Driving to Italy - avoiding Switzerland
Discussion
I'm planning a trip to Italy, exact destination TBD but for planning purposes I'm assuming Arezzo. I'd like to completely avoid driving through Switzerland and also minimise the amount of time spent in France. It looks like crossing Austria via Innsbruck and then the Brenner pass is one route. There's another pass to the west of the Brenner that looks a lot more interesting.
I need to be Arezzo around 6:00pm on the Saturday, and the starting point would be near Le Touquet at 8:00am on the Friday. My thinking is that if I make somewhere in Austria for the overnight stop on the Friday, then I should be able to take an interesting route over the mountains on the Saturday morning, leaving the Saturday afternoon to do the rest of the Italy leg.
Or should I just stick to the more direct route through Switzerland, which I have done several times before.
I'd be keen to hear of any interesting routes from Austria to Italy, and also about the practicalities of the France -> Austria leg, where I would be looking for a route that's as efficient as possible.
I also have the option of abandoning dinner plans on the Thursday night and getting 3 or 4 hours into the journey on the Thursday PM.
I need to be Arezzo around 6:00pm on the Saturday, and the starting point would be near Le Touquet at 8:00am on the Friday. My thinking is that if I make somewhere in Austria for the overnight stop on the Friday, then I should be able to take an interesting route over the mountains on the Saturday morning, leaving the Saturday afternoon to do the rest of the Italy leg.
Or should I just stick to the more direct route through Switzerland, which I have done several times before.
I'd be keen to hear of any interesting routes from Austria to Italy, and also about the practicalities of the France -> Austria leg, where I would be looking for a route that's as efficient as possible.
I also have the option of abandoning dinner plans on the Thursday night and getting 3 or 4 hours into the journey on the Thursday PM.
OP - by far the easiest alternative route is one you've alluded to already which is the Brenner Pass.
I've linked to a route map of how I would do it for the least hassle and best pleasure of driving whilst making best distance progress.
https://goo.gl/maps/ewiwQiQJZXmAfR396
Compared to a direct route through France and then 'swinging' under Switzerland, I would say the above is your most workable solution to avoid the unnecessary yearly road toll in Switzerland for just an hour or two of passage.
There is nearly a 2 hour addition to driving time however taking the route linked above, but if you are like me and dislike driving on the french toll roads then always head for Germany and then pay just 9 euro for a 10-day Austrian vignette to use the Brenner pass. (Although remember to buy the vignette prior to entry of austria).
Brenner pass is usually free flowing most times of the year, and then once in Italy its your choice then to continue on their toll roads or head for their usually hideous condition toll-free 'b' roads that often feel are going to break my car
I've linked to a route map of how I would do it for the least hassle and best pleasure of driving whilst making best distance progress.
https://goo.gl/maps/ewiwQiQJZXmAfR396
Compared to a direct route through France and then 'swinging' under Switzerland, I would say the above is your most workable solution to avoid the unnecessary yearly road toll in Switzerland for just an hour or two of passage.
There is nearly a 2 hour addition to driving time however taking the route linked above, but if you are like me and dislike driving on the french toll roads then always head for Germany and then pay just 9 euro for a 10-day Austrian vignette to use the Brenner pass. (Although remember to buy the vignette prior to entry of austria).
Brenner pass is usually free flowing most times of the year, and then once in Italy its your choice then to continue on their toll roads or head for their usually hideous condition toll-free 'b' roads that often feel are going to break my car
I would recommend heading straight to Belgium via Lille or Valenciennes and driving down from Belgium into Luxembourg, then Luxembourg to Germany and then down into Austria.
Belgian roads aren't as rigidly policed as the French ones are these days.
Fuel in Luxembourg is so much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe, and you can drive nice and quickly on the autobahn in Germany to speed the journey up quite nicely. Fuel in Austria is also cheap, so fill up there before you enter Italy.
Belgian roads aren't as rigidly policed as the French ones are these days.
Fuel in Luxembourg is so much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe, and you can drive nice and quickly on the autobahn in Germany to speed the journey up quite nicely. Fuel in Austria is also cheap, so fill up there before you enter Italy.
tloads of other crap in the very well stocked gas stations! As others have said, Belgium > Lux > Germany… then you could cut down through the Black Forest and take 'The German Alpine Road / Alpenstrasse' west towards Austria, south down through Austria.
