stopped over at Karlsruhe, in the Novotel there. Rooms can cater for up to 4. Just looked on Accor website for 26/12 and rooms are available for 59 euro. Worked well for us.
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erikf8, welcome to snowHeads snowHead
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All of you who drive to Austria - what time do you do the bulk of your driving and which days? I drove this year. Not going to do it again in a hurry.
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slikedges, ferry late afternoon/early evening on the Friday. Drive through the night as far as I can, then get an hours kip in the car. Carry on, trying to get to the Munich ring before 8am. Arrive resort Sat morning. Ski, then crash out at tea time for 16 hours.
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slikedges Drove for the first time last Feb and going to drive again next Feb. 0600 ish eurotunnel on Friday, then via Brussels, Aachen, Koln, Frankfurt, Nurnburg, stopped just off the motorway near Ingoldstadt - very nice old chalet style hotel cost around 80 euros for family of 3 inc breakfast, - about 8.5 hours driving from the tunnel. Around 2 1/2 hour drive Sat morning via Munchen down to resort,but cr*p traffic Munich-Kufstein. came back via Stuttgart and through France via Rheims - stopped near Verdun. Seemed to take a lot longer.
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We got the tunnel at 7.20 on the friday morning (we're only 45 minutes from folkestone though) and then drove all day and stayed at the Etap at Augsburg on the Friday night. Then arrived in resort Saturday lunchtime. On the way back we skied all day Saturday (an extra day skiing was the incentive to get hubby to drive!), stayed again at Augsburg and did rest of the journey on the Sunday. We're going to do the same again next year, but hubby wants to do more on the Saturday on the way back so we're staying at the Etap in Karlsruhe instead on the way back.
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