Road trip to Czech Republic next week , any tips etc

[Mattlan]

Will be driving across Europe from Zebruges to south of Prague Tuesday next week for a wedding ( via Nurburgring of course) and then back via Stuttgart (Porsche and Mercedes museums). Travelling out I are pretty committed but I have from Wednesday till Sunday the following week "free" other than I need to be in Yorkshire by Sunday night. So my questions are:
are there any roads / places that should be on the to do list ( bearing in mind I am going in a very tired old 928 so the Stelvio Pass is probably not on!
I'm travelling alone on the home leg, other than being generally sensible, are there any new scams / issues I should bear in mind
We hit the Nurburgring Tuesday lunchtime and have a BMW M5 taxi ride booked Wednesday morning, what to-do's are there during this time?

Thanks for your input!

[s3fella]

Expect th third degree from border guards when you enter Czech Republic. In the daytime, it's snot so bad, but of you enter cz in the evening, I've found the border areas to be a little tricky. Potentially lots of local hoons out to hassle you, or even worse. I found best tactic was to just put my foot down and fk off, so be careful, there seemed to be lots of people looking for trouble around Chebb and similar towns at night. And a foreign car with foreign plates attracts them!

Nie roads though, motorways especially. Cheap fuel too.

[RizzoTheRat]

Take lots of photos.
Post up the best ones when you get back.

[cptsideways]

Google Mimon airbase, its almost on route & its worth a trip if, proper cold war military stuff thats largely abandoned. Access is via the woods via the road to the right hand side directly towards the end of the runway https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&client...



We have had no problems driving in via the new motorway route (Plzen/Prague route), which is quick & easy. You will need a motoway toll ticket - dont forget some clingfilm so you can swap it between cars


I assume you have somewhere to park your car in Prague? if not make sure its in a secure underground car park. If you need one I can suggest a good place near the dancing house in the centre. This place 24hr security (you need it!!!) https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&client...

Edited by cptsideways on Wednesday 24th April 11:33

Edited by cptsideways on Wednesday 24th April 11:36

[Sweller]

I lived in Prague for a while few years back and drove from the UK twice, once in our TVR once in a van. Both took around 12hrs from Calais. Not sure about the border comment from S3fella, I never saw any officials at the German/Czech border. Its an EU country on both sides so generally you wouldn't need to show any doscuments. You might have to slow down a bit but other than that its a chicane on the motorway :-) Minor point for services in Germany: the toilets are EUR1 which is refunded via a ticket, just remember to piss first, order food/drinks after.

[West4x4]

Went last year going again hopefully in June. No border crossing issues at all. You just have to have a vignette available from both sides of the border for using the motorways. Great country enjoy yourself!

[McFarnsworth]

s3fella said:

Expect th third degree from border guards when you enter Czech Republic. In the daytime, it's snot so bad, but of you enter cz in the evening, I've found the border areas to be a little tricky. Potentially lots of local hoons out to hassle you, or even worse. I found best tactic was to just put my foot down and fk off, so be careful, there seemed to be lots of people looking for trouble around Chebb and similar towns at night. And a foreign car with foreign plates attracts them!

Nie roads though, motorways especially. Cheap fuel too.

No more border guards since 2007, just don't forget to buy a vignette at the border.
Great country, you'll probably end up on some great driver roads when pointing the car away from the larger roads and motorways.

[Mattlan]

cptsideways, so are you suggesting Prague is "iffy" for car theft, or smash and grab? Think we have booked secure parking with the hotel we are staying in, but my colleague is taking the bride and groom's outfits, wife's outfits (plural) photgraphic equipment etc, so does this issue extend throughout Czech?

[Mattlan]

Also, anyone with hints for the Nurburgring etc, you know that bar just outside the circuit where all the ex Formula 1 drivers who now thrash Porsche's round and round go to relax after a hard day?

[treetops]

An ageing 928, if you you actually make it, be careful where its parked as it'll be a magnet to strip for parts.

