# Driving time to Northern italy



## 89268 (May 18, 2005)

Contemplating driving to the Dolomites in the summer. Anybody been and how long does it take to get there-I try to use the motorways to save time.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Syncro, where do you plan to go? Do you intend to go through France and Switzerland or Germany and Switzerland/Austria? Also time to get there depends on vehicle, how many stops and the average speeds you plan to achieve. Give some of these details and I'm sure people will be only too happy to help.
Phil.


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## 89268 (May 18, 2005)

Thanks very much-planning to go in June by whichever route is shortest.
I travel at 75-80 mph on the autoroute. 400 miles would be a daily limit on good roads. As it is a vw T4 some of the smaller twisty roads are not a problem but I'm sure the speeds achieved would be nothing like the above!


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Syncro, the quickest way is probably from Calais along the A26, A1 and A4 to Strasbourg. Cross into Germany and do an overnight near Karlsruhe. Then use A8 to Munich, A93 to Austria, A12 to Innsbruck then on the A13 over the Brenner Pass into Italy the A22 then goes down through the western side of the Dolomites, Bolzano etc or continues to Lake Garda. Eastwards the range goes to Cortina/Udine. So you can turn left as you wish. The distance Calais to Bolzano on this route is about 785 miles. Not the shortest but is the quickest ( and most expensive because of the tolls ). Germany is free, elsewhere you pay.
Phil.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Syncro,

There are several different ways to get there as Phil has said. Both the swiss and austrian ways involve the purchase of a vignette (austrian version cheaper).

Could I recommend www.viamichelin.com an excellent route planning tool for europe, it's very customisable, you can choose to avoid tolls and stick mainly to autoroutes, whatever takes your fancy and if you subscribe to 'my viamichelin' (free) you can store all your itinaries and routes for reference. I use it all the time for holiday planning. Give it a go...

pete.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

Hi again. A shorter route, 670 miles, would go through France and Switzerland and would take an extra 4 hours or so of driving time. As Pete suggests use viamichelin.com, or mappy.com. It is worth buying a copy of M$ Autoroute if you dont have it already, especially if you plan to do much touring on the Continent.
Phil.


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

In a nutshell, I would suggest, having done it three times now, you need two days to do it safely with an overnight stop for a good sleep.

We found the vignette a neither here nor there problem and it lasts a year.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Just to clarify the vignette and toll situation...

Austria -

10 day vignette, €7.60
2 month vignette, €21.80
Annual vignette, €72.60

A13 Brenner pass €23.50 (extra to vignette)
A10, Tauern tunnel €13.60 (extra to vignette)

Switzerland -

Annual vignette, €40

I think this Includes all mountain passes

courtesy of

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_select.jsp

pete.


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## 89268 (May 18, 2005)

Thanks to all-that's all useful stuff!


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

You can of course go all the way to Bolzano from Calais ( or Dunkirk, or Boulogne ) without paying any tolls at all and motorway for most of the way.
Phil.


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Hi we took 4 days easy driving Dolomite to Rotterdam including the Grossglockner which we took a whole day over

If you like walking, cycling, photography, fishing, boating 
Call at Tobach/Dobbiaco

Toblachersee is at 1500m alt miles of nordic ski/ cycling routes depending on season, fishing from the site Hills arround go up to 3000+m alt

Enjoy


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

peejay said:


> Just to clarify the vignette and toll situation...
> 
> Austria -
> 
> ...


Obviously not a neither here nor there issue. I wonder if it has changed as we only had one option albeit 5 or 6 years ago.


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