From there I would highly encourage you to check out the Dolomites, numerous good roads but the Giau Pass is a good starting point. Head south down through the Dolomites then continue your leg through Italy
Very envious! Did a similar route in May and was the trip of a lifetime.
From there I would highly encourage you to check out the Dolomites, numerous good roads but the Giau Pass is a good starting point. Head south down through the Dolomites then continue your leg through Italy
Very envious! Did a similar route in May and was the trip of a lifetime.
We regularly drive to just south of Ancona, and we live 10 mins from the tunnel.
Practically the easiest way is France Tunnel Mont Blanc autostrada. It is also the most expensive.
We have done, Simplon pass going through France to Besescon (and avoided san gottard).
We’ve done gottard.
We’ve done Brenner..
From where you are going to be it’s a back track 1.5 hours through Belgium up the A16.. the. Belgium, Lux, Germany, Brenner, Italy.
Personally I’d drive Germany Switzerland..
Your adding on a good 2/3 hours, + Brenner Traffic.
Practically the easiest way is France Tunnel Mont Blanc autostrada. It is also the most expensive.
We have done, Simplon pass going through France to Besescon (and avoided san gottard).
We’ve done gottard.
We’ve done Brenner..
From where you are going to be it’s a back track 1.5 hours through Belgium up the A16.. the. Belgium, Lux, Germany, Brenner, Italy.
Personally I’d drive Germany Switzerland..
Your adding on a good 2/3 hours, + Brenner Traffic.
You don't mention the type of vehicle you'd be taking but a good tip is to fill up in Austria as it's a lot cheaper than Italy or Germany.
Super Super Plus Diesel
Austria € 1.24 (? 0.02) € 1.40 (? 0.02) € 1.18 (? 0.01)
Germany € 1.39 (? 0.05) € 1.56 (? 0.06) € 1.22 (? 0.01)
Italy € 1.58 (? 0.01) € 1.65 (? 0.01) € 1.46 (? 0.02)
Super Super Plus Diesel
Austria € 1.24 (? 0.02) € 1.40 (? 0.02) € 1.18 (? 0.01)
Germany € 1.39 (? 0.05) € 1.56 (? 0.06) € 1.22 (? 0.01)
Italy € 1.58 (? 0.01) € 1.65 (? 0.01) € 1.46 (? 0.02)
toasty said:
You don't mention the type of vehicle you'd be taking but a good tip is to fill up in Austria as it's a lot cheaper than Italy or Germany.
Super Super Plus Diesel
Austria € 1.24 (? 0.02) € 1.40 (? 0.02) € 1.18 (? 0.01)
Germany € 1.39 (? 0.05) € 1.56 (? 0.06) € 1.22 (? 0.01)
Italy € 1.58 (? 0.01) € 1.65 (? 0.01) € 1.46 (? 0.02)
Cheaper still in LuLuLandSuper Super Plus Diesel
Austria € 1.24 (? 0.02) € 1.40 (? 0.02) € 1.18 (? 0.01)
Germany € 1.39 (? 0.05) € 1.56 (? 0.06) € 1.22 (? 0.01)
Italy € 1.58 (? 0.01) € 1.65 (? 0.01) € 1.46 (? 0.02)
95 UL EUR 1.219 / l.
98 UL EUR 1.284 / l.
Diseasal 1.103 / l.
LPG. 0.422
https://www.rtl.lu/mobiliteit/petrolspraisser
The plan was shelved for this year as I didn't manage to buy a new car in time. We're now going to Crete instead - flying.
However car is now bought (but won't be collected until we return from Crete), so a road trip is on the cards for next spring. Timings will be different, but I definitely fancy visiting Innsbruck and I will be looking for the best driving route through Germany to get there. Plenty of time for the planning now.
However car is now bought (but won't be collected until we return from Crete), so a road trip is on the cards for next spring. Timings will be different, but I definitely fancy visiting Innsbruck and I will be looking for the best driving route through Germany to get there. Plenty of time for the planning now.
sasha320 said:
I think if I lived in Germany I would be on the Autobahn every single day!
Past years I would agree but this year they were rubbish, every single junction seemed to have road works, from unlimited to 100km/h then back to unlimited, most drivers just ignored the speed limits. Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff