 Poster: A snowHead
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We're going to be driving to Ellmau in February - half-term week due to loads of grief if we try to take our 8 year old duaghter out of school, but we can get away on the Friday cos its a training day. Though we've been skiing for a while, its the first time we've driven down and we'd be grateful for advice in a couple of areas. First, whats the best route from Calais - looks like theres several options depending which routefinder you use. Second, whats the concensus on winter tyres - again there seems to be differences of opinion. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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mikeh, I've driven to that area many times and always without winter tyres. I also have never bothered taking chains, prefering to buy a cheap set from a petrol station if necessary... only needed to do this once. There are no hilly roads and the Austrians keep them very well swept. Might face a tricky situation if you happen to have an accident and you only have summer tyres.
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Hi there,
No advice on the route as such but have driven around that area extensively. I would personally look at getting winter tyres and/or chains. I have driven in many a snowstorm in Austria, and whilst yes they are very good at clearing the roads, the police will stop anyone from driving who does not have chains if they deem them to be necessary at the time, so personally, I would go equipped with both. That's just me and some would say I am over-equipped/neurotic etc, but having once (only once!) been completely stuck and unable to drive anywhere for lack of chains, I would prefer to be over-equipped to being stuck with a car full of gear and family in the dark (it's always darK!) and being told by police I am not allowed to drive any further. Sod's law, if you take them, you won't need them, but if you don't then you will!
Also echo BS's comment re accidents if you only have summer tyres. You put yourself in a dodgy situation if anything were to go wrong.
Having said that, I would buy chains over in Europe, maybe on the drive down, they're much cheaper, ours were about EUR30 a few years back and do the job just fine.
HTH
D
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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 shouldn't need any chains in Ellmau as it's really quite flat. But if it's snowing heavily and you don't have winter tyres then you might be better off having them anyway. Winter tyres are a really good idea (it's actually illegal to drive without them in Austria during the winter months). There are various routes you can do to get down to Austria (this was discussed somewhere else recently), but the best way once you're past Munich is to cross into Austria at Kufstein. It's only one or two junctions over the border on the motorway, then you leave the motorway and follow the signs for St Johann/Soll and this road takes you directly to Ellmau. Very easy to find as the village is on the main road.
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The drive to Ellmau is really easy - just half an hour off the motorway on a well cleared valley road.
Winter tyres are a must IMO. I was stunned by how fast the traffic moved in driving snow on the German Autobahn, you really wouldn't fancy that on summer tyres.
Given the roads you'll experience to and from and around Ellmau you won't need chains as well as winter tyres. I don't remember a significant hill - all flattish valley driving. Winter tyres are fine at low speed on the sort of compacted snow/ice you'll find in car parks too.
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Hi
We are also driving to Austria February half term for the first time, having before always flown there in January. I had a thread a few weeks ago under "trips" titled "driving to austria - half term week" for which I had lots of very useful replies and would be worth reading. We live in Kent and are booked onto the eurotunnel at 7.20 on the Friday morning.
Good luck!
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Thanks everyone for the advice - all really useful. I think that we'll go with the winter tyres, even if the roads are clear of snow, they look like they handle average bad weather a lot better. Found a couple of web sites selling them for £40 odd each. Cant decide on a route down to Munich - Mich say go via Luxembourg, others via Koln, Frankfurt, Nurembourg. sk8girl - we're coming down from cambridge and we're on the 7.50, but might try to slide onto an earlier train
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mikeh, I'd recommend the latter route, through Nurembourg. It always seems to be quicker. Also try going via Aachen and not Brussels as you can get caught in serious traffic round the city. The roads through Luxembourg don't seem as good - the only time we did that route it took 4 hours longer than usual.
Good luck!
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| JimiHendrix wrote: |
| T I don't remember a significant hill - all flattish valley driving. |
Once your in the valley where Ellmau is this is ok, however, the road up from Kufstein to the valley passes though a gorge which has some tight turns and steepish sections - best to have the right tyres and possibly chains just in case, it was snowing there when I drove over just over a week ago. Quite fun in a luton van full of furniture!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mikeh, Hi.I go to Soll every year sometimes for a month, I have seen vehicle's stuck for over a week on the smallest of gradients, because off no snow chains mind you one was a van. The reason this normally happens is that in car hire shops they say "no problem you are only going up to 800 mtrs no mountain's from here to Skiwelt". Well what they forget is you are in the mountains, it does snow, and I've got some step hill's near me that you could not get up if the roads were compact snow. As for driving tips Lot's of coffee and redbulls.
Good Luck
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