Amazing Alpine Auto Trip

cianclarke

As the title suggest, I'm planning an Amazing Alpine Auto Trip. Alas not with an Alpina. Leaving on the 13th of this month,flying into frankfurt hahn and out from Munich.
The initial route planned was almost exactly mapped on the route top gear took on their "greatest driving road in the world", stelvio via Davos and Bornio. Alas, I've just discovered the Stelvio Pass is closed up until June (duh!)

So, the route has changed slightly, but still takes in some amazing alpine scenery (including fluhelpass, near Davos). The objective here is both see some amazing parts of the alps and also find a very enjoyable drive.

The route as it currently stands is:
http://tinyurl.com/abcmbw
which takes in Germany, Austria, Swizerland, Italy and will probably veer into Lichenstein for the lolz.

What I'm wondering is does anybody who has done the alps before have any suggestions? First concern is that some of the routes we've planned will be closed altogether because they're snowed in.
Second concern is that it'll be so treacherously snowy and icy that it'll be a stressful rather than highly enjoyable drive.
Final concern is the border crossings into/out of Switzerland, I think there are 2 - is it much of a border? Is there passport control? Will they mind that my passport expires in September?!

I'm open to minor or even vast vast route changes, keeping in mind the main objective here is incredible roads/scenery.
We've got five days total, and I'm (at the moment) allowing Sunday 15th and Monday 16th for a route thru the alps. Most of these two days will be spent driving/stopping for photos! Open to adding in a day for the alps, but it's not exclusively the alps...



Last time I did the alps, we just got the satnav and a map, decided "Let's pop in this town and see where we end up!! Okay now lets try this route!"
Worked okay mind...

peasant

Snow will be major problem. The alps are having a lot of it this year.
At the moment it's even still down in most of the valleys, never mind the passes.

I'd re-schedule, if possible.

cianclarke

Flights booked :-(
I have held off on booking accommodation for the alps part though, since I heard the alps are having a **** load of snow this year...
I wouldn't rule out heading somewhere else for the two days.. Maybe an extra day at the nurburgring.. Proving to be a bit of a headache at the moment!

Rowley Birkin QC

Obvious question, what are you planning on driving? Some manner of Quattro?

Pete4779

It won't be a particularly pleasant drive unless you have a suitable vehicle once you get as high as Davos. The road then from Davos to Stelvio, even last May in the summer, goes on a little higher again and there was a lot of snow still.

As for the Nurburgring, the TF days have been reduced significantly (particularly weekends) this year so check the main website to see when and if it's open.

It's not a great time of year to be driving that route; the weather can be quite quite prohibitive and "driving season" is still a few months off for Alpine trips.

Hochalpinstrasse in Austria is another one to go for, but it is also closed at the moment.If you are not set on driving, going through those areas by rail (and simply getting a flight to Zurich) would be an excellent choice now.

Border crossings are fine as you are EU, so it's a matter of showing them a passport on entry, and exit can be a bloke having a smoke (e.g., going into Italy). it is more official going into switzerland and you will see several km tailbacks for trucks in one lane and then private cars tend to be in another.

cianclarke

bigkev49 wrote: »

Obvious question, what are you planning on driving? Some manner of Quattro?

1 series BMW or Audi A3 TDI, possibly non-quattro (would be if I could).

Pete4779 wrote: »

It won't be a particularly pleasant drive unless you have a suitable vehicle once you get as high as Davos. The road then from Davos to Stelvio, even last May in the summer, goes on a little higher again and there was a lot of snow still.

As for the Nurburgring, the TF days have been reduced significantly (particularly weekends) this year so check the main website to see when and if it's open.

It's not a great time of year to be driving that route; the weather can be quite quite prohibitive and "driving season" is still a few months off for Alpine trips.

Hochalpinstrasse in Austria is another one to go for, but it is also closed at the moment.If you are not set on driving, going through those areas by rail (and simply getting a flight to Zurich) would be an excellent choice now.

Border crossings are fine as you are EU, so it's a matter of showing them a passport on entry, and exit can be a bloke having a smoke (e.g., going into Italy). it is more official going into switzerland and you will see several km tailbacks for trucks in one lane and then private cars tend to be in another.

Thanks for the advice. Car is booked, so we'll have it anyway, ruling rail out.
Ring is open for sure TF, one of the first things I checked.

Something I'm considering is from Konstanz just skipping through the alps shortest route, and heading down to Lake Garda - only issue is it's a hell of a drive.

peasant

Just had a quick look at the links on this page
http://www.alpen-journal.de/alpenpaesse-links.html

Quite a lot of "normal" roads in mountainous areas are closed due to danger of avalanches, some ski resorts are currently cut off.

Forget the alps.

cianclarke

Okay, thanks Peasant. Well. Damn you to hell, but I guess you can't directly be blamed for these avalanches - just the bearer of bad news
Lake Garda it turns out is like 10 hours driving time, I think a major reconsideration is needed.
I now have a car, and the 13th-16th to travel around Germany, from Koblenz to Munich thru whatever route I wish. Hm!

peasant

Also make sure that you car has winter tyres if you're going anywhere snowy.