[christofmccracke]

I'm driving from Glasgow to Brno in July look forward to hearing how you get on

[cptsideways]

Mattlan said:

cptsideways, so are you suggesting Prague is "iffy" for car theft, or smash and grab? Think we have booked secure parking with the hotel we are staying in, but my colleague is taking the bride and groom's outfits, wife's outfits (plural) photgraphic equipment etc, so does this issue extend throughout Czech?

Its a big problem with foreign cars in Prague, breakins & theft, ok out in the sticks though. On street parking is a nightmare anyway especially as the signs are in Czech with lots of restrictions & they will tow it away.

Just be wary of leaving anything valuable in the car

[JDRoest]

Mattlan said:

Will be driving across Europe from Zebruges to south of Prague Tuesday next week for a wedding ( via Nurburgring of course) and then back via Stuttgart (Porsche and Mercedes museums). Travelling out I are pretty committed but I have from Wednesday till Sunday the following week "free" other than I need to be in Yorkshire by Sunday night. So my questions are:
are there any roads / places that should be on the to do list ( bearing in mind I am going in a very tired old 928 so the Stelvio Pass is probably not on!
I'm travelling alone on the home leg, other than being generally sensible, are there any new scams / issues I should bear in mind

Stelvio is closed so don't beat yourself up about it I haven't got the list of passes that are open but many of the big ones don't open until mid May at the earliest.

I've driven Prague to Calais more than a few times and there are no scams that I can think of. The Czech border controls have long since ceased to exist (Shengan back in 2007 or 2008 iirc).

You could head south from Prague to Linz and then down to Salzburg. At Salzburg you could head to Werfen which is the castle from Where Eagles Dare. From Werfen, head further south and go cross country, try Mollebruke to Lienz for instance - any of those roads that go through the national parks east to west. Great driving roads, very pretty, and hopefully open.

If you do that, do get too stingy on stopping at guest houses/hotels as there really aren't that many. (Eg, don't drive till 6pm and then start looking).

At Innsbruck you can then head for Stuttgart.

[Mattlan]

so, halfway in to my tour and the old girl has made it without blowing up. 808 miles in 3 days, mostly motorway work but the final day from Prague to Chesky (medieval town south of country, very pretty should you find yourself this way) was probably the toughest on the car as the road goes from smooth motorway to occasional three laner to single (poor) carriageway and was solid with traffic, particularly lumbering wagons. So lots of dipping in and out on kickdown made it somewhat fun with the wet and greasy roads. Approx 500 quids worth of high octane, 4 litres of oil , litre of coolant and she's now parked up for a few days until after the wedding. Looks bloody cool amongst the sea of bland little boxes in the carpark, and she can rightly hold her high high. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen another on the trip, but have had lots of appreciative waves, including one mad german who must have passed, slowed, passed etc about 10 times, which makes for interesting driving when the audi / bmw / passat convoys are coming down the outside lane at 120mph with lights ablaze.

Highlights include a trip in the BMW M5 ring taxi at Nurburgring, just unbelievable, the dorrint hotel at the ring, where my car shared a garage with 3 Mclarens, 458/430/360 ferrari's and so many 911's it was almost (but not quite) boring!!!

Wedding today, followed by recovery day tomorrow when I will go and check she hasn't dumped all her fluids, and then on Monday we head over to Stuttgart for a visit to the porsche museum and factory, followed by Mercedes on Wednesday!

[irocfan]

West4x4 said:

Went last year going again hopefully in June. No border crossing issues at all. You just have to have a vignette available from both sides of the border for using the motorways. Great country enjoy yourself!

too late now I realise but the vignette thing is a must - I got stopped within 10 miles of the (ex)border and handed a fine of Kr1,000... nearly shat myself til I was advised it was only €40ish! That being said though they can find up to Kr5,000 and (importantly) as often as they catch you so could end up being quite expensive. As an aside parking in Karlovy Vary is dreadful, but it's a beautiful city when you get to the historic part