Uk to Greece

[jacaldo]

Hi, Just two questions, 1: Driving to Greece next May and planning on using ferries, is it advisable to pre-book, or turn up and pay. 2: Should we avoid Switzerland?
Thanks

 

[lenseman]

Pre-book is always best as you might get a cheaper ticker when you book in advance.

Switzerland motorways! You need an annual ticket to use (€35 rings a bell)? Better to miss and go down through Germany, Lichtenstein and Austria.

If you go via the Alps, you pay for the tunnels too. I used the San Bernadino Pass and went over the top.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Hi, Just two questions, 1: Driving to Greece next May and planning on using ferries, is it advisable to pre-book, or turn up and pay. 2: Should we avoid Switzerland?
Thanks

I assume that you are heading for Corfu?

Certainly pre-book if you want a good deal and a decent cabin (Minoan Lines)

Avoiding Switzerland gives you a significantly longer journey and the Swiss Motorway permit (Vignette) isn't that expensive.

What we usually do is arrive down at Dover in the evening, cross to Boulogne, stay at the Inter-Hotel "Le Bretagne" which has a superb restaurant. We depart around 0900 and arrive at one of several hotels near Venice by 20.00 and set off for a very relaxed last hour to the ferry terminal the following morning. On board and settled in by 1400, we enjoy a really good voyage overnight to Corfu with a very comfortable cabin, two good restaurants, a mini casino and a swimming pool (in summer) down the Adriatic, arriving at lunchtime in Corfu - having dropped the trucks off earlier in Iggy. Coming back you end up having a magnificent breakfast approaching St Mark's Square.

An experience not to be missed.

Chas

 

[jacaldo]

We are heading for Lefkada town, this a drive I've wanted to do for years plus I'm sick of flying. I realise it will be much more expensive but I hope the adventure will make this worthwhile.

 

[Sybarite]

Pre-book is always best as you might get a cheaper ticker when you book in advance.

Switzerland motorways! You need an annual ticket to use (€35 rings a bell)? Better to miss and go down through Germany, Lichtenstein and Austria.

If you go via the Alps, you pay for the tunnels too. I used the San Bernadino Pass and went over the top.

60 SF per year. Not much if you use the roads more than once. I have just arrived back this evening from Geneva and I spent more on the French péages for the one trip.

 

[jimbaerselman]

We are heading for Lefkada town, this a drive I've wanted to do for years plus I'm sick of flying. I realise it will be much more expensive but I hope the adventure will make this worthwhile.

Yes! We believe in hedonism. This trip provides two annual holidays - one outbound, one home. Each planned to take 10 days or more. Outbound we pause near vineyards (France, N Italy - timing and places to match wine tastings), return via breweries and Mosel valley (Germany, Belgium, timing and places to match . . . ). Every year two new towns to explore, and old friends to re-visit. Annual bookings at favourite restaurants, sought out through loving experimentation (avoid travel guide recommendations! Spoilt by too much easy trade)

The car is pretty weighed down by liquids crossing France to UK . . . including some 50 litres or so of our own olive oil . . .

We use Ancona/Patras. Trip is comfy with nice inside cabin. Best to book a return to gain a good discount for the return trip. You can change the return date for only a small fee.

Don't leave your car in Greece longer than 180 days . . .

 

[Tranona]

Depends on whether you want to holiday or just get there. I did it (to Corfu) in 2008 and went, Dover/Dunkirk midnight sailing then most direct route (courtesy Michelin) via Switzerland, St Gotthard, stopping at Lugano overnight then non stop to Brindisi and ancient ferry to Corfu. Coming back took a week doing the motor museums at Maranello, Mullhouse, Molsheim and Reims. Cheaper ferry than from Venice offset by more fuel and tolls. Total cost both ways including hotels and meals around £1k (one person out, two back).

Great trip but expensive (last air fares from Bournemouth about £350 for 2) but well worth it for the opportunity to sightsee on the way - just leave room for the wine on the way back.

 

[Caladh]

Hi, Just two questions, 1: Driving to Greece next May and planning on using ferries, is it advisable to pre-book, or turn up and pay. 2: Should we avoid Switzerland?
Thanks

Living not far from Portsmouth we crossed to Ouistream and then took it easy down the D and N roads to Mont Blanc tunnel €35 then into Italy thus avoiding Switzerland. Autostrada down to Ancona (circa €70) and thence ferry to Patras. (or Igoumenitsa). Can't rate it highly enough and concur with all who said you get an extra 2 holidays ! Costs ON the ferries are highish but the accomodation is very good (Minoan). You are able to "camp" on board if you had a campervan. We booked in January this year for travel in May and got what was purported to be a 40% discount. All in all a great adventure which we'll be repeating in 2012. Travel costs one way for 2 were IRO of £600 inclusive.

 

[haydude]

Hi, Just two questions, 1: Driving to Greece next May and planning on using ferries, is it advisable to pre-book, or turn up and pay. 2: Should we avoid Switzerland?
Thanks

Crossing Yugoslavia is not recommended because it can take up to two days border to border and once you get to Greece you are in the North of Greece and it may take another day only to get to Athens, let alone driving across to the Ionian coast. Do not even think about crossing down the West coastal road (and through Albania!!!). You will get there tired and angry. Best to go through Italy and take the ferry from there.

What you spend for the Swiss vignette you get back refueling in Luxembourg. Diesel was below £1 litre at end of August this year.

Shortest route avoiding most french toll roads, still being all motorway: Calais -> Dunquerque -> Lille -> