Driving from Zeebrugge to Italy

[mounty3279]

hi,
As the title says i’m driving from Zeebrugge to Italy (portofino). Can anybody give me what I definitely need. Any tips. I’ve read all sorts on the net. I think I have everything my car has the light package which says I don’t need the stickers on the head lights. If anybody does it regular any tips would be appreciated. Im driving down through Germany and over a few passes that i’ve been recommended.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Denis O]

You'll need a passenger for any toll booths you come across. It's a pain doing it alone in a RHD car. Yellow jackets for all occupants, in easy reach of each occupant. It looks about 12 hours so you can do it easy in a day. I used to do Calais to Piedmont region in a day, easy. I've just driven down to Corfu via the Balkans (1859 miles) and the first stint was to Bavaria, 1/2 hour east of Munich. I got the 06.45 train to Calais and arrived at the hotel about 21.00. My first stein was on our hotel balcony at 21.15, overlooking a beautiful lake and an alp or 2.

If you hit Austria at all, you'll need a vignette. Same in Switzerland which is more likely for your route.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[Neiltodd]

Whats a vignette?

 

[MercedesDriver]

Whats a vignette?

Prepaid road toll for driving on motorways. Tunnel and bridge tolls are not included in price.
For Switzerland it was 50 CHF two years ago and is valid for a calendar year.
Austrian vignette can be bought with limited duration of 7,14 days a month etc.

 

[w213e350damg]

beaware that dvla now shares our info if requested if your caught speeding i got done in erfurt before crossing over to czech i was doing mph instead of kph also if you get a chance and you go thru austria and thru the fern pass(fantastic road) b179 stop of at the highline 179 upon opening was the longest wire bridge in the world also stop of in fussen just before lovley reasturants and places to stop over just looked on map that was the route i took going to venice however on your way back i would recomend going via verona lake garda (sirmione) then onto lindau island then onto rhine falls switzerland then back thru germany/france back to the port??

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Get a Sanef toll tag if driving through France, and keep it for next time. It will cost a few pounds extra compared to paying by cash/card but absolutely worth it. Sanef Tolling

Get a Telepass for Italy, but unless you'll need to hire and return it. Again the convenience is worth it. Toll in Italy with Telepass

Get your vignettes from tolltickets too. Very good company to deal with. I have an unused vignette for Switzerland which I won't use, let me know if you're interested.

Check the passes you want to drive will be open when you will be travelling, some open surprisingly late in the year, and later still depending upon conditions.

Don't forget you need a blue GB logo on your number plate or a GB sticker. I have some Mercedes magnetic GB plates, unopened and straight from the dealer

Most of all allow extra time for your journey, above and beyond what Google says. It will take longer to do it safely and in comfort, so plan for it.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[anglaslt]

Keep your passport, driving licence, insurance certificate and V5c handy (copy V5c will not do). On long journeys I always take the spare key. If my wife is with me she keeps it as a necklace

 

[Dippo]

Slight hijack, but related - does anyone know whether the fuel price info on Comand works in the rest of Europe?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Slight hijack, but related - does anyone know whether the fuel price info on Comand works in the rest of Europe?

No idea. Just work on the basis that it's expensive. I don't think I paid less than €1.70 per litre for 98 RON unleaded, anywhere in France over Easter.

 

[clk320x]

I got the toll tag on Robs recommendation and it really really really really was worth it. I couldn’t have imagined how horrible it would have been to mess around at each booth.

Cheers again Rob

Abs

 

[philt32]

A few tips I’ve picked up over the years,

Always check your change from the toll booths before you drive off, I was surprised how often I happened to be €1 short

Be aware of how fast the cars can approach from behind, especially when overtaking on the autobahns and certainly at dusk or night

Make use of the showers in the services, most are pay but cleaned in between uses, fantastic to freshen up after a decent driving stint, arrive fresh at your destination and straight into that first beer !

Keep your toll / Paige (?) tickets handy & in the same place for when you get at the booths, saves a lot horn papping behind you


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[clk320x]

Make use of the showers in the services

I’ll wait till the hotel

 

[philt32]

I’ll wait till the hotel

[emoji23] I guess I should have added that sometimes my destination was hotel Le Paddock or hotel le van[emoji23]


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[philt32]

[emoji23] I guess I should have added that sometimes my destination was hotel Le Paddock or hotel le van[emoji23]


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I was also trying to say the services (the ones I came across) were distinctly cleaner and better organised than the ones in the UK[emoji1]


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[mounty3279]

Briliant information thanks for all your replies. I have taken notes and will try to prepare the best I can. Bobby Dazzler I would definitely be interested I looked on the website and was just going to buy one at a garage on route but if you have one I will buy it off you no worries. Maybe pm me your bank details or something. I am out of the country at the mo’ but i’m sure we can sort something out,
Craig.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Five years ago I drove through Belgium, Germany and Switzerland on my way to Italy, then mostly France on the way back. I didn’t bother with a vignette for Switzerland, instead preferring the quieter and more interesting free roads. We were only there for a day after all. Neither did I bother with the Sanef toll tag for France. We were there in May/June time and the tolls were always quiet and easy to negotiate with cash (my wife was with me).

It wasn’t until we got home and I was washing the car that it dawned on me that we’d done the whole trip without GB plates. I was so used to having them on previous cars I hadn’t given it a thought. Perhaps Mercedes are exempt?

I don’t know if the rules have changed since our trip, but at the time a simple breathalyser kit and spare bulbs were also necessary additions to what we carried.

Have a good one.

 

[mounty3279]

Five years ago I drove through Belgium, Germany and Switzerland on my way to Italy, then mostly France on the way back. I didn’t bother with a vignette for Switzerland, instead preferring the quieter and more interesting free roads. We were only there for a day after all. Neither did I bother with the Sanef toll tag for France. We were there in May/June time and the tolls were always quiet and easy to negotiate with cash (my wife was with me).

It wasn’t until we got home and I was washing the car that it dawned on me that we’d done the whole trip without GB plates. I was so used to having them on previous cars I hadn’t given it a thought. Perhaps Mercedes are exempt?

I don’t know if the rules have changed since our trip, but at the time a simple breathalyser kit and spare bulbs were also necessary additions to what we carried.

Have a good one.

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View attachment 76223

Thanks,
Info’ has been brilliant, really good.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Briliant information thanks for all your replies. I have taken notes and will try to prepare the best I can. Bobby Dazzler I would definitely be interested I looked on the website and was just going to buy one at a garage on route but if you have one I will buy it off you no worries. Maybe pm me your bank details or something. I am out of the country at the mo’ but i’m sure we can sort something out,
Craig.

Craig, thanks for your interest, it was snapped up over night though. You can buy one through tolltickets.com though

 

[mounty3279]

No probs bobby dazzler, thanks for your replies. I’ll get it done.
Craig

 

[rf065]

I don’t know if the rules have changed since our trip, but at the time a simple breathalyser kit and spare bulbs were also necessary additions to what we carried.

There never were any rules to carry those items, it's a common myth I'm afraid.

Russ