Advice for driving in Europe
Discussion
Hi,
Been to flat and crowded parts of Northern Europe quite a bit, but this summer I'm off to the Alps and will be passing through France, Italy, Switzerland and a little bit of Austria. Anyone know anything that is important to be aware of so I don't make a numpty of myself. Got some info on toll roads, getting a triangle, etc., but I don't know much really.
Cheers,
Justin
Been to flat and crowded parts of Northern Europe quite a bit, but this summer I'm off to the Alps and will be passing through France, Italy, Switzerland and a little bit of Austria. Anyone know anything that is important to be aware of so I don't make a numpty of myself. Got some info on toll roads, getting a triangle, etc., but I don't know much really.
Cheers,
Justin
Well, we drive on the right side of the road (as opposed to left, not wrong) for one!
Seriously though, if you drive through Switzerland, watch your speed - it could get very expensive if you are flashed/caught much over 20kmh beyond the posted speed limit (and much more expensive in 50/60 kmh zones). And if the locals seem to have discovered excellent lane discipline on a motorway section, it's because it's camara-ed!
Can recommend a few passes to drive too.
Klausenpass
Süstenpass
both internal swiss passes
or to Italy
San bernadino Pass
Berninapass
Splugapass
in order of difficulty, easiest first!
HTH, gute fahrt
Seriously though, if you drive through Switzerland, watch your speed - it could get very expensive if you are flashed/caught much over 20kmh beyond the posted speed limit (and much more expensive in 50/60 kmh zones). And if the locals seem to have discovered excellent lane discipline on a motorway section, it's because it's camara-ed!
Can recommend a few passes to drive too.
Klausenpass
Süstenpass
both internal swiss passes
or to Italy
San bernadino Pass
Berninapass
Splugapass
in order of difficulty, easiest first!
HTH, gute fahrt
Always carry a first aid kit, triangle, spare light bulbs, fuses, tow rope and booster cables. Some countries require these by law. Also ensure all your documents are up to date and carry photocopies as well. Recommend a torch, spare belts and so on. Have fun, I regularly drive across Europe and find it good fun.
Justin,
Tollroads (motorways only) in Switzerland and Austria as well as some passes/tunnels. Don't try to get through without the Vignette/Pickerl can be very expensive. Swiss vignette on sale at broder crossings SFR 40/year no monthly. Austrian Pickerl (10 days minimum/or month/or year. Specify which when you buy or they'll punish you for your ignorance!) on sale at all petrolstations so cross the border on a normal road otherwise they can/may ping you on the motorway crossing.... Speed: neither the Swiss (120kph motorway 80 kph roads) or the Austrians (especially xenophobic!)understand any fun on this; except in Ticino-CH,,, but watch for speed traps on tunnel EXITS!!! In France usually 30kph over the limit on Motorways is tolerated (police to lazy unless you really make it worth their while). Italy... just blattt, they do it all the time (their police are just too lazy. fullstop)
KIT reqd: green card, triangle, NO yellow lights, tape up the wrong dip, first aid kit!, no extra petrol cans! (Italy). Petrol cheapest in CH then A, for Italian and French motorway tolls use cash! Euros to you (the italian tollgates quite often charge double/treble on a foreign credit card). South of France if you've a good car, keep the doors LOCKED on tourist routes (and her handbag invisible) as there are often "staged" accidents to rob foreigners. If in doubt use your mobile to summon police, number 112 is international emercency call.. Just a few tips from someone who does 120000km/year in €urope...
Tollroads (motorways only) in Switzerland and Austria as well as some passes/tunnels. Don't try to get through without the Vignette/Pickerl can be very expensive. Swiss vignette on sale at broder crossings SFR 40/year no monthly. Austrian Pickerl (10 days minimum/or month/or year. Specify which when you buy or they'll punish you for your ignorance!) on sale at all petrolstations so cross the border on a normal road otherwise they can/may ping you on the motorway crossing.... Speed: neither the Swiss (120kph motorway 80 kph roads) or the Austrians (especially xenophobic!)understand any fun on this; except in Ticino-CH,,, but watch for speed traps on tunnel EXITS!!! In France usually 30kph over the limit on Motorways is tolerated (police to lazy unless you really make it worth their while). Italy... just blattt, they do it all the time (their police are just too lazy. fullstop)
KIT reqd: green card, triangle, NO yellow lights, tape up the wrong dip, first aid kit!, no extra petrol cans! (Italy). Petrol cheapest in CH then A, for Italian and French motorway tolls use cash! Euros to you (the italian tollgates quite often charge double/treble on a foreign credit card). South of France if you've a good car, keep the doors LOCKED on tourist routes (and her handbag invisible) as there are often "staged" accidents to rob foreigners. If in doubt use your mobile to summon police, number 112 is international emercency call.. Just a few tips from someone who does 120000km/year in €urope...
Remember that although HM Customs say that you can bring as much Tobbacco and alchol back into this country, from an EU contry, as you like, as long as it is for you own use, what they actually mean is 800 cigs, 1kg of hand rolling tobbacco, 90 litres of beer, memory is fading now, sorry. Remember that Switzerland is not part of the EU, and if they catch you with more fags/booze than they think is reasonable, they will confiscate your motor. Also, get yourself medical insurance, or at the very least an E111 form, availible at the post office, this will show that you are entitled to the equivelent of NHS treatment in whatever country you have the misfortune of needing it in. Best of luck, have a good time.
My advice is to be very careful with your lane discipline
on motorways.
Almost all European countries have higher motorway speed
limits than we Brits do, and have much more lax enforcement.
Very few speed cameras abroad.
Keep out of the locals way as much as possible.
