Cheapest way to do the ring help please!
Discussion
Hi all, I'd really like to go to the 'ring on thurs next week and would be extremely grateful for any information on cheap ferry crossings/ euro tunnel deals and accommodation.
Also are there any deals on the tickets to go on track other than the ones stated on the website?
As far as I can see the track is open 5-7 pm thurs and fri then all day sat and sun for tourist lapping.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Many, many thanks in advance ,
Sam
Also are there any deals on the tickets to go on track other than the ones stated on the website?
As far as I can see the track is open 5-7 pm thurs and fri then all day sat and sun for tourist lapping.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Many, many thanks in advance ,
Sam
Define cheap?
Long weekend at the ring is about a grand upwards these days depending on amount of laps driven, fuel used etc. Accommodation, food and beer is very reasonable in Germany compared to rest of Europe.
It's not cheap anymore by any stretch of the imagination....worth it though
I suppose if you used a economical diesel, traveled out of season on the ferry, camped somewhere or slept in the car and only did a couple of laps and avoided any sort of incidence, you could do it for £500.
First time I did it was about 20 years ago with a mate on a 24 hour ferry ticket. I drove there, we did a couple of laps each and he drove back. Was something like 7dm a lap back then. I think the whole trip cost us about 100 quid each.
Long weekend at the ring is about a grand upwards these days depending on amount of laps driven, fuel used etc. Accommodation, food and beer is very reasonable in Germany compared to rest of Europe.
It's not cheap anymore by any stretch of the imagination....worth it though
I suppose if you used a economical diesel, traveled out of season on the ferry, camped somewhere or slept in the car and only did a couple of laps and avoided any sort of incidence, you could do it for £500.
First time I did it was about 20 years ago with a mate on a 24 hour ferry ticket. I drove there, we did a couple of laps each and he drove back. Was something like 7dm a lap back then. I think the whole trip cost us about 100 quid each.
Use a website like aferry.co.uk to find the cheapest ferry, then buy the ticket direct from the operator for a bit less. They key here is to be flexible about when you travel. I ended up using MyFerryLink for the Calais-Dover crossing, cost about £25.
Accommodation wise, if you're prepared to camp, go to the site in Denntal. It's about 25km from Nurburg but a fantastic drive if you take the L90. Cost €26 for two nights, picturesque surroundings and clean, new facilities.
Your biggest cost will be petrol, so don't waste it by maxing out your car on the Autobahn, even averaging 100mph or so you'll get through a tank much quicker than at 80mph, and the time saving is insignificant. If you're very self-disciplined, you could try following trucks at 56mph the whole way down, but I know I wouldn't have the patience to!
Service stations are a bit less of a rip-off than here, so they're worth going in to for a fresh sandwich at lunchtime instead of finding anywhere fancy.
I went for the first time last month, and wrote a thread on it here.
Go. You won't regret it!
Accommodation wise, if you're prepared to camp, go to the site in Denntal. It's about 25km from Nurburg but a fantastic drive if you take the L90. Cost €26 for two nights, picturesque surroundings and clean, new facilities.
Your biggest cost will be petrol, so don't waste it by maxing out your car on the Autobahn, even averaging 100mph or so you'll get through a tank much quicker than at 80mph, and the time saving is insignificant. If you're very self-disciplined, you could try following trucks at 56mph the whole way down, but I know I wouldn't have the patience to!
Service stations are a bit less of a rip-off than here, so they're worth going in to for a fresh sandwich at lunchtime instead of finding anywhere fancy.
I went for the first time last month, and wrote a thread on it here.
Go. You won't regret it!
Hi Sam, unless you are properly insured which I am 99% sure you aren't mate... then rent a stage 2 swift from Dale and the boys at http://www.rent4ring.de/en/ They are incredibly fun and amazing value for money. The best way to learn the track IMHO.. BUT the main reason to use them is that are properly insured so if you came around a blind bend and run over and paralyse a biker who has fallen off... you aren't gonna loose your house etc!
The saturday and sunday will be mentally busy I think. Best time to go out will be early and late....
Personally I think you would much prefer a proper trackday there... I just got back yesterday from DN9. AWESOME event.
The saturday and sunday will be mentally busy I think. Best time to go out will be early and late....
Personally I think you would much prefer a proper trackday there... I just got back yesterday from DN9. AWESOME event.
Edited by Porkie on Thursday 8th August 11:37
I am not sure the bikers are on the Nordschleife much these days. I normally go a couple of times a year and have not had to put up with the motorcyclists for quite some time thankfully.
