Trip to Nurburgring

[Aerialmark]

Hi all, I am planning a trip to the Nurburgring on the 25th of August with my son Jack and was wondering if any of you had any info on the best way to get there from Calais. Also is there anything I should do or things to avoid when I am there. Anything special I should do or take ? What is the best place to stay near the ring, all general info on trip gratefully accepted.

 

[Halcyon Days]

re: getting there - depends how quickly you want to get there and what you want to see on the way?
Easiest way is just go on Google Maps and set directions from Calais (or wherever you're crossing) to the Nurburgring and work it out from there.
I'm going there in september, but I'm going to Spa-Fracorchamps, Hockenheim, the MB Museum in Stuttgart, and the huge auto museum in Mulhouse...
so quite a trip! lol

 

[kianok]

Hi all, I am planning a trip to the Nurburgring on the 25th of August with my son Jack and was wondering if any of you had any info on the best way to get there from Calais. Also is there anything I should do or things to avoid when I am there. Anything special I should do or take ? What is the best place to stay near the ring, all general info on trip gratefully accepted.

Don't forget to get a sticker for your boot lid, or is that only for people who have no idea where the Nurburgring is?!

 

[flango]

I do this trip regular (at least 3 times a year) and drive past the ring at least 12 times a year so my route and recommendations below, although you might have left it a bit late for accommodation as is not that the bank holiday weekend you are talking about?

Route

If you have not booked the ferry yet you can shorten the drive by getting the ferry to Dunkirk instead of Calais

From Calais

Take the A16/E40 heading towards Dunkerque
After about 45 minutes at the fork keep on the E40/A16 you are now entering Belgium
Follow the E40 all the way to the Brussels Ring Road R0
Go around the ring road following the signs for the E40 Brussels/Leuven
Follow the signs for E40 Aachen
You then take the N67 signs for Welkenraedt now entering Germany
Continue on N67 then on to L214
From there I think its the B258 into the ring

All the above is from memory but I'm sure Google maps will give more detail, the trip is a little over 4 hours drive, this is definitely the fastest and quickest route.

Accommodation

Stay with Martin at Burgstube if you can get in and tell him I sent you, he will also get you cheap lap tickets

Burgstube Nürburg - Hotel and Track Car Rental at the Nürburgring - +49 170 8080256

alternatively

The Tiergarten Hotel am Tiergarten Nürburg am Nürburgring

or

The Ringhaus Welcome to the Ringhaus at the Nurburgring

Food

Pistonklause Restaurant Pistenklause

Steakhaus El Chueco

an of course Burgstube

Thrills

Rentracecar START | RentRaceCar - Die Nr. 1 in RaceCars an der Nürburgring NordschleifeRentRaceCar ? Die Nr. 1 in RaceCars an der Nürburgring Nordschleife

Rent a car or just get Theo to take you out on a lap of the ring, he's a fraction of the price of the ring taxi and a much better driver. Check out his videos on YouTube just search Theo Kleen, tell him I sent you and you'll get mates rates This is something your son would never forget.

Anything else you need to know just ask

 

[DuncS3]

Also, after the event, log in to one of the Ring Photo Portals (for example Ringportal » Home ? alle Nürburgring Nordschleife Touristenfahrten Fotografen, uitgebreide Ringreports en meer...) and if you did a lap you will see shots of your car on one of them at least, like so:

Enjoy

 

[nb_racing]

The main thing is don't crash. The circuit charge astronomical amounts for repairs to barriers, to scrape your car out of said barrier and return it to the paddock, and God forbid, a track closure. (Not to mention a ruined car and no way of getting home.) This is well documented on PistonHeads.

There is only one place to eat, Pistenklause, steak on a stone.

Without wanting to sound patronising, just don't try to be a hero on your first lap..! It is SO narrow, and SO tight...

 

[flango]

^^^^^ Good advice, It's the most expensive armco any where in the world

Need recovery, put oil on the track, close the circuit and you are looking at a jaw dropping, eye watering wallet emptying amount of money

 

[nb_racing]

I've heard horror stories of 500euro a metre for each row, there are 3 rows.. take out a car length, 4m say, thats 6000euro before you even think about your car.
Edit: I should say that this is not fact. What i've heard. Probably not the most reliable reading then... Where's my daily mail...?

 

[Rashman]

I've heard horror stories of 500euro a metre for each row, there are 3 rows.. take out a car length, 4m say, thats 6000euro before you even think about your car.
Edit: I should say that this is not fact. What i've heard. Probably not the most reliable reading then... Where's my daily mail...?

Yes, I too have heard rather scary stories about the costs that can be involved if you have a mishap on track.
But, Mark, don't let this put you off in anyway!


lol

 

[flango]

You can also insure against it as well if you you want to be bullet proof. Insurance will cover all damage to car, track, trackside furniture and cost of closure.

Its not cheap though

 

[nb_racing]

I should probably say that going to the nurburgring, experiencing the whole 'event' and doing a few steady laps is one of best things you'll do in a car in Europe.

 

[Meldrew2]

….. one of best things you'll do in a car in Europe.

