 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is no fastest/cheapest route - you either get there fast, or you get there cheap. The fast route is the Autoroute through France, the cheap route is not to take the Autoroute through France.
There are a couple of places where there are fast roads that are as quick, but the overall cost saving of about 10 euros doesn't work out for the effort involved in finding these.
For the kind of driving you are planning between resorts, I'd make sure you've got the usual chains, winter tyres if practical, and shovels and sensible materials in the car. You'll also need all the usual high vis, warning triangle etc.
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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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Can't give you any advice on driving - but wow, what a great trip! 
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| Tordi wrote: |
Then on 23rd Jan we are driving from St Anton to Zermatt. We were thinking of driving past Laax for this leg of our trip. Does this route tend to get cut off in bad weather etc?
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I am not sure about this idea. During winter time maybe better driving past Zug and Luzern.
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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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Nice. Don't forget a vignette for driving on Austrian motorways, you'll also need one for the Swiss motorways too. You're also legally supposed to have winter tyres fitted to a car in Austria over the winter months as well as carrying chains.
Guessing you've already booked your channel crossing, otherwise I would suggest, based on your location, looking at doing the Hull-Rotterdam crossing as a possibility. It's the crossing I always do when driving to Austria, considerably less driving in the UK (I live about 2hrs from Hull), drive off the ferry about 9am in the morning and I'm in St Anton by 7pm including lunch/fuel/toilet stops.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sitter, Didn't think about a Hull Rotterdam crossing. Already booked, but good info for next time! Do you definitely need winter tyres for Austria? I'm borrowing a Honda 4x4 and will have chains, but no winter tyres. Eeep. 
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| Quote: |
I'm borrowing a Honda 4x4 and will have chains, but no winter tyres.
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do you have any chance of getting hold of a different vehicle? You'd probably be better off in an ordinary front wheel drive car with snow tyres than in a 4 x 4 without.
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Like you say there are many options. Personally I'd avoid the worst of the French tolls, as outside of rush hour it won't save you much time, but will hurt your pocket. I'd also avoid Germany, as roadworks and traffic on that route are always a pain in my experience.
So:
Leg 1)
Calais->Luxembourg ~3h30 (via Lille or Gent, I tend to alternate for a change of scenery, but would avoid the Lille route at rush hour).
Stop for cheap fuel (and tobacco products if you're a smoker)
Luxembourg->Strasbourg ~1h45 (incurs a small toll, but worth it)
Strasbourg->Basel->St. Anton ~4h (requires a Swiss vignette which they will direct you to as you cross the border near Basel, but you'll need that for the next leg anyway)
Leg 2)
Not a route I've done directly, so can't really comment. I have fond memories of Laax though, so would recommend it if you have the time.
Leg 3)
I'd head from Zermatt to Basel then reverse leg 1.
Are you planning to overnight anywhere to break the long legs up, or just drive through? I've done St. Anton to Reading in one shot driving through the night (work the next morning), but its a long haul. Adding on the trek to Leeds, well rather you than me.
There's a holiday near Lille that makes a good breaking point without breaking the bank.
Sounds like a great trip, wish I could be there
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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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| Tordi wrote: |
| Sitter, Didn't think about a Hull Rotterdam crossing. Already booked, but good info for next time! Do you definitely need winter tyres for Austria? I'm borrowing a Honda 4x4 and will have chains, but no winter tyres. Eeep. |
yes you do, and in Gemany. M&S and/or snowflake marking reqd
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Can't say I've ever really experienced problems with the traffic driving between Rotterdam and the Arlberg. Yes there are long term roadworks in a few places, but they've never really held me up. Only been once that my sat nav has re-directed me due to severe traffic (well twice actually, but as it wasn't able to distinguish which direction the traffic was, I ignored it as I listen to the local radio which indicated the problem was with traffic in the opposite direction).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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holidayloverxx, My understanding of the German system is that you do not have to have snow tyres but if the conditions warrant it you must have them or don't drive (same in Lux).
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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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chocksaway, yes, and it's been debated here before; no clarity on what that actually means in practice.
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Get snow tyres. We pass 4x4s floundering on the hill in our skoda every winter. And feel very smug. It's always amusing to watch the brits abroad without snow tyres.
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You know it makes sense.
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f948lan, We are going to stop over somewhere on the way back from Meribel as our return Eurotunnel isn't until the Monday morning. We hadn't decided where yet. Thanks for the travel info.
I'm going to scope out the tyre situation. Hopefully we can maybe sort ourselves out with some winter tyres, or at the very least the M&S variety.
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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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Tordi, sorry, I was trying to multitask when I wrote that and just realised I missed the Meribel bit in my advice above, I was thinking you finished in Zermatt. From Meribel I would come back through France (unless you want one last ski in Switzerland on the way back of course ). I get bored with the autoroute out, so would probably go for:
Meribel->Annecy (not via autoroute) -> Geneva -> through Jura -> Dole -> Reims -> Calais
I might change this depending on the weather/snow conditions however.
If your shuttle is early, Reims is of course the popular stopover point. If you're skiing Sunday, then stop around Dijon.
I assume staying in Cervina and skiing Zermatt from there isn't an option? Just to me that could offer a better route from St. Anton to Meribel, without either a big detour or risking passes that may be closed. But as I said above it's not a route I know well. I've driven all those resorts, but not directly between them. Hopefully others can give better input here.
On the snow tyre front, I agree with the others saying do it. I was caught in a snowstorm on the autobahn near Stuttgart some years ago, without winter tyres. The Germans with them were still happily doing 100km/h+, I was struggling to keep a straight line at 50km. Had to abandon the journey and find a hotel for the night. Bought winter tyres after that and have done ever since, the difference is amazing. Has also saved me having to freeze my fingers off putting chains on to get in/out of resort on a few occasions. I run them November to March (ish) (yes, in the UK for most of that). Doesn't really cost any more in the long run, as my summer tyres last longer (through less use).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
do you have any chance of getting hold of a different vehicle? You'd probably be better off in an ordinary front wheel drive car with snow tyres than in a 4 x 4 without.
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Don't want to turn this into another winter tyre thread, but I agree with this. I've passed 4x4's without winter tyres in a 2WD saloon when they've been struggling to get up country hills (in the Southern UK) in recent snowy winters.
I never get the fuss over a 4WD. If your tyre's aren't gripping the road properly, fix it by making them grip, not making more of them spin. The 'Drive' bit of 4WD is only one part of driving after all. Steering and braking are pretty important too, most 4x4 only steer with 2 wheels, and even 2WD cars brake with 4. Alpine roads in a 4x4 with winter tyres, sure, but not without.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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f948lan, Turns out the car I'm borrowing is fitted with M&S tyres and we have chains. Not as good as proper winter tyres, but presumably a lot better than standard all season tyres?? I've checked the legal stuff and these ones pass the German and Austrian requirements, phew!
Not sure whether to ski on the Sunday or not. We might do the morning and then set off home. The shuttle is early on the Monday so Reims might be a good shout. 
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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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Tordi, http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/ is a somewhat precise website for working out costs of driving on the continent. It tells your total costs for petrol, tolls, and beers.
Sitter has the right idea, Zeebrugge or Rotterdam is 9.5/10 hours to St Anton, simples. 
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skimastaaah, thanks. I've already scoped out the tolls, vignettes, mileage and petrol info. Its a very useful website.
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