Cheapest option is to go as a group so you can split fuel/ferry and accommodation at least four ways. Camping this time of the year is also a good option.
Pip
Cheapest option is to go as a group so you can split fuel/ferry and accommodation at least four ways. Camping this time of the year is also a good option.
Pip
Porkie said:
Hi Sam, unless you are properly insured which I am 99% sure you aren't mate... then rent a stage 2 swift from Dale and the boys at www.Rent4Ring. They are incredibly fun and amazing value for money. The best way to learn the track IMHO.. BUT the main reason to use them is that are properly insured so if you came around a blind bend and run over and paralyse a biker who has fallen off... you aren't gonna loose your house etc!
This ^^^^ this ^^^^ and more of this ^^^^Maxf said:
I cant seem to get the prices to show on the rent4ring website - what kind of money are the swifts?
All inclusive of a Ring card for 6 laps and tank of fuel is 479Euros IIRC6 laps doesnt sound alot... but its normally MORE than enough. You will struggle to do that on a busy TF day I find because of so many crashes and closures..
having said that, you can get lucky... I did 8 laps before midday one time in them. We had 3 swifts all out together and we were all exhausted and back alseep in bed by 1pm!
They are proper little cars. Very satisfying because they are so low powered they teach you about maintaing momentum and corner speed... rather than fannying around the corner and boosting down the straight!
Driven well they can live with almost anything out there for probably 75% of the track!
For all practical purposes (depending upon how far you are from an appropriate airport) - the cheapest option might even be to fly to Germany (Frankfurt, Hahn, Cologne, etc...), rent the cheapest thing available to drive to the 'ring and then use a Rent4Ring Suzuki Swift on the track. It is marginal (if you work out the true and full costs: for one of my cars it is certainly cheaper and for the more economical one only slightly more expensive with a suitably cheap flight) but you should certainly run the numbers. It also tends to be a quicker journey and a less fraught/risky/stressful experience and it is something that I have previously done and recommend.
Accommodation is doable for very reasonable money, food isn't overly expensive and drinkable beer can be bought for not much more than bottled water (not that you will need much is driving, but if a snowstorm blows in)...
Accommodation is doable for very reasonable money, food isn't overly expensive and drinkable beer can be bought for not much more than bottled water (not that you will need much is driving, but if a snowstorm blows in)...
I did a trip last month. I drove my diesel Golf down and hired a Swift from rent4ring which I went halves on with a mate. All in including food accommodation, the car, fuel, laps, food, beer and the Tunnel it cost about £700. Well worth the money and an epic weekend. Hiring is the way forward in my view.
As DiscoColin mentioned flying is normally cheaper and faster depending on where you are in country of course. I'm only 90mins from train so its not to bad for me... but for one of my mates who lives in Brum, it was like 5 hours quicker, cheaper and so a no brainer to fly. He did it first time this weekend and wont ever drive again unless he is towing a race car out for a trackday
Synchromesh said:
Use a website like aferry.co.uk to find the cheapest ferry, then buy the ticket direct from the operator for a bit less. They key here is to be flexible about when you travel. I ended up using MyFerryLink for the Calais-Dover crossing, cost about £25.
Ammodation wise, if you're prepared to camp, go to the site in Denntal. It's about 25km from Nurburg but a fantastic drive if you take the L90. Cost €26 for two nights, picturesque surroundings and clean, new facilities.
Your biggest cost will be petrol, so don't waste it by maxing out your car on the Autobahn, even averaging 100mph or so you'll get through a tank much quicker than at 80mph, and the time saving is insignificant. If you're very self-disciplined, you could try following trucks at 56mph the whole way down, but I know I wouldn't have the patience to!
Service stations are a bit less of a rip-off than here, so they're worth going in to for a fresh sandwich at lunchtime instead of finding anywhere fancy.
I went for the first time last month, and wrote a thread on it here.
Go. You won't regret it!
Thank you so much for this - great thread - makes me really exited to go Ammodation wise, if you're prepared to camp, go to the site in Denntal. It's about 25km from Nurburg but a fantastic drive if you take the L90. Cost €26 for two nights, picturesque surroundings and clean, new facilities.
Your biggest cost will be petrol, so don't waste it by maxing out your car on the Autobahn, even averaging 100mph or so you'll get through a tank much quicker than at 80mph, and the time saving is insignificant. If you're very self-disciplined, you could try following trucks at 56mph the whole way down, but I know I wouldn't have the patience to!