It's illegal to drive on inadequate tyres.

peasant

There's a lot of museums to have a look at:

Sinsheim and Speyer
http://www.technik-museum.de/index_content.html

Mercedes Benz museum in Stuttgart and BMW in Munich ...all along your route.

Also the "Deutsches museum" in Muenchen is really cool for all things technical

Maybe more looking than driving might be a good idea if the weather is crap

Matt Simis

Pete4779 wrote: »

Border crossings are fine as you are EU, so it's a matter of showing them a passport on entry, and exit can be a bloke having a smoke (e.g., going into Italy). it is more official going into switzerland and you will see several km tailbacks for trucks in one lane and then private cars tend to be in another.

Ive always found the Swiss checkpoints to be the most "edgy". MP5 and Glock toting blue uniforms all over the place and lots of German Shepard patrol dogs. They really dont take any $hit over there. I wouldnt be on for small talk with them, let alone light hearted conversation. Makes the US entry look more relaxed.

Then again, Im told I have the face of a young terrorist, Im stopped at virtually every Airport security checkpoint!

cianclarke

peasant wrote: »

There's a lot of museums to have a look at:

Sinsheim and Speyer
http://www.technik-museum.de/index_content.html

Mercedes Benz museum in Stuttgart and BMW in Munich ...all along your route.

Also the "Deutsches museum" in Muenchen is really cool for all things technical

Maybe more looking than driving might be a good idea if the weather is crap

BMW museum and factory tour was part of the plan anyway.
That Technik Museum looks seriously cool too, could be en-route.

At the moment, exploring the 6 hour drive to prague..

O.A.P

Make sure you get the car you have booked. I booked an audi a3 with avis last summer and paid extra for that model but when I got to Dusseldorf they handed me the keys to Citron c4. They had nothing better there and told me I had paid for the Audi or similar

cianclarke

Yeah, Europcar pulled that one on what was supposed to be a high-end Seat and ended up with a cheap small engined Opel.
I've found sixt to be very good though and if they don't give me the 1 series I'll stick them for a Golf/A3.

Stephen

I've driven between Switzerland and Germany (at the Schaffhausen crossing, coming to/from Zurich) lots of times and they only ever looked at my passport once. I usually just got waved through. Perhaps it was because I was driving a car with Swiss plates?

There's usually miles of trucks queued for the border but private cars normally had no bother at all. You mentioned Konstanz in one of your posts too. Lovely city and its right on the lake, although it'll be a bit dull at this time of year. You can cross the Swiss border at Konstanz also. I accidentally blundered into the Swiss border guards when I took a wrong turn in Konstanz
Also, its only about 2 hours up the Autobahn from there to the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart. If you're visiting Konstanz though make sure you swing by Singen, which is only down the road. This place is located there. Check out some photos here.

For car rental, I recommend Sixt too.

edit: Another thing I forgot. If you're crossing the Swiss border at Schaffhausen, Rheinfall is well worth a visit. Its europe's largest waterfall and it is just over the Swiss side of the border. Its free to visit, besides the parking fee. Its also the only place I've ever been caught speeding

cianclarke

Thanks Stephen :-)
I've since kinda scrapped this leg of the journey until the summer but I'll be digging up this thread once I start planning for that. Waterfall sounds awesome.
Auto Salon Singen sounds... Looks... *drool*

Pete4779

Second that Rheinfall recommendation, it's something else.

Save the alpine trip for another occasion. For the days you have 13th to 16th there are many fantastic and very picturesque areas to visit:

Trier - oldest town in Germany, still has Roman ruins
Freiburg im Breisgau - at the bottom of the Schwarzwald (oldest pub in Germany is here)

In fact, seeing as you are picking up the car in Hahn, it's ideal to head through the Romantische Strasse. There are really endless places to stop, check it out online. Rothenburg is beautiful. You could also head more south through Schwarzwald, and take in some of the drives through, again, pretty much unbelievably stunning scenery on perfect roads (like around the Eifel), and then drive along the lake.

The only problem you'll have is a lack of time. You could easily spend weeks touring around the Black Forest and surrounds, and when you hit Bavaria, it starts all over again as there is simply so many places to go and see.

Of course then, the other way would be to go for Nurnberg and head to Regensburg (again, beautful) before finishing in Munich, where of course you want to be for the last night for a giant Mass. EDIT: Starkbier Festival is on there then actually.

(Actually i think i've planned my own next holiday there!)

cianclarke

Pete, you're a ledge
Only problem now is I can't decide between just driving to prague to fill the gap of 2 days to waste, or touring the black forest, konstanz, etc... Decisions decisions!

I've done more of the highlights of Bavaria on my last tour with the gluhweinrally we did.

unkel

You can fly cheap to Prague. Save it for a nice weekend break and enjoy the drive in Germany / Switzerland

cianclarke

You are, of course, completely right. 5 hours driving there defeats the purpose. Of course, this means more planning of where to go/see/stay, but this thread should help!!

cianclarke

Just remembered this thread now.. Brief update, in the end we got in the Nurburgring no problem and toured the Rhein, spent 2 days in Munich.
Also decided to see how far we'd get towards the Alps - made it all the way to Davos, and had to head back from there as obviously the passes were closed, but well worth going to! Must have been 5ft of snow...