Euro trip - maximum miles driving per day?
Discussion
Each journey will include short breaks, but I'm looking at a daily total of between 4 and 9 hours.
I recently did 4 hours, break, 6 hours back in bank holiday traffic. It was pretty tiring, but I dont know if that was just the stupid holiday traffic with start-stop and tailgaiting on the motorways.
I recently did 4 hours, break, 6 hours back in bank holiday traffic. It was pretty tiring, but I dont know if that was just the stupid holiday traffic with start-stop and tailgaiting on the motorways.
I did a bike trip with my then girlfriend (now wife, so it can't have been that bad!)to Norway. We only had a week (plus weekends) to get all the way there and back, so we chucked in a couple of near thousand mile days for the to and fro bit, but the days were really too long to enjoy. When we got to Norway we stuck to 300 mile days.
Anything up to about 300 miles a day gives you chance to enjoy the scenery and time to stop for a coffee / wander around. Plan to do anymore than that and you're always watching your watch and keen to press on. IME anyway.
Anything up to about 300 miles a day gives you chance to enjoy the scenery and time to stop for a coffee / wander around. Plan to do anymore than that and you're always watching your watch and keen to press on. IME anyway.
9 hours sounds a bit tedious - maybe as a one off to get somewhere to stay for a while, but I wouldn't plan to go anywhere else for a few days.
We have done a few trips in france and typically will do 2-3 hours in a stretch, stopping at each place for at least a couple of days with an occasional long haul, say to get back to the ferry.
We have done a few trips in france and typically will do 2-3 hours in a stretch, stopping at each place for at least a couple of days with an occasional long haul, say to get back to the ferry.
After a good nights sleep, I managed les deux alps to calais, didnt sleep on the ferry, drove my mate home to brighton and then drove back to leicester. An hour after brighton, I realised I wasnt driving safely anymore, so I went to a car park with the intention of fueling and then sleeping, I woke up still in the petrol station forecourt, having not managed to drive off. The attendant was very nice, said he was only going to wake me when it got busy!
On hindsight, should have slept in brighton. I think I was pushing it after that, and Im lucky I didnt crash. Would probably recomend taking occasional half hour naps, can really help you out without adding to much time to your trip.
On hindsight, should have slept in brighton. I think I was pushing it after that, and Im lucky I didnt crash. Would probably recomend taking occasional half hour naps, can really help you out without adding to much time to your trip.
I've done 8 hours non-stop 580 km. (in Norway). It was fun. But it also depends a lot on the roads and how motivated you feel to take a long trip.
As with most things, 9 hours are relative:
Autobahn and other great continental motorways = no problem to drive 9 hours unless there are traffic jams.
Roads with epic scenery = I could drive all day even in a crappy car.
Twisty, narrow roads with low speed limits, bad road standard and heavy traffic = you'll be exhausted much faster and 9 hours sound like a lot.
Keep it to 6-7 hours and take some time to enjoy the scenery if you drive past some, and take several small pauses to keep your attention level and nutrition level high.
It's important to rest if you feel tired, just 20 minutes of sleep can do wonders and work much better than coffee. Stay safe and enjoy your trip!
As with most things, 9 hours are relative:
Autobahn and other great continental motorways = no problem to drive 9 hours unless there are traffic jams.
Roads with epic scenery = I could drive all day even in a crappy car.
Twisty, narrow roads with low speed limits, bad road standard and heavy traffic = you'll be exhausted much faster and 9 hours sound like a lot.
Keep it to 6-7 hours and take some time to enjoy the scenery if you drive past some, and take several small pauses to keep your attention level and nutrition level high.
It's important to rest if you feel tired, just 20 minutes of sleep can do wonders and work much better than coffee. Stay safe and enjoy your trip!
FreeLitres said:
I'm just looking at planning a Euro trip.
What should be the maximum number of miles or time driving per day that I should consider sensible?
Is 9 hours driving in one day possible or madness?
It's possible: lorry drivers do it every day. Just remember to take a break every now and then, and don;t be afraid to make it a long one What should be the maximum number of miles or time driving per day that I should consider sensible?
Is 9 hours driving in one day possible or madness?
To me a driving day of 9-10 hours is quite normal coming from courier work.
I factor in rest breaks of 30mins here and there to stretch legs etc (I go on 2.5-3 hrs depending on the type of driving). That's in a van. In the car it's all far more relaxed and comfy
How much you can safely manage is down to you as an individual. Only you can know that really.
I factor in rest breaks of 30mins here and there to stretch legs etc (I go on 2.5-3 hrs depending on the type of driving). That's in a van. In the car it's all far more relaxed and comfy
How much you can safely manage is down to you as an individual. Only you can know that really.
I've done a few euro trips. In my old Merc C Class, I did 800 miles in one day and wasn't too tired. In my Elise though I did just over 700 miles in one go and was shattered! Comfort/noise levels etc play a large role as does driver involvement. In my Merc I could drive with one hand on the wheel, sipping on a coffee if I wanted and listening to the radio nicely. In my Elise it was both hands on the wheel (Especially in the rain when I drove much slower) music loud enough to hear over the road noise, not at all as pleasant as the Merc, however much more fun when I arrived at the mountain passes
It depends on the circumstances.
I organised a couple of european road trips for paying customers a few years back, super and sports cars hitting 7 countries across a week with activities along the way.
Any more than about 4 hours driving just didn't work, people turned up grumpy and tired, we tried to plan 2 short driving stints per day with a target to aim at the end, that way it seemed to work well and kept the team atmosphere. Around Holland-Germany was by far the worst section with boring roads and long distances.
But on the flip side we are off down to France again this year and will do Yorkshire to Gassin (Sth France coast) in one hop which isn't far off 24hrs driving. Done this many times and while you need to take concentration breaks along the route otherwise you go pie eyed it's worth it to get to where your going.
If money were no object though I would like to take in several sights on the way down and stopping in some nice hotels.
I organised a couple of european road trips for paying customers a few years back, super and sports cars hitting 7 countries across a week with activities along the way.
Any more than about 4 hours driving just didn't work, people turned up grumpy and tired, we tried to plan 2 short driving stints per day with a target to aim at the end, that way it seemed to work well and kept the team atmosphere. Around Holland-Germany was by far the worst section with boring roads and long distances.
But on the flip side we are off down to France again this year and will do Yorkshire to Gassin (Sth France coast) in one hop which isn't far off 24hrs driving. Done this many times and while you need to take concentration breaks along the route otherwise you go pie eyed it's worth it to get to where your going.
If money were no object though I would like to take in several sights on the way down and stopping in some nice hotels.
I think it depends on the driver.
I know some people who consider 2 hours a long stint. On the other hand, I've done over 12 (with breaks) and was fresh as a daisy the next day and not f
ked that night either.
Obviously the conditions of roads and other drivers influence it too, but assuming reasonable all round, no reason why not.
Good tunes usually get me through long but boring drives.
I know some people who consider 2 hours a long stint. On the other hand, I've done over 12 (with breaks) and was fresh as a daisy the next day and not f
ked that night either.Obviously the conditions of roads and other drivers influence it too, but assuming reasonable all round, no reason why not.
Good tunes usually get me through long but boring drives.
Jimbo. said:
It's possible: lorry drivers do it every day. Just remember to take a break every now and then, and don;t be afraid to make it a long one
I was about to make a similar comment. HGV/Coach drivers can drive up to ten hours a day. If you emulate their breaks then you should be able to manage it relatively easily (45min break (or 15min followed by 30min)every 4.5hrs).Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff