Anyone ever driven to Dubrovnik?
Discussion
Hey Guys, my family have just booked our hotel for our summer Holiday in Dubrovnik, as they were doing so I chipped in that I've always wanted to do a road trip there. They are now considering the possibility of driving. Google maps says the total drive time from Surrey to Dubrovnik is around 24 hours. There will be 4 of us going, 3 of those are drivers, I want to drive regardless, and on either the outward or return trip stop along at anything interesting along the way. (Stuttgart and Munich car factories mainly). My Dad can only get limited time off work, the hotel is booked for 2 weeks and they are thinking about driving both ways or maybe just driving there and flying back, leaving me with all the time I like to return. My question is realistically with 3 drivers can we make it there in 2 days with an overnight stopover somewhere along the way? They other question is which car to take. If we drive together both ways my family want to go in Dad's E61 530d, I of course want to go in my E46 330i, they have agreed if they are flying one way and driving the other then we can take the 330i. The cost of driving will balance out the cost of flights seeing as we won't need to hire a car once we are there.
What do PH reckon? Can we get there in 2 days with 3 drivers? and should we drive both ways in the 530d? Or let them come with me there, and then fly back leaving me with all the time I like to return back in the 330i, in which case realistically how long would it take me?
What do PH reckon? Can we get there in 2 days with 3 drivers? and should we drive both ways in the 530d? Or let them come with me there, and then fly back leaving me with all the time I like to return back in the 330i, in which case realistically how long would it take me?
petrolveins said:
Hey Guys, my family have just booked our hotel for our summer Holiday in Dubrovnik, as they were doing so I chipped in that I've always wanted to do a road trip there. They are now considering the possibility of driving. Google maps says the total drive time from Surrey to Dubrovnik is around 24 hours. There will be 4 of us going, 3 of those are drivers, I want to drive regardless, and on either the outward or return trip stop along at anything interesting along the way. (Stuttgart and Munich car factories mainly). My Dad can only get limited time off work, the hotel is booked for 2 weeks and they are thinking about driving both ways or maybe just driving there and flying back, leaving me with all the time I like to return. My question is realistically with 3 drivers can we make it there in 2 days with an overnight stopover somewhere along the way? They other question is which car to take. If we drive together both ways my family want to go in Dad's E61 530d, I of course want to go in my E46 330i, they have agreed if they are flying one way and driving the other then we can take the 330i. The cost of driving will balance out the cost of flights seeing as we won't need to hire a car once we are there.
What do PH reckon? Can we get there in 2 days with 3 drivers? and should we drive both ways in the 530d? Or let them come with me there, and then fly back leaving me with all the time I like to return back in the 330i, in which case realistically how long would it take me?
I would say that 2 days for a google quoted 24 hour drive means 12 hours/day driving, assuming everything goes well. Which on 24hours of driving it won't. Plus would your family really thank you for keeping them in the car for 12-hour days?What do PH reckon? Can we get there in 2 days with 3 drivers? and should we drive both ways in the 530d? Or let them come with me there, and then fly back leaving me with all the time I like to return back in the 330i, in which case realistically how long would it take me?
I would suggest 3 days minimum, preferably four if you want to stop and do any sightseeing on the way.
As for cost; lets assume you get 30mpg, travel @ 60mph average for 24 hours (motorways plus towns/traffic/fuelling etc). I make that 48 gallons of fuel, at (say) £1.40 x 4.55 x 48 = £300 odd quid. And the same back again. If your diesel manages 40mpg then you save maybe £150 on fuel.
I agree it would be a fun trip, but don't do too much wishful thinking about how quickly or cheaply or comfortably you can do it.
OneJag
If I remember right, we done it in 3 days driving (5 days travelling ish) We stoppoed in Austria on one day after a long motorway drive. Went over the Grossglockner (can't spell it) and down to Ljubljana for a few days, then on to Dubrovnik. Came back via Zagreb and Prague (and the bone church at Ossieri).
Drove from Kent to Austria in one day without any sight-seeing stops, and that was doable if tiring. Another time, drove from Ljubljana to Dubrovnik in about 4 days with sight-seeing, and it's a trip well worth taking time over. The Croatian costal roads are fantastic and very scenic, with plenty of good places to visit along the way.
