If you look at the 'mappy' website, [or multimap. via michelin etc etc], that will give you
approx petrol cots,
autoroute charges,
tunnel costs and
Swiss motorway vignette
Ferry costs vary on route etc - the obvious crossing is Dover to France - costs vary between £60 return [Norfolk Line - weekday] to £200+ [Eurotunnel, P&O, Sea France - peak booking]. From Manchester, the Hull - Rotterdam overnight crossing looks expensive - but it saves about 250 miles driving each way, plus an overnight stop. Driving distance from Rotterdam is similar to that from Calais/Dunkirk Motorways in Belgium are free - so it can pay to pop up from Calais - travel distance increases by about 12 miles only Cheapest petrol is Luxembourg [Belgium route takes you there] - see - http://www.theaa.com/onlinenews/allaboutcars/fuel/2009/may2009.pdf Overnight stops vary from about £30 a night - Formula 1 up to whatever one wants to pay Allow 400miles/day max driving - so you won't feel completely knacke*red [I try to keep it down to 300 - 350 max] "You pays your money and takes your choice" .
If you want to see what its like on the autostrada - go to http://www.nextsa.ch/nextcam.htm [scroll down page to see relevant webcams If the road looks busy/stopped at the tunnel - leave the autostrada at the Varenzo exit and drive 'over the top', rather than through the tunnel .
We have a copy of this book in our Italian place - for friends staying there who don't speak the lingo. We came across it when it was recommended to our GCSE Italian evening class. You can see it here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/0860207684/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-page - click the page tags to turn them. .
Daft as it sounds - one of the easiest options is probably to buy the small car in the UK, insure it with a company that will do extended periods abroad [there are a few] and drive it down - bringing it back once a year to re-tax, insure and [if necessary] MOT it .
There is a through train [mon - fri] from Aulla to Rapallo - leaves 09.20 - arrives 11.00 The only through train back leaves at 20.00 [arriving at Aulla at 21.25 [Both trains stop at other points along the CT] For all other options look at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en its the best site for train times This give plenty of time for 'sightseeing' and walking. For walking suggestions - look at sites such as the ATG and Inntravel websites for their Cinque Terre walking holidays - these will give you an idea of what you could do in a day. The walk along the coast is easier than the 'higher routes', but is full of Americans doing the '5 cities' - [ they don't know where they are - but they just know they've got to do the '5 cities']. Front page of the Forum site today - http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-featured/liguria/famous-five-0 .
Travelling midweek is better for getting through Basel, but if you are stuck with weekends and/or the holiday season and/or Rush Hour you can spend up to 2 hrs queuing through Basel - we did And if the Germans decide to do one of their security checks [which appears to stopping a lot of cars (including all that have 'non-white' travellers in)] traffic backs up everywhere, including blocking access to the 'French' exits That's why I 'found' the alternative route and posted about it in the old forum. I reckon that it could take about 15 minutes longer against 'sailing through' Basel [something I've never managed], but on average taking the 'bypass' it will save you some time. Scenery is a bit better too. .
I would strongly recommend that you seek out a local Geometra for advice on this matter - He/she will know how to interpret the Commune's rules/requirements, and should be able to advise you on what you can and cannot do .
Comments posted
"It feels a little strange and unfamiliar but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon" Some of us are still struggling
If you look at the 'mappy' website, [or multimap. via michelin etc etc], that will give you
Ferry costs vary on route etc - the obvious crossing is Dover to France - costs vary between £60 return [Norfolk Line - weekday] to £200+ [Eurotunnel, P&O, Sea France - peak booking]. From Manchester, the Hull - Rotterdam overnight crossing looks expensive - but it saves about 250 miles driving each way, plus an overnight stop. Driving distance from Rotterdam is similar to that from Calais/Dunkirk Motorways in Belgium are free - so it can pay to pop up from Calais - travel distance increases by about 12 miles only Cheapest petrol is Luxembourg [Belgium route takes you there] - see - http://www.theaa.com/onlinenews/allaboutcars/fuel/2009/may2009.pdf Overnight stops vary from about £30 a night - Formula 1 up to whatever one wants to pay Allow 400miles/day max driving - so you won't feel completely knacke*red [I try to keep it down to 300 - 350 max] "You pays your money and takes your choice" .
If you want to see what its like on the autostrada - go to http://www.nextsa.ch/nextcam.htm [scroll down page to see relevant webcams If the road looks busy/stopped at the tunnel - leave the autostrada at the Varenzo exit and drive 'over the top', rather than through the tunnel .
We have a copy of this book in our Italian place - for friends staying there who don't speak the lingo. We came across it when it was recommended to our GCSE Italian evening class. You can see it here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/0860207684/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-page - click the page tags to turn them. .
Try 'Googling' You get things like http://www.lefthanddriveleeds.co.uk/usedcarsales.php .
Daft as it sounds - one of the easiest options is probably to buy the small car in the UK, insure it with a company that will do extended periods abroad [there are a few] and drive it down - bringing it back once a year to re-tax, insure and [if necessary] MOT it .
There is a through train [mon - fri] from Aulla to Rapallo - leaves 09.20 - arrives 11.00 The only through train back leaves at 20.00 [arriving at Aulla at 21.25 [Both trains stop at other points along the CT] For all other options look at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en its the best site for train times This give plenty of time for 'sightseeing' and walking. For walking suggestions - look at sites such as the ATG and Inntravel websites for their Cinque Terre walking holidays - these will give you an idea of what you could do in a day. The walk along the coast is easier than the 'higher routes', but is full of Americans doing the '5 cities' - [ they don't know where they are - but they just know they've got to do the '5 cities']. Front page of the Forum site today - http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-featured/liguria/famous-five-0 .
a Cnghale, surely? and did you know - Cinghiale is an anagram of "Angelic Hi" [surely some mistake there!] .
Travelling midweek is better for getting through Basel, but if you are stuck with weekends and/or the holiday season and/or Rush Hour you can spend up to 2 hrs queuing through Basel - we did And if the Germans decide to do one of their security checks [which appears to stopping a lot of cars (including all that have 'non-white' travellers in)] traffic backs up everywhere, including blocking access to the 'French' exits That's why I 'found' the alternative route and posted about it in the old forum. I reckon that it could take about 15 minutes longer against 'sailing through' Basel [something I've never managed], but on average taking the 'bypass' it will save you some time. Scenery is a bit better too. .
I would strongly recommend that you seek out a local Geometra for advice on this matter - He/she will know how to interpret the Commune's rules/requirements, and should be able to advise you on what you can and cannot do .