Another good thing to do in Europe is drive a beat-up old LandRover around the Peripherique in Paris

Don't forget to put stickers on your door for each frenchie who swaps paint with your nudge bars……

disclaimer - I have never done this. It was a hired 106…..

 

[nb_racing]

It was a hired 106…..

Thing you can do in a hire car... THAT'S a whole other game!

4th gear game: you can only use 4th gear.
horn game: keep the horn pressed for as long as possible while driving and looking as if nothing is going on.
handbrake game: no footbrake allowed (quite dangerous, especially after a few beers. I've never done this, it was a mate.)
the list goes on.

 

[parkman1]

Hi, my son [aged 33] and his mate have just come back from the Nurburing, having gone on motorbikes, and they said it was amazing. They both have 1000cc bikes, and my son said that even the roads around the 'Ring are exceptional.

They got a trial lap with a guy who lives near the ring, he took them around the track as a pillion passenger, just to get an idea of the track. There is another guy who runs a B&B beside the ring, who is big into bikes, but anyone can stay there, and it seems he is a mine of information. Sorry that I don't know his name, though.

It seems that the normal road rules apply on the track, which in reality is actually a closed public road, and not a race track specifically. Apparently, standard road rules apply, such as keeping to the right hand side of the road, keeping a constant eye on the mirror for really fast moving stuff coming from behind.

Also you have to use your indicators to show you are going to come past. My son said when they were on the track they came up behind some plank in a Porsche who kept cutting across the corners, pretending to be Michael Schumacher, but totally ignoring his rear-view mirror.

My son and his mate eventually got past at about 175 mph and frightened the clown out of his wits.

As far as the other great run mentioned - the Peripherique around Paris - I used to drive refrigerated artics many years ago, before the days of new-fangled tachographs. The old Peripherique was basically just a three lane main ring road passing under the roads radiating out of Paris centre.

But it was absolutely brilliant, back in the '70's and early '80's. We had Scania 110 and later 140's 15 metre refrigerated artics, which we used to get "doctored" by Dutch Scania garages, and to give the truck the lash around the Peripherique was absolutely something else, particularly late at night. Yeah, I loved it.

So if you go the Nurburing I think you will have an unforgettable experience. I actually went to the 'Ring when it was still a Formula 1 track, back in the late sixties, and saw Jackie Stewart win the German GP, and Graham Hill came second.We camped on the infield, I remember, for the whole weekend.

So enjoy the 'Ring, it will be a great experience.

parkman

 

[Halcyon Days]

You might also want to check opening times too - on the 25th August, the 'ring is only open to the public for just over two hours. If that going to be be long enough for you?
On Sunday 24th, it's open all day.
Opening Times

 

[gazz]

Another vote for the Burgstube here. Martin Bird is an old pal of mine too. Mention Uncle Benz and he'll look after you. That, or he'll stick another fifty on your bill ;-)
Go see Dale Lomas at Rent-4-Ring if you have no specific insurance for your own car. You can call me an old fuddy-duddy if you like, but I won't do TF without it these days. I have too much to lose now. Dale will rent you something that will surprise you, (in a good way).

www.northloop.co.uk is a great resource, although you'll probably need to join. (Free though)

And Dale has his own site, www.Bridgetogantry.com

 

[parkman1]

Hi,
Also. as with the previous post regarding times, watch out for the weather. The track can be closed if there is heavy rain, a common occurrence around Nurburgring.

If the weather is bad during the day there is a good possibility that it may open later in the day, or even for a couple of hours in the evening, before it gets dark. I think that this scenario is more likely in the summer, when the days are longer.

parkman

 

[st13phil]

From Calais

Take the A16/E40 heading towards Dunkerque
After about 45 minutes at the fork keep on the E40/A16 you are now entering Belgium
Follow the E40 all the way to the Brussels Ring Road R0
Go around the ring road following the signs for the E40 Brussels/Leuven
Follow the signs for E40 Aachen
You then take the N67 signs for Welkenraedt now entering Germany
Continue on N67 then on to L214
From there I think its the B258 into the ring

That's exactly the route I'd use. BTW, the exit for the N67 is #38 signposted Eupen & Baelen - you actually want to go south-east through Eupen, not north-west to Welkenraedt

Also, just off the motorway on the N67, you pass a Shell service station, then the entrance to a retail park on the right and just after that on your left is a great frites bar. If you like Belgian fries as much as I do, this is a great place to stop for lunch :bannana:

Just out of Eupen as you start to go through the forest you will have the pleasure of driving on what must rate as one of the bumpiest stretches of road in Western Europe A little further on there are some great views of Monschau as you drop down the hill that skirts it. The 258 from there is a great drive through Schleiden and Blankenheim

If you have time on the trip it's worth taking a drive down to Cochem which has a great atmosphere on a sunny Saturday or Sunday, and then a drive down the Mosel.

On your way home, consider routing yourself through Malmedy and then pick a route on pretty much any of the roads to the west and north of there, taking in the Spa circuit if you wish, and west of Liege either rejoin the E40 or take the E42 back through Mons.

Have a great trip