Service stations are a bit less of a rip-off than here, so they're worth going in to for a fresh sandwich at lunchtime instead of finding anywhere fancy.
I went for the first time last month, and wrote a thread on it here.
Go. You won't regret it!
I checked the ferry site but it was only
A few pounds cheaper than the tunnel..
The camping is great value and am considering doing that
Porkie - hope you're well .. You're right I wouldn't have insurance and this along with the cost has always put me off going.. I understand the risk but will just drive as I would on the road and take it easy... The rentals look like really good way of doing it.. A lot of the fun for me would be doing it in my own car,..
Any idea how many laps I should get? I've no idea how long the que takes... Would hope to get there for 2 hours on thurs and fri then the whole day sat and poss sun morn...
Having a 'difficult' decision with what car to take... Old skyline or e46 m3... Skyline is a track car but still has air con... E46 is just standard... Thinking maybe better taking the m3 as its much slower and would be nicer on the journey... Hmmm. ..... Would regret it on track though? The skyline has really hard susp so maybe too hard for the ring...
Sorry for thinking out loud!
Trying to do it cheaply is only really poss through saving money on accommodation and travel - think camping is def an option for me
... Thanks for your input chaps
And for God's sake take a roll of duck tape.
I end up buying a new roll each time i go because there's always some poor chap from the UK looking forlorn, stranded in the car-park, having had a car-barrier-interface moment and in need of nursing the car home with various bodywork panels strapped back up. Don't be that poor chap.
I end up buying a new roll each time i go because there's always some poor chap from the UK looking forlorn, stranded in the car-park, having had a car-barrier-interface moment and in need of nursing the car home with various bodywork panels strapped back up. Don't be that poor chap.
Lol that'll be me asking for the tape the!
Booked up
Got tunnel, what seems like a lovely self catering apartment and a willing good mate flying down from scotland on tue...
Being the utter addict I am, I've booked brands on wed eve then we get an early tunnel and hopefully a few laps thurs , sightseeing Friday during the day then another few laps in the eve, all day lapping sat then a few more sun morn before the journey home... Fingers crossed!
Can anyone confirm ill be ok to get tickets for the ring when I arrive?
Thanks and wish me luck!!
Booked up
Got tunnel, what seems like a lovely self catering apartment and a willing good mate flying down from scotland on tue...
Being the utter addict I am, I've booked brands on wed eve then we get an early tunnel and hopefully a few laps thurs , sightseeing Friday during the day then another few laps in the eve, all day lapping sat then a few more sun morn before the journey home... Fingers crossed!
Can anyone confirm ill be ok to get tickets for the ring when I arrive?
Thanks and wish me luck!!
git-r said:
....Can anyone confirm ill be ok to get tickets for the ring when I arrive?
Yep, no problem with tickets, they're on demand and not limited in supply.To the posters above, I was there last Sunday and it was fairly busy with plenty of bikers on the track. Plenty of the usual sunny day stoppages but I still managed 11 laps.
Martian O said:
Yep, no problem with tickets, they're on demand and not limited in supply.
To the posters above, I was there last Sunday and it was fairly busy with plenty of bikers on the track. Plenty of the usual sunny day stoppages but I still managed 11 laps.
What car where you in? I was there too and saw a few nice looking english registered cars To the posters above, I was there last Sunday and it was fairly busy with plenty of bikers on the track. Plenty of the usual sunny day stoppages but I still managed 11 laps.
git-r said:
Lol that'll be me asking for the tape the!
Booked up
Got tunnel, what seems like a lovely self catering apartment and a willing good mate flying down from scotland on tue...
Being the utter addict I am, I've booked brands on wed eve then we get an early tunnel and hopefully a few laps thurs , sightseeing Friday during the day then another few laps in the eve, all day lapping sat then a few more sun morn before the journey home... Fingers crossed!
Can anyone confirm ill be ok to get tickets for the ring when I arrive?
Thanks and wish me luck!!
Please, PLEASE get insured properly if you're taking your own car out on the 'Ring. The consequences of any sort of accident whilst uninsured are horrific.Booked up
Got tunnel, what seems like a lovely self catering apartment and a willing good mate flying down from scotland on tue...
Being the utter addict I am, I've booked brands on wed eve then we get an early tunnel and hopefully a few laps thurs , sightseeing Friday during the day then another few laps in the eve, all day lapping sat then a few more sun morn before the journey home... Fingers crossed!
Can anyone confirm ill be ok to get tickets for the ring when I arrive?
Thanks and wish me luck!!
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