jetsam1

Hello,

I need to take my van to the UK next month and as earlier this month the A3 between Wurzburg and Frankfurt was an absolute nightmare (I assume the works are still on as they seemed pretty big) I was wondering if it would make much difference going by the back roads? I need to make the Rotterdam ferry basically and I almost missed it last time!

I would be coming from Hungary so would be going via Passau by the autobahn and then go cross country? I have a lwb VW Trasnporter that will manage 120 Kmh and I haven't done the autbahn in anything less than a powerful car........ Looking for reassurance really!! Can't use my normal stopover in Nuremburg either which is annoying so any recommendations around that area with a big car park?

I hate sitting for hours in stationary traffic and then having to guess where the diversion is due to no signposts!!

Thank you all!

scrubbedexpat0105

Google maps is helpful – there is an option to avoid motorways, so you can compare. Looks like using trunk roads between Würzburg and Frankfurt would add an extra hour, though if you know exactly which stretch to avoid you should be able to cut that down.

Stau, Staumeldungen, aktueller Staumelder is also useful, e.g. Baustellen A3 - alle Autobahnbaustellen und Staus auf der A3. In German but you'll probably figure it out, if necessary with the help of deepl.com.

You shouldn't be sitting for hours in stationary traffic just because of roadworks: the Germans plan better than that and will divert traffic if necessary. However, an accident or broken-down vehicle can easily add an hour to the journey (was stationary myself for an hour last week on the A3, but further north), three hours or more isn't uncommon after an accident, so you don't want to cut it too fine anyway – roadworks or not.

jetsam1

The autobahn around Wurzburg and then around Frankfurt was closed completely!! Me and several hundred Dutch had to just pick a road that seemed to go in the right direction!!! There was no signs which I found odd.

I could try the A4 which is another possible route. Though a fair bit of the A3 is three lane now which is great for the vans! The last time I arrived at the ferry 4 hours later than I would normally have arrived......... Coming back doesn't matter so much.

We will see. Thank you for the links, should help a bit!

Thairetired2016

I sympathise with you re road diversions in Germany. They are often nin-existent or end somewhere with no further direction. Problem is that bypass roads pass through towns with speed limits and iften you get stuck behind trucks or farm vehicles.

Cynic

The old story that all roads in Germany lead to Umleitung.

I invested in TomTom for my mobile phone and paid for the Traffic Management; worked OK for me.