I was once cruising at my usual 120 mph (==200 kph),
on the Salzburg - Munich road, in heavy traffic on a Sunday
night down a two lane autobahn, when I misjudged
quite how fast the BMW 5 series in my rear view mirror
was approaching.
Suffice to say I got to an emergency overload 135 mph
before I could pull in. I assume the BMW was travelling on
the govenor at 155 mph.
on motorways.
Almost all European countries have higher motorway speed
limits than we Brits do, and have much more lax enforcement.
Very few speed cameras abroad.
Keep out of the locals way as much as possible.
I was once cruising at my usual 120 mph (==200 kph),
on the Salzburg - Munich road, in heavy traffic on a Sunday
night down a two lane autobahn, when I misjudged
quite how fast the BMW 5 series in my rear view mirror
was approaching.
Suffice to say I got to an emergency overload 135 mph
before I could pull in. I assume the BMW was travelling on
the govenor at 155 mph.
Done a bit of European touring and it is actually quite pleasureable. Not too crouded roads (ok off peak anyway) and nice scenery to look at - really quite nice.
As for advice - Switzerland is a big no-no for speeding (as already mentioned). Be careful in France now too, they are cracking down on speeders and you really do need to be careful. However, they cannot penalise you more for not being French - recent rule passed by EU means that they have to treat you the same as a Frenchman! Italy is OK but the roads are rougher than France and Germany.
Dont flash your lights at someone in Italy (and some other places) as it means that you are coming through and not letting them out. Lane dicipine (sp?) in France ,Germany and Italy is actually very good. But if you fail to yield to a passing car then you will be abused in most places - sounds daft, but actually works. Easy to make progress if you wish to push on. Oh, and dont get pi**ed off with tail-gaters - common practice.
In Italy some of the service stations are NOT self-service. You let the chaps in Blue sort you out. Nice, but if you do it yourself they get a little strange (unsuprisingly). Oh, and almost all motorway stations take credit cards, but not all local or regional ones....
Finally toll roads - most are infalable and well designed. However, if you need to take a ticket and it fails to give you want, do stop and get one (there are small stopping areas just after the booths - failure in some places means that you get the maximum charge even if you didnt cover the distance.
Just a couple of things that I fell for anyway. Other than that enjoy as it is a real difference to the UK.
Cheers,
Paul
As for advice - Switzerland is a big no-no for speeding (as already mentioned). Be careful in France now too, they are cracking down on speeders and you really do need to be careful. However, they cannot penalise you more for not being French - recent rule passed by EU means that they have to treat you the same as a Frenchman! Italy is OK but the roads are rougher than France and Germany.
Dont flash your lights at someone in Italy (and some other places) as it means that you are coming through and not letting them out. Lane dicipine (sp?) in France ,Germany and Italy is actually very good. But if you fail to yield to a passing car then you will be abused in most places - sounds daft, but actually works. Easy to make progress if you wish to push on. Oh, and dont get pi**ed off with tail-gaters - common practice.
In Italy some of the service stations are NOT self-service. You let the chaps in Blue sort you out. Nice, but if you do it yourself they get a little strange (unsuprisingly). Oh, and almost all motorway stations take credit cards, but not all local or regional ones....
Finally toll roads - most are infalable and well designed. However, if you need to take a ticket and it fails to give you want, do stop and get one (there are small stopping areas just after the booths - failure in some places means that you get the maximum charge even if you didnt cover the distance.
Just a couple of things that I fell for anyway. Other than that enjoy as it is a real difference to the UK.
Cheers,
Paul
Thanks everyone. Very helpful.
90 litres of beer? in an Elise? Now _that_ is a challenge!
Justin
- www.pointandsquirt.co.uk/
90 litres of beer? in an Elise? Now _that_ is a challenge!
Justin
- www.pointandsquirt.co.uk/
An Italian guy I know was done for speeding in Switzerland, maybe 90 mph or so. On the spot fine, (literally - they'd have confiscated the car if he hadn't paid up there and then, although credit cards were accepted!), and a ban from entering Switzerland (car or not) for 6 months. Which since he had to get to and from south west Germany every other week, made life a tad difficult.
So take it easy there!
So take it easy there!
www.halfords.com for more info. on what to carry
or try www.halfords.com/shop/european_matrix.asp for a direct link..
>> Edited by nmlowe on Thursday 9th May 22:57
or try www.halfords.com/shop/european_matrix.asp for a direct link..
>> Edited by nmlowe on Thursday 9th May 22:57
Make sure you spend a couple of days blatting between Italy & Switzerland over the various passes, its incredible in the summer 
Stay overnight on the Italian side, much cheaper & the local populus are far less anal.(Lake Como etc...)
I think the pass for the swiss motorways can be bought beforehand from the AA to save you time at the border, don't even consider driving on them without one.
Oh and if you get asked why I havn't paid the two speeding & three parking tickets yet from four years ago, you can tell them they've got more chance of sh*tting a fire engine out of their @rse....
Stay overnight on the Italian side, much cheaper & the local populus are far less anal.(Lake Como etc...) I think the pass for the swiss motorways can be bought beforehand from the AA to save you time at the border, don't even consider driving on them without one.
Oh and if you get asked why I havn't paid the two speeding & three parking tickets yet from four years ago, you can tell them they've got more chance of sh*tting a fire engine out of their @rse....
A friend of my uncle's used to live in Switzerland. Got a parking ticket two days before emigrating to OZ, so he binned it.
Four or five years later he went back to Switzerland for a visit. Knock on his hotel room the first evening - two policemen, after his parking fine. He had to pay up there and then or they'd have arrested him!
Four or five years later he went back to Switzerland for a visit. Knock on his hotel room the first evening - two policemen, after his parking fine. He had to pay up there and then or they'd have arrested him!
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