Driving from UK

We ere considering driving from UK (Wokingham) to Karnten (Worthersee) in 2009. We will stay in that area for two weeks. Has anybody done this kind of trip before. How many hotel nights en route (1 or 2). We have two kids (12 and 7). In 2007 we flew to Vienna and drove down with a hire care to Kolpeinersee. I am comfortable driving in Europe and my wife is not too keen on flying. We thought this trip would be an adventure but I need a holiday too. Anyone have any thoughts?

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I personally would not drive that long as it is exhausting, boring and not cheaper anymore. As Klagenfurt is served by RyanAir from Stansted, I would contemplate a flight. If you wait for a good bargain campaign you will save a lot of money.

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Thanks for your quick input.

In 2007 the hire car (Citroen C8) cost c. GBP 900 (say EUR1100) for 18 days + flights BA LHR to Vienna GBP 600 so not cheap. Obviously petrol has gone up recently (in UK now GBP 1.20 (say EUR 1.40/ltre) and its about 1300 km each way so that will cost quite a bit. Cost is a secondary consideration to a great trip. We will be going in July and I understand the route from Munich to Klagenfurt is a traffic nightmare?

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I don%26#39;t know Austria very well, next week will be first time to actually stay in some cities and villages, but I%26#39;ve driven from U.K. through Germany and Austria and into Slovenia many times. So I can tell you up to Salzburg or Graz.

The problem is that you still don%26#39;T have a huge amount of time to enjoy the drive by following a scenic route. The main route is all ugly and fast autobahn with little in the way of scenery until you get to Austrian border/Salzburg. With children, they%26#39;ll get very bored.

For the best routes use viamichelin.com

As a rough idea, you%26#39;ll start early to catch morning fery or tunnel from Dover. I used to catch the 8am to have breakfast ready for long drive. Dover calais is best route. Without traffic, it will take about 10 hours driving to get to Austrian border from Calais IMO

So maybe drive for 5 hours, (bearing in mind you%26#39;ve already driven to Dover) stop a night when convenient or tired. Second day you%26#39;ll pass Munich before lunch and be into Austria by mid afternoon. This is all dependent of a clear run with no heavy traffic. And that%26#39;s impossible to predict.

Therefore, you COULD stop only one night and make it to Austrian hotel for second night but IMO, with kids, I%26#39;d take it easier and maybe stop second night

in Germany. I think Koblenz area will be a half way point for you but check the map I%26#39;m thinking from memory.

Our decision as a family was to stop driving once we had children, my wife and I used to drive around Europe, I used to drive Belgrade to London. 1600 miles in 2 days with hardly any sleep. It%26#39;s doable but hardly fun and a no-no with kids.

So to summarise, I%26#39;d say book somewhere between Munich and Austrian border for 2nd night. Take an interesting 1/2 way point between there and Calais as a first night stop. That way you have destinations set, and time to stretch legs and take it easier, maybe even enjoy the trip:-)

Have a look at viamichelin for exact timing, remember they assume no traffic.

Good luck

Stoofer

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I also think two night stops would be better. I had thought about a stop in Heidelberg but as we are 150 miles from the tunnel, Koblenz may be better. We have stayed before in a Novotel just off the Munich Ring near to the Allianz Arena so will probably overnight there. Their family rooms whilst not luxurious are reasonably priced. Its convenient for the A9 then Salzburg/Vienna autobahn. In the early 1980s I also went overland from the UK to Thassos in Greece via Yugoslavia %26amp; Belgrade. The road from border of Austria down was hell!! We were in a Ford Transit which had no power to overtake.! I am also interested in knowing about the drive through Austria. I have been told this route is very busy as one of the tunnels is closed. Not sure till when.

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For what it%26#39;s worth, I just got back from Austria and rented a C4 Diesel at the Munich (Airport), did 1200 km and averaged 6.0 l/100 km. The vehicle had everything and some more, inclusive automatic and air con.

IMHO, this car was a true 5-seater, so if you hire again, I suggest this vehicle is more than enough. The car is high off the ground, has very comfortable seating and lots of luggage room. It also had enough power and I had to back off at 170 a few times, which I reached without noticing.

As others said, the drive is long, but once you hit Munich, you are in four hours down in Kaernten via the A10 from Salzburg. This part of the drive is a breeze -- all Autobahn, but through the mountains quite lovely. Don%26#39;t forget to purchase the %26quot;Vignette%26quot; for driving on Austria%26#39;s Autobahn -- at most gas stations and at the border Germany/Austria. I would time my driving to avoid weekends, which can get very busy.

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When we booked the car through Hertz I requested Never Lost Sat Nav but when we arrived at Vienna airport to pick it up they advised Citroen windscreens blocked the signal so they couldn%26#39;t offer it. On evening we got lost leaving Prater Park returning to our Hotel. The road around the back of the funfair is definitely not the place to be at night, especially with 2 kids in the back. I am leaning towards 2 stops each way with the last drive from Munich to Velden. Unfortunately as mid-summer arrival day is Saturday that will mean the last leg will be on Sat am.

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the C4, I rented on my last trip (a week ago)out of Munich, had no problem with a portable sat-nav. I bought a %26quot;Tom Tom Traffic One%26quot; in Germany and used it throughout the trip. Since the windshield of this car was large and angled rather flat forward, I affixed the Tom Tom to the glass read-out screen on the instrument panel, way below the windshield -- it had no problem getting info and worked like a charm.

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