lindaf

Hello
Tell me again - is it easy to drive from the UK to Italy? Multimap shows the journey at about 21/22 hours, via Reims, Strasbourg, down towards Berne, Milan and then across to Padova.

Specifically I'm wondering about the 'vignette' and other toll or taxes. We've never done this journey before so just don't know what the procedure is for each country's roads.

chris120

Avoid Switzerland, they will charge you a years road toll tax and give you a windscreen sticker, you may also get customs trouble because they are not in the EU. Consider going via Annemasse and the mont blanc tunnel. It depends where you start from in the UK, I have done Cornwall to Rome many times it is about 25 hrs driving over 2 days but it all depends on what type of passengers you have (on your own is far faster unless you plan to drive non stop all the way). I reckon Calais to Padova should be about 15 hrs driving maybe a bit less. I find that the road tolls take up about as much cash as the (Diesel) fuel, if you use petrol then that is more expensive.

LivingHere

We drive back every summer. We drive through Switzerland and follow the route that multimap have given you. The vignette is about 30 euro and you can buy it at the border. The Swiss/Italian border is not a problem. They don't check passports anymore but might ask you if you have bought anything. It takes us about 10 hours to get to Calais but we don't really stop. If you travel on a Sunday the motorways are practically empty. Whichever way you go, when you are about 100kms from Calais start sticking to the speed limit as the French police like to hang out on that stretch.

Lorna at Vicenza

My dad has driven out here and so has my sister and brother-in-law. I know they came through mont blanc but I know that my dad took a different route back.

Dad is planning to drive here on his bike at the beginning of September. He says he has to do it at least once before he gets too old and has piles

I'm not sure what route he is planning this time but I think he said something about Rotterdam and coming through the Brenner Pass. Could that be right?

Mr Posh

When I Came over I just slapped it in the "tom tom" and away we went it took us through Belgium, Luxembourg the only road toll i paid was when we hit Italy. All the rest was free. OH and Switzerland They can be Funny, as if you have furniture they can ask to see recipets of your goods. where you purchaced the goods.

debra

We are taking our furniture back in November its all over 5 years old and no longer have any receipts. Will we have problems in Switzerland? are we better to take another route?

Patty

We've just returned from a really quick visit - we did Calais to Turin via Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Lyons then the Frejus. We avoided Switzerland too.
Happy motoring

Meerkat_MI

Drove from London to Milan March this year. As my estate was packed to the limit, I did not dare to go through Switzerland to avoid any customs issues, but I have no idea if it was a useful precaution or not: I have now driven into Switzerland a few times and have never been even stopped to check any documents.

Vignette is no problem as such, especially if you plan to return to Switzerland (it is valid for the whole year). Or given that the most likely alternative is the Mont Blanc tunnel (unless you fancy a relatively long detour (a few hours) to the south to enter Italy) which costs almost as much as the Vignette for Switzerland. Driving is easy except for a slowdown near the Mont Blanc crossing: it's not a highway there and there could be queues before entering the tunnel, but it was OK.

Patty

Just a little tip Lindaf......if you hate heights and horrid high motorway/viaduct thingys then dont do Mont Blanc I've only done it once and I wont do it again - Frejus is still high but nothing like Mont Blanc. But dont listen to me - I'm just a complete wuss

Kenny and Moe

Hi,
We did it four times and went through switzerland each time with no problem at all, we had the people carrier stacked to the roof each time and bought the vignette at the border, about 30 euros. It was then through Luxembourg, France and Belgium and back into France, we paid tolls through France (I think) and obviously in Italy. It took 22 hours which included a 3 hours sleepover and a few ten minute leg stretches. Never did the Mont Blanc way so cant comment.
My mate hired a van in Italy and went through Switzerland with very little stuff but they did confiscate all his cigarettes and booze, he even got the Brit Embassy to speak to the customs boss but they were having none of it.
As a previous poster said watch out near Calais although they have upped the limit to 120K on the motorways now, just be careful.
By the way Saudi is great, only 49 degrees today
regards Kenny

peelaaa

I did the drive from calais about 14 years ago. I drove from calais through to germany on the autobahn, through to austria then used the grossglockner pass into italy.
Check out the link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner

It isn't the quickest but the grossglockner pass is stunning.

TestaRossa

I've done Switzerland and the Lyon route but through Nice on the way back - nice to paris took 9 hours, and then about 90 mins Paris to Calais. Felt alot longer through Switzerland but we were taking our time anyway.

Cassius

We have always gone France and Belgium, then into Luxemborg (for the really cheap petrol) into Germany then through Switzerland. We have never had any trouble in Switzerland and if you use it more than once then the toll isn't that much more than the Italian/French tolls. Also if you drive through Switzerland on a Sunday there are few if any trucks which makes a huge difference. If you drive into/out of Switzerland into Germany rather than France you get considerably less hassle!!!

We've done London/Pescara in two days stopping off at Luzerne, but now take three stopping at Trier and Como each way. The wine and beer in Germany is so cheap it is worth stocking up (far cheaper and beer-wise far better than Italy).

37100

Are you still planning to get him to strap a Dyson on the back? Had a look at the Esselunga catalogue. For 18400 points, I can have a robot vac.

TestaRossa

We're going to the Aquarium in Genova tomorrow courtesy of Esselunga!