Driving thru the alps in july any tips?

Dils13

New Member
Messages
18
Hi everyone, I'm new here. I am driving my Maserati Gran Turismo (owned 6 months) thru Netherlands, Germany, Austria to Lake Garda Italy in July and want a different route for the return to Zeebrugge. I was thinking of driving thru Switzerland. Has anyone driven it? Any tips on routes or coments good or bad will be welcome. Thanks from Diane
 

alfatwo

Member
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5,517
San Gotthards going into to Italy, and coming back out on the Stevlio... It's hard work at the wrong time of the year though what with all the grocks... tourist's and there buses!


Dave
 
G

Guest 1678

Guest
Yep - did the run a few years ago in an Alfa Spider. French section is a bit dull, but you could always hit the Stumpf Collection in Mulhouse before entering Switzerland.

When you hit Switzerland bypass Basel , then Lucerne and head for the San Gotthard Tunnel or pass. Truly stunning 4 hours.

The Italian side is full of castles before you get to more industrial towns. I always managed to hit Como in about 11 hours with breaks.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,748
Make sure you have full cover if you have a brakedown. I took the chance and my luck ran out on Euro Trip number seven...forum came together to help out and it was not a huge job...However as it occurred on the way home there was no option but to leave it behind to be fixed.

It was not a major part but it prevented me from being able to drive safe.
 

Dils13

New Member
Messages
18
Oh yeah ill defo get breakdown. My battery went dead in the winter and somehow i got the key stuck in the ignition could not get it out. After all day at work couldnt be bothered with waiting for breakdown so left it in the car park and it was still there in the morning. Ive been shown how to release the key for future reference!
 

rossyl

Member
Messages
3,312
Switzerland passes are a must: Gotthard, Furka and Grimsel.

Also in Germany the R500 is one of the best roads along with some coming off it.
 

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
if you really keen there's some even more fantastic mountain roads over the border in Romania...and no speed limits,I'sh..

Dave
 

Dils13

New Member
Messages
18
Thanks for the links ill take a look, Romania a bit far out! German autobahn has no speed limit right?
 

safrane

Member
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16,748
There are restrictions on the Autobahn unless it indicates no restrictions...but watch out for trucks pulling out...those Easter European drives have little idea of approach speeds given the FSO, Polski Fiats and Scodas in their home contries.
 

wink

Junior Member
Messages
85
Route through Switzerland requires a windscreen pass for the Swiss motorways - I think it costs around €50. I usually go via Germany and return via France or vice versa. Austria is the slowest bit - you have to cover quite a few kms on non-motorway standard roads. Also the German autobahns aren't as fast as you might think because in many places they are only 2 lane and they always seem to have lots of roadworks every summer :(. I like the French autoroutes the best - they have lower traffic density in general, smooth & fast with very few traffic cameras. But they're expensive! If you do decide to return from Lago di Garda the French way I'd recommend an overnight stop at Aosta, right by the border & the Mont Blanc tunnel. If you're keeping further east then not much point in going through Switzerland IMO.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
There are plenty of Swiss routes that don't require one. We did it in 2014.

In fact I don't think we even had one on the way back from St Moritz

I wonder WTF my peage tag is.....

C