Driving To Garda
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12292
Printed Date: 08 Jul 25 at 1:59am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Driving To Garda
Posted By: rich96
Subject: Driving To Garda
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 11:30am
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Dear All
Has anyone got any tips on driving (with boat on trailer) to Garda ? Useful info would be the best route ?, best place(s) to break the journey ?, trailing hints in Europe etc ? Cheers Rich |
Replies:
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 2:42pm
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This route has worked well for us on a couple of occasions. Very little in the way of tolls, and the roads kept moving at a good speed
From Calais follow signs towards Dunkirk then to Lille. To drive around Lille follow signs towards Brussels then towards Liege until you pick up signs for Luxembourg (after Namur). Fill up with cheap fuel in Lux. Then to Metz & Strasbourg. At Strasbourg follow signs towards Offenburg to cross boarder into Germany then head to Basel. Fill up with fuel in Germany & buy your Swiss motorway passes in service station before going into Switzerland (one for the vehicle & one for the trailer) Follow signs to Luzern then Gotthard. Carry on to Milan & then head towards Venice. At Verona head towards Brennero until you turn off at Roverto sud. Follow brown signs to Lago di Garda. As you come down the hill into Torbole (with the lake in front of you) go left for Torbole sailing club & it's on your right as you leave the town. |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 2:44pm
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First time we were in a camper, and just stopped in a truck stop to sleep. There are loads, and they feel really safe. The camping Aires looked a bit too remote and quiet to feel safe.
Last time we were in a car, and just slept in the services south of the Gotthard tunnel. We weren't the only ones. |
Posted By: Jamesd
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 3:15pm
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It is a long drive. my advice is to buy flexi returns for the return ferry. I think I got mine about 2 hours out when planning it last time and they really hammer you when you are late. I have done the drive probably 5 times and never made the ferry I am booked on....still I always book the cheap ferry.
Normally go via Germany and Austria, coming down through the Brenner pass, which is honestly beautiful but on a Friday evening, can be gridlocked with germans going for a weekend away. I have driven a star down through france as well a few times. Preferred the first option though Toll roads add up as well. Especially if you find yourself in Switzerland. Infact no matter what route you take, no matter how conservatively you drive, it always seems to cost more. I found that it costs about £150 more to send the boat with jubby and fly out. Well worth it if he is running the service I try and drive with two of us and just take turns. I have stopped when on my own, but I was once robbed of 30 euros at gunpoint in a French lorry park by two people pretending to be police. I then walked to the other side of the car park where there was indeed a police van and they asked how I knew they weren't police.....I'd never stop in that s-hole of a country again. I have a feeling google maps says its 13 hours from Calais (off the top of my head) but when I went last year it took 20. Germany enforce very, very strict speeding laws on the autobahn of about 50mph with a trailer. I have been stopped twice. once was a 100 euro on the spot fine. the other I was escorted to a bank and ordered to pay 200 euro. Don't worry about speed cameras, i've felt like a celebrity with all the flashes i've had and never heard anything. |
Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 3:52pm
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There is much to commend Sailboat Deliveries and Easyjet! ------------- Happily living in the past |
Posted By: 2547
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 6:00pm
| Mont Blanc tunnel is the quickest and easiest .... it is a two day drive. |
Posted By: johnnyt
Date Posted: 26 Jan 16 at 7:59pm
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We did this journey last year we took a 28 foot camper and trailer This was the first time i had driven to Garda so i did a lot of reseach before i went. Going out i followed the route set out on this web site http://www.motorhomevoyager.co.uk The reason was to try and aviod as much of the tolls as possible especially given the size we were. This was a big mistake as driving through Begium was like driving down dirt tracks and I though i would have a puncture. The best route has been detailed in a previous posting. Calais and then Metz and Strasbourg. Cross into switzerland at Basel, make sure you buy the pass just as you cross into switzerland. It cost us about £46.00. Drive through Switzerland and then Italy. Just suffer paying the french tolls as the roads are so much better and make for a more relaxing drive. If you can break the journey up with a couple of stop overs. Your passengers will appreciate it. We went for a F18 event and Garda is everything people say about it. I assume you will be staying is Torbole. We stayed at this campsite: - http://www.campingmaroadi.it/EN/1/2500/camping.htm which was great. Enjoy it and many people will be envious.  ------------- John Tuckwell Development Executive GJW Insurance www.gjwdirect.co.uk Insurance rebel without a clause. |
Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 29 Jan 16 at 3:20pm
| I reccommend the france/belgium/holland/germany/austria/brenner pass/italy route as there are barely any tolls, it takes ages though, 2 full days driving. We stopped near Stuttgart in a hotel on route as it is just over halfway. |
Posted By: ChrisB14
Date Posted: 29 Jan 16 at 4:00pm
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I think the route through Germany is just 50 miles longer than going via France and Switzerland. But has hardly any tolls. And diesel is just silly cheap there at the moment (€ 0.96 per litre). Possibly the savings pay for a nice hotel on the way? ------------- B14 GBR 748 Bullet B In build: Farr 3.7 GBR 410 (both sail number and the current number of loose parts) |