I guess what I'm saying is, yes, it is possible to get to Dubrovnik in 2 days, but you should let your parents fly back and let you take your time on the way back
I guess what I'm saying is, yes, it is possible to get to Dubrovnik in 2 days, but you should let your parents fly back and let you take your time on the way back
Cheers for the replies guys. We want to be at our Hotel in Dubrovnik on a Monday Afternoon, and plan to leave the preceding Friday evening. I think without sight-seeing stops that should be achievable. I can then take anything upto a week to return home again, via wherever takes my fancy. Any useful tips from your experience for driving through any of those countries along the way? Any must sees along the way?
In terms of the driving itself, nothing in particular to worry about. The major roads were all good quality in both Slovenia and Croatia when I went, and petrol stations were frequent en route too.
I did however acquire my one and only speeding ticket (or speed attainment award as I like to call it) in Croatia while overtaking a dodering German couple on the main coastal road toward Dubrovnik. The road is very twisty, and there are along certain stretches very few straights for overtakes. however, along the few straights the police like to hide with radar guns... luckily they cannot give you points on your license though.
In terms of sights, it depends what you like. I visited Plitvice lakes/ nature reserve in Croatia, Rijeka town (nice nightlife/ beaches in the area). Trakoscan castle in north Croatia is a must see as well - it was one of the nicest castles I've seen anywhere.
In Slovenia, I visited the Škocjan Caves (a UNESCO site and one of the deepest underground canyons), Bled (lovely place to see), and did a spot of white water rafting along the Soca river/ canyon which was really beautiful. I also drove across the Triglav national parks mountain range (and did some hiking too), but there were loads of fun roads with plenty of hairpins in that area.
Maybe you could also stop by at the Nurburgring if your route takes you through that part of Germany...
I did however acquire my one and only speeding ticket (or speed attainment award as I like to call it) in Croatia while overtaking a dodering German couple on the main coastal road toward Dubrovnik. The road is very twisty, and there are along certain stretches very few straights for overtakes. however, along the few straights the police like to hide with radar guns... luckily they cannot give you points on your license though.
In terms of sights, it depends what you like. I visited Plitvice lakes/ nature reserve in Croatia, Rijeka town (nice nightlife/ beaches in the area). Trakoscan castle in north Croatia is a must see as well - it was one of the nicest castles I've seen anywhere.
In Slovenia, I visited the Škocjan Caves (a UNESCO site and one of the deepest underground canyons), Bled (lovely place to see), and did a spot of white water rafting along the Soca river/ canyon which was really beautiful. I also drove across the Triglav national parks mountain range (and did some hiking too), but there were loads of fun roads with plenty of hairpins in that area.
Maybe you could also stop by at the Nurburgring if your route takes you through that part of Germany...
We drive to the Dubrovnik area each summer. The route we take is Dover-Dunkirk, Lille, Cologne, Frankfurt, Regensburg, Passau, Wells, Graz, Maribor, Zagreb, Split. We stop overnight near Wurtzburg and Maribor.
The stretch of motorway in France is toll free, as are Belgium and Germany. You will need to buy a vignette for Austria and pay tolls for the longer tunnels.
With Slovenia you also need a vignette, unless you leave the motorway before the border, and don't use motorway or expressway in Slovenia - it is possible, I have done it for four years. See
http://autoklub.jutarnji.hr/kroz-sloveniju-za-0-ku...
Croatian motorways have tolls, about GBP20 from Zabreb to the end of the motorway after Split near Ploce.
Remember that to get to Dubrovnik, you either take a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, or you need a Green Card to get through Bosnia at Neum. They don't often check, but they do sometimes. I don't believe it's possible to buy a green card at the Croatian/Bosnian border. The only UK car insurance I have found that will do a Green Card for Bosnia is Saga - I'd be interested to hear if you find somebody else.
The stretch of motorway in France is toll free, as are Belgium and Germany. You will need to buy a vignette for Austria and pay tolls for the longer tunnels.
With Slovenia you also need a vignette, unless you leave the motorway before the border, and don't use motorway or expressway in Slovenia - it is possible, I have done it for four years. See
http://autoklub.jutarnji.hr/kroz-sloveniju-za-0-ku...
Croatian motorways have tolls, about GBP20 from Zabreb to the end of the motorway after Split near Ploce.
