Europe roadtrip - Switz/Austria/Germany

[andy greenwood]

Hi , we are planning a trip to Europe in July 2022. We only have 2 weeks to do it due to work holidays. We want to spend a few days in Switzerland at Jungfrau & then head to Austria for a few days and then into Bavaria. I have not drove in Europe since 2003 so I'm after advice please, what essential things do I need to know ? What are the stopover places called as we'll be using them some of the times, any advice would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

[R8N XX]

Mostly drive on the right.

 

[DXX]

I stopped in Luxembourg for an overnight on the way to Interlaken, it didn’t go to plan though as the campsite closed early but we found a nearby 24 hour carpark used by vans.
Nightmare to drive around Luxembourg city as Satnav can’t deal with stacked roundabouts (and neither can I).
Very cheap fuel and that’s about it as far as I could see, plenty of people filling Adblue containers etc with Diesel.

In Switzerland food and drink are very expensive compared with France, check what you are allowed to import into Switzerland as there were quantity restrictions on meat and dairy, nobody checked ours, just as well as we were loaded up.
You can buy the Swiss Vignette as you enter Switzerland; Motorway vignette Switzerland - prices 2021 - Tolls.eu
Here’s a good campsite just outside Interlaken with excellent public transport connection around Switzerland; Camping-Ferien Wang Beatenberg Switzerland Käthi und Ruedi Knecht, bus travel pass included in the campsite fee.
There is a small tourist tax on all campsite fees.
Wild camping is only allowed above the tree line, if you can get a van up there you might want to get a job as a tank driver.
Travel passes including Jungfrau are expensive, these are easily bought at Tourist Information so you don’t need to buy before you have a weather forecast.
I think a busy 6 days is about right time to see the area around Jungfrau.
In 2020 there were more Chinese tourists than anybody else, they don’t queue willingly, but they do understand ‘FO and get to the back’.
We left Switzerland and went into Italy and further.

 

[andy greenwood]

I stopped in Luxembourg for an overnight on the way to Interlaken, it didn’t go to plan though as the campsite closed early but we found a nearby 24 hour carpark used by vans.
Nightmare to drive around Luxembourg city as Satnav can’t deal with stacked roundabouts (and neither can I).
Very cheap fuel and that’s about it as far as I could see, plenty of people filling Adblue containers etc with Diesel.

In Switzerland food and drink are very expensive compared with France, check what you are allowed to import into Switzerland as there were quantity restrictions on meat and dairy, nobody checked ours, just as well as we were loaded up.
You can buy the Swiss Vignette as you enter Switzerland; Motorway vignette Switzerland - prices 2021 - Tolls.eu
Here’s a good campsite just outside Interlaken with excellent public transport connection around Switzerland; Camping-Ferien Wang Beatenberg Switzerland Käthi und Ruedi Knecht, bus travel pass included in the campsite fee.
There is a small tourist tax on all campsite fees.
Wild camping is only allowed above the tree line, if you can get a van up there you might want to get a job as a tank driver.
Travel passes including Jungfrau are expensive, these are easily bought at Tourist Information so you don’t need to buy before you have a weather forecast.
I think a busy 6 days is about right time to see the area around Jungfrau.
In 2020 there were more Chinese tourists than anybody else, they don’t queue willingly, but they do understand ‘FO and get to the back’.
We left Switzerland and went into Italy and further.

Much appreciated for taking the time to write your reponse , thanks.

 

[andy greenwood]

Mostly drive on the right.

Bloody hell its a good job you said that , without your wisdom I would of ended up having several crashes.

 

[3crispies]

dont forget your vignette when travelling through switzerland got stung at border few years back but last time managed to get a used one off ebay !!

 

[DXX]

dont forget your vignette when travelling through switzerland got stung at border few years back but last time managed to get a used one off ebay !!

The are pretty smart at the border, they stick it on the screen and the glue is solid.
Anyway it’s a pretty cheap given the price of everything else there, 18 CHF for cheese on toast, one slice!

 

[Nige_g]

I have driven around Europe many times (but not in van yet). It really isn't as daunting as you imagine. It is more pleasurable driving on the continent than it is at home. I have driven on a French motorway and never took cruise control off for well over 100KM. The vignette for Switzerland is only needed if you use motorways. Their equivalent of A roads etc can be driven on without one (unless it has changed since I was last in CH) Service stations in France, are very frequent (presumably you will be driving through France) and fuel etc is not massively more than it is off the motorway. There are plenty of Aires you can stop off at that have picnic places, toilets etc.
If you are considering doing this often, I'd consider getting toll tags from Emovis. I have had ones for France and Spain for several years. Saves having to stop and pay (if you are driving alone in a RHD van, it is a pain trying to pay at a machine on the LHS) Take your V5, driving Licence and Insurance doc with you. I have been stopped in Switzerland and Spain and they looked at those documents. Also check what the law requires you to carry in your vehicle for each country. In France, if you see a sign warning of speed cameras, there WILL be one within a KM or 2. Slow down. I have received 2 speeding tickets in a British registered vehicle sent to my UK house. Whether the agreement is still in place to pass registered keepers to the Eu now we have brexited, I'm not sure.

As soon as I can, we will be driving the van down through France and into Spain. Next year we intend to go down through Croatia etc, crossing over to Italy on a ferry, then up the Amalfi coast through to France and probably Spain too.

 

[3crispies]

I have driven around Europe many times (but not in van yet). It really isn't as daunting as you imagine. It is more pleasurable driving on the continent than it is at home. I have driven on a French motorway and never took cruise control off for well over 100KM. The vignette for Switzerland is only needed if you use motorways. Their equivalent of A roads etc can be driven on without one (unless it has changed since I was last in CH) Service stations in France, are very frequent (presumably you will be driving through France) and fuel etc is not massively more than it is off the motorway. There are plenty of Aires you can stop off at that have picnic places, toilets etc.
If you are considering doing this often, I'd consider getting toll tags from Emovis. I have had ones for France and Spain for several years. Saves having to stop and pay (if you are driving alone in a RHD van, it is a pain trying to pay at a machine on the LHS) Take your V5, driving Licence and Insurance doc with you. I have been stopped in Switzerland and Spain and they looked at those documents. Also check what the law requires you to carry in your vehicle for each country. In France, if you see a sign warning of speed cameras, there WILL be one within a KM or 2. Slow down. I have received 2 speeding tickets in a British registered vehicle sent to my UK house. Whether the agreement is still in place to pass registered keepers to the Eu now we have brexited, I'm not sure.

yes defo watch the speed, we got clobbered twice in France and we have no Gb on plates so they will get you as above. Hide your tom tom too as they are frowned upon if they have speed camera notifications.

The are pretty smart at the border, they stick it on the screen and the glue is solid.
Anyway it’s a pretty cheap given the price of everything else there, 18 CHF for cheese on toast, one slice!

agreed tbh but we pass through to get to Italy its cheaper than tolls in France

 

[Nige_g]

At least they made it easy to pay. Download their app, scan the QR code and add CC details!

My first one I was caught doing 120 in a 90, middle of the night on an A road. The cameras generally face you in France. No street lights, driving too fast and a bright flash in the eyes wasn't best ever!
The second one was a day later but not massively over the limit. As I paid up straight away, the tickets are discounted. Around €150 in total for both it was.

 

[AK06FR]

French cameras are listed here, Carte des radars | Sécurité routière | Carte interactive des radars Its in French but obvious.

The ones that might catch you out are the average speed cameras, they look like this:-



If you pass one slow down and hope you see another one, otherwise its too late !

For the Swiss and Austrian vignettes we use these on our work vans, https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01466E0GS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 You can then peal them off and move the vignette between different vehicles

 

[Moodz]

Some great advice on this forum thanks. We are going to Jungfrau next June via Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France then on from Switzerland through Liechtenstein and following the Rhine and the Romantic road back to Amsterdam then home. We went to Germany a couple of years ago and drove to Colditz Castle and Berlin and back on some superbly clean and fast autobahns. It is much easier to drive in Europe, I love it.

 

[Simon Goff]

I stopped in Luxembourg for an overnight on the way to Interlaken, it didn’t go to plan though as the campsite closed early but we found a nearby 24 hour carpark used by vans.
Nightmare to drive around Luxembourg city as Satnav can’t deal with stacked roundabouts (and neither can I).
Very cheap fuel and that’s about it as far as I could see, plenty of people filling Adblue containers etc with Diesel.

In Switzerland food and drink are very expensive compared with France, check what you are allowed to import into Switzerland as there were quantity restrictions on meat and dairy, nobody checked ours, just as well as we were loaded up.
You can buy the Swiss Vignette as you enter Switzerland; Motorway vignette Switzerland - prices 2021 - Tolls.eu
Here’s a good campsite just outside Interlaken with excellent public transport connection around Switzerland; Camping-Ferien Wang Beatenberg Switzerland Käthi und Ruedi Knecht, bus travel pass included in the campsite fee.
There is a small tourist tax on all campsite fees.
Wild camping is only allowed above the tree line, if you can get a van up there you might want to get a job as a tank driver.
Travel passes including Jungfrau are expensive, these are easily bought at Tourist Information so you don’t need to buy before you have a weather forecast.
I think a busy 6 days is about right time to see the area around Jungfrau.
In 2020 there were more Chinese tourists than anybody else, they don’t queue willingly, but they do understand ‘FO and get to the back’.
We left Switzerland and went into Italy and further.

Cheers for this, super helpful. One question, I clicked your link for the motorway vignette and it keeps saying my (UK) email address is invalid, do you need to be a swiss resident maybe?

 

[Shaun Witts]

Something else to consider, is that dash-cams are actually illegal in some countries, and in others they should not be used.
I removed mine (to the glove box) while in Austria last week.

Having lived in Munich for several years, I was aware of the Austrian speed checks - especially on the holiday “change-over” day (Saturday). But these have all now been replaced with nondescript grey static camera boxes that were announced by Waze.