jiminalpago

At the beginning of June there was a thread covering the overland journey from UK to Italy. Has anyone had recent experience - September onwards - of going the other way?
I am interested, principally, in how the borders are being controlled, whether there is any rigorous questioning of "need to travel". I would intend to use the Brenner and Fern passes to get into Germany and then either Belgium or Holland, depending on ferries.

brian12

Hi,friends of ours from Scotland went home that way a few weeks back and took a ferry from Holland.We are leaving at the end of Oct and going straight thru Switzerland,France,Luxembourg,Belgium and back into France for Calais.I would check that you do not have to quarantine in the countries you are passing thru.If you come from high covid regions of Italy you have to quarantine entering Switzerland.Where are you in Italy ?Cheers,Brian.

jiminalpago

Thanks for that, Brian. I presume, since you haven't mentioned it, that your friends encountered no problems. (I should have said, by the way, that I would be in a very old camper with Italian plates; eye-catching, in a negative way!) The news in the media is not very encouraging but I wonder whether there is an element of posturing by the governments (this seemed to be the case with Austria) and it is different on the ground. I'll wait out to see if anyone else has 'testimony' to offer.

The Alpago Bowl is midway between Belluno and Vittorio Veneto. The most prominent geographical feature is Lago di Santa Croce; I live on the mountainside to the east.

brian12

It seems to be changing daily.Just Google travel thru Austria and Germany and info should come up.With Switzerland anyone from UK in the last 2 weeks has to quarantine.We have a UK car so are bringing credit card receipts of hotels,fuel and shopping as proof we have come from Calabria.Check that your region is not in the high risk zone or you might have to quarantine also if Austria has the same rules,good luck,cheers,Brian.

Seldomseenkid

As I started the thread in June I guess I should add my ten penn'th here. We leave tomorrow and as the UK now demands 14 days quarantine for those coming from Italy we are keeping it simple, One night in northern Italy one in France and then across the channel. I am not anticipating border problems as the EU seems keen to keep them open and is using local curfews as weapon of choice at the moment. That being said it seems to be changing on a weekly basis so what is fine at the moment may not be next week so I would not recommend booking too far in advance...

brian12

Hi,are you bypassing Switzerland,if not look up the high risk areas in Italy that the Swiss require quarantine.We expect to isolate in UK,so no probs,let us know your outcome,cheers,Brian.

Seldomseenkid

Hi Brian
Normally we would drive straight through Switzerland so quarantine would not be a problem. On the way down, in June, they just asked if we were stopping I said no and that was enough. This year we are stopping off for a couple of days near Barolo to do some research for my blog.

According to google maps it is then quicker to go through France rather than Switzerland so that is our chosen route. I read that a vaccine should be with us in the early new year, I really hope so.

Andy

Jake.White

I came that way last weekend. Left Italy on Friday (9th Oct), spent Friday night at a hotel just over the German border but was almost refused a room because of my passport and they only relented when I convinced them I was coming from the other direction and not from England.I had to prove it by showing fuel receipts and also had to fill in a couple of forms. Otherwise no problems, although a lot can change in a week and I'm watching with interest as everything begins to shut down again. There is a regular police check point at the German border with Austria but they don't stop everyone and only seem to pick out random vehicles. I expected to be stopped in my UK registered van but wasn't. There is sometimes a spot check of all vehicles, particulary vans, at the Brenner Autobahn toll point but there wasn't this time. I suggest if you're coming, you come now while you still can as instinct is tells me that restrictions are going to get worse before they get better.

I've done the overland trip twice this year, the first time being in late June when severe restrictions were still in place. Austria was the biggest concern as Brits were still banned but I sailed through without stopping and without being stopped in both directions - it only takes an hour and a half from Brenner to the German border via Fernpass. I use the DFDS ferry from Ijmuiden (Holland) to North Shields and at the moment it's running to schedule and is refreshingly quiet with hardly any passengers onboard. Onboard shops and restaurants are all fully functional and they ask you to wear a mask in most public spaces although it's not mandatory.

brian12

Hi,sorry my point was you would have to quarantine in Switzerland,that is their rules at the moment.We are philistines regarding wine,we stock up with vodka and prosecco from Lidl,not bad though,lol.cheers,Brian.

Diddidi

I’m following this with interest as we’ll be doing the same route soon. However, my understanding was that no quarantine is necessary if you are transiting - found the following on the official website: https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20201948/index.htmlf exceptions include persons who enter Switzerland for the purpose of transiting the country and who intend and are able to travel on directly to another country.
Did I get something wrong?

brian12

Hi,I couldn't find anything in that link regarding transit thru Swiss.Perhaps you could direct me to the relavent section.On the UK site it mentions if you were in transit thru other high risk areas you can enter without quarantine.In our case this would mean Campagna.We are bringing receipts of everything on our route as a papertrail,lol.Hope you are right by the way,I don't even want to go home the way it is at the moment but we have no choice,cheers,Brian.

Seldomseenkid

Hi Brian
The bit about Switzerland is how I understand it. If you are going straight through there is no problem. Italy is now off the safe places list for the UK so however you do it you have to self isolate for fouteen days when you return.

brian12

Hi,I realise I have to quarantine anyway because of France.Just not sure of Switzerland,we drive straight thru anyway having stopped over in the Como area.We are coming from a safe area anyway,just a matter of proof and it doesn't expand to the Milan area.We,ve got 2weeks for our trip so hopefully someone will post more info,cheers,Brian.

SanNico

It may be easier to skip Switzerland and France to take away any concerns with the added bonus of cheaper German fuel, no tolls and less speed limits. It's a longer route but it's quicker because of the lack of tolls. I've only travelled through France and Switzerland once and I felt I spent more time at toll booths than actually driving, including around Milan. I preferred the Brenner route as from Bedford to Brindisi the only stops were the Dartford crossing, a couple in Austria, then get a toll ticket at Brenner and pay it in Bari.

jiminalpago

Hi, Brian. I decided to see for myself and this is from inside Germany.
There was NO-ONE on duty at the Brenner at 1000 this morning (Sunday?); I used the Statale crossing rather than the Autostrada, a personal preference.
After the Fern Pass there was a police control at the German border. I was stopped after a double-take at my plates; there had been a GB-registered camper in front of me but I lost sight of him in the final km and he wasn't at the checkpoint so I assume was waved through, as happened to all cars in the very short time I was there.
"Destination?"
"Holland and a ship."
"On you go."
If you haven't started yet, I agree with SanNico's advice. Presuming you hit the Pianura Padana at Bologna, why not consider Padova (A13)-Verona(A4)-Brenner(A22), then west at Innsbruck to Fern Pass and the German motorways, where you are spoiled for choice (but avoid Ulm-Stuttgart-Rhein valley: since the 70s a road to wear your nerves).
In Austria diesel is about 1,10 and Super 1,15!
Bon voyage, Jim