Remember that to get to Dubrovnik, you either take a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, or you need a Green Card to get through Bosnia at Neum. They don't often check, but they do sometimes. I don't believe it's possible to buy a green card at the Croatian/Bosnian border. The only UK car insurance I have found that will do a Green Card for Bosnia is Saga - I'd be interested to hear if you find somebody else.
RichardfromStony said:
We drive to the Dubrovnik area each summer. The route we take is Dover-Dunkirk, Lille, Cologne, Frankfurt, Regensburg, Passau, Wells, Graz, Maribor, Zagreb, Split. We stop overnight near Wurtzburg and Maribor.
The stretch of motorway in France is toll free, as are Belgium and Germany. You will need to buy a vignette for Austria and pay tolls for the longer tunnels.
With Slovenia you also need a vignette, unless you leave the motorway before the border, and don't use motorway or expressway in Slovenia - it is possible, I have done it for four years. See
http://autoklub.jutarnji.hr/kroz-sloveniju-za-0-ku...
Croatian motorways have tolls, about GBP20 from Zabreb to the end of the motorway after Split near Ploce.
Remember that to get to Dubrovnik, you either take a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, or you need a Green Card to get through Bosnia at Neum. They don't often check, but they do sometimes. I don't believe it's possible to buy a green card at the Croatian/Bosnian border. The only UK car insurance I have found that will do a Green Card for Bosnia is Saga - I'd be interested to hear if you find somebody else.
Thanks for that, we've already decided on the ferry option, didn't fancy Bosnia too much.The stretch of motorway in France is toll free, as are Belgium and Germany. You will need to buy a vignette for Austria and pay tolls for the longer tunnels.
With Slovenia you also need a vignette, unless you leave the motorway before the border, and don't use motorway or expressway in Slovenia - it is possible, I have done it for four years. See
http://autoklub.jutarnji.hr/kroz-sloveniju-za-0-ku...
Croatian motorways have tolls, about GBP20 from Zabreb to the end of the motorway after Split near Ploce.
Remember that to get to Dubrovnik, you either take a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, or you need a Green Card to get through Bosnia at Neum. They don't often check, but they do sometimes. I don't believe it's possible to buy a green card at the Croatian/Bosnian border. The only UK car insurance I have found that will do a Green Card for Bosnia is Saga - I'd be interested to hear if you find somebody else.
petrolveins said:
RichardfromStony said:
Remember that to get to Dubrovnik, you either take a ferry from Ploce to Trpanj, or you need a Green Card to get through Bosnia at Neum. They don't often check, but they do sometimes. I don't believe it's possible to buy a green card at the Croatian/Bosnian border. The only UK car insurance I have found that will do a Green Card for Bosnia is Saga - I'd be interested to hear if you find somebody else.
Thanks for that, we've already decided on the ferry option, didn't fancy Bosnia too much.From what I noticed the only checks were if you went inland towards Neum.
My experience is that in a British registered car 90% of the time you are asked for passports at the Croatia/BIH border posts either side of Neum. Over the years I have probably crossed these borders 50 times but it was only once that the check for a Green Card was done. It's not the same at the border at Metkovic on the road to Mostar, where they always demand to see a Green Card.
There are no check points if you turn inland at Neum, though I have been stopped for a random document check once.
There are no check points if you turn inland at Neum, though I have been stopped for a random document check once.
Update on Green Cards.
SAGA will no longer issue a Green Card for Bosnia, ditto the British Insurance Brokers Association. Which means from what I can see that the only way is to buy insurance at the Metkovic border crossing.
All very frustrating when I hear from non-UK Europeans that their companies are quite happy to issue Green Cards for Bosnia.
SAGA will no longer issue a Green Card for Bosnia, ditto the British Insurance Brokers Association. Which means from what I can see that the only way is to buy insurance at the Metkovic border crossing.
All very frustrating when I hear from non-UK Europeans that their companies are quite happy to issue Green Cards for Bosnia.
We did just this two years ago, in our 1976 Alfa Spider. Actually we put it on the train between the Netherlands and Alexandria, Italy, and drove from there (but then drove all the way back). Do take your time. Also, it may help if you have air conditioning - we had to be going at about 130 kmh to keep cool enough :-). Re insurance, we discovered that our insurance didn't apply when we were on the trip, so stopped in at a local car insurance company in Dubrovnik and insured the car for the period - I certainly recommend that, service was great. I think my wife still has the free cap they gave us.
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