 Poster: A snowHead
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I am planning a week in Zell for Jan 2010! Has anybody got any tips/ advice for the drive from NW, Google earth says about 18 hrs? Any good travel lodge type hotels on the motorway, E15 I think, on the way down?
All advice welcome 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nice drive ...I have done a similar journey and would recommend go via Lille and Luxembourg to avoid the tolls..autoroute says 15hrs from sheffield,.....
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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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blades, Drove to Kaprun from Glasgow last summer. We drove overnight in UK to Dover, then from Calais to Wurzburg in Germany where we stayed overnight. Then about 4-5 hours next day. On the way back however we drove all day (11-12 hours) to Rotterdam where we got the overnight ferry to Hull - this was MUCH better than the way down. If I was doing it again I would definitely do the Hull Rotterdam crossing. I would also consider driving in France and then via Luxembourg as the Autobahns are very busy and get horrendous traffic jams.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| DaveD wrote: |
| nice drive ...I have done a similar journey and would recommend go via Lille and Luxembourg to avoid the tolls..autoroute says 15hrs from sheffield,..... |
If you go this way, be sure to fill up with cheap(er) Luxembourg fuel! 
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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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If the autobahns round Munich are busy there is always the Arlberg tunnel and go through to Innsbruck To give you some idea Verona to Luxemberg took a day on this route with one driver
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We have only done it once, from Cheshire and did Dover-Ostend (at about 3pm) and then drove via Brussels, Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart. We then went into Austria on Lake Constance and drove along the Inn valley, because we wanted to, but you don't have to do that, you can head to Munich/Salzburg.
I don't think the route we did was the quickest, but it was kind of based on visiting a few people along the way. However, we drove from the northwest and got an afternoon ferry, stayed the night in Bruges, and the next day we could easily have got all the way there but chose to visit people in Stuttgart, stopping at about 5pm. I guess we chose to make it comfortable/civilised but you don't have to if you just want to get the snow!
I reckon from the afternoon ferry to Ostend, you could get to Cologne/Bonn, stay somewhere near there and then have an early start and be in Zell for mid-afternoon. The thing is that for us north-west dwellers, factoring in the trek to the ferry on the south coast is another half day in reality.
boabski's Hull-Rotterdam ferry would be worth looking into though.
One thing to mention is that although it looks horrendous on the map, it really isn't. We chose to get into Germany as soon as possible as we prefer driving there, but there are loads of options.
I don't think my route is the E15 one you mention, so no recommendations as such, but let us know how your plans go as it is something we are thinking of doing more often.
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I've done it from Sheffield - went via Calais, Brussels, across to Munich and down from there. I just pulled into a layby for a couple of hours rather than booking a room.
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From NW I would take the Newcastle ferry which docks at Amsterdam at 10am. Thereafter it is a fast run through Germany in about 650 miles. I usually alert the hotel I would be coming in between 8 to 9pm. Two stops; one for lunch and another for dinner, normal relax crusing speed and Austrian border should be crossed at about 7pm.
I reckon Innsbruck and Salzburg are within a day's journey from Amsterdam as I have done it to SKi Welt, Mayrhofen, Zell am See and Garmisch Partenkirken in separate journeys.
Hotels in Germany cities always have rooms and pretty affordable (like to like hotels are cheaper than those in Switzerland, Austria, Netherland Italy and France). They are extensive and the best for the European travellers.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 5-12-08 9:21; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks all, there are quite a few options there. I did forget to say that I also have a ferry crossing from my crib in the Isle of Man but I do like the sound of the Hull/ Newcastle options, I hate driving down M6, M5 etc 
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This thread is perfectly timed.
Deliaskis, we are driving to Saalbach next Summer, that's pretty much the route I fancy - with two nights in Germany in each direction. Think we'll do the Hull - Zeebrugge party ferry 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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chrisdavis, Make sure you go to Panorama Alm in Saalbach - one of the most beautiful spots I've ever been to.
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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.
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boabski,
Good point!
Saalbach/Hinterglemm/Leogang is a much bigger resort and an excellent crusing country than Zell am See but its first chairlift can be reached from Zell am See in about 10 minutes by car.
Zell Am See is packaged with Kaprun which is 3.5 miles away. Saalbach is 13 miles in the opposite direction to Kaprun.
Zell am See plus the unlinked Kaprun have 130km piste but Saalbach, Hinterglemm and Leogang are fully linked with 200km piste.
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Ah.......... but as my partner says "size is'nt everything" and I love Zell/ Kaprun, been 8 times. I think I might have a drive over there though for a days scout to see if i fancy doing a week there. Note to myself ....... stop calling it Lego land 
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You know it makes sense.
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Don't want to open up the worm can again, but have you reviewed the threads on winter tyres for Austria?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Sorry if this has been said before but one other possibility for getting to Austria/Italy is using the night train (with your car loaded on board) from Dusseldorf to Munich or Innsbruck. It leaves Dusseldorf on the friday night and arrives in Munich or Innsbruck early saturday. In the past we have taken the train to Innsbruck but reckon it is quicker to get out at Munich and take the car down thru Kufstein to Ellmau. It is a bit more expensive than driving but you get a nights sleep (if you can on train!) and 2 full saturdays skiing. It saves on a bit of petrol and 2 nights hotel (if stopping), meals and can be a bit of an adventure for kids.
You can have a compartment to yourself for a group of 5 people or share if there are less ( even if there are 3 of you it would make sense to have a compartment to yourselves as it is only slightly more expensive than going public). You get a continental breakfast in the price, there is a buffet car but we usually buy food (and drink) for a picnic.
The return leaves Innsbruck on the Saturday evening (good supermarket under the railway station for food etc).
Having bought tickets for January early I now see there are some special deals on if bought this week!!!!
Having flown,driven(thru the night/with stops etc) we have found this to be a pretty relaxing way of getting to the slopes with extra skiing and also being in a fit state to enjoy it! If driving have usually found it takes between 10 and 12 hours to Ellmau which is before Zell
Can all be checked out in English at www.dbautozug.de
Enjoy the trip
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Poster: A snowHead
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davstev, Thanks for that, that could well be the way we go. I have been on their website but cant see any prices, have you got a rough price for a family of 4? Many thanks again
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Blades
This is part of the email I've had:-
The "Autozug-Spezial" offer covers one person travelling in the couchette car
and one vehicle-99 euros. Fellow passengers pay only 60 Euros. Bookable up to 7 days
before your departure, for as long as tickets last. Tickets cannot be exchanged
or refunded.
Available dates and online booking:
http://www.cds-leipzig.de/dbautozug/redirect.php?l=25&n=20081204_en
Our prices for 4 going down Dusseldorf to Munich is 251 euros (all adults-children might be cheaper).
return from Innsbruck to Dusseldorf is 316 euros,
It looks like there are some midweek trains now as well.
The way to get a price is go thru the booking process it will then give you options on which trains /dates are available and the relevent prices,
Tip if you do take the train disable your car alarm while it is on board as movement sensors can set the alarm off resulting in a flat battery at your destination. 
Hope this helps, we couldnt take the return from Munich this year as the arrival time at Dusseldorf is later than the innsbruck one which would leave us even tighter for our rescheduled chunnel train.
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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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davstev, welcome to snowHeads 
I wasn't aware of the car-train.....really useful to know about, thanks.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks Elizabeth B. Shame its not from Calais. The drive to Dusseldorf via France Belgium Holland and Germany is on nice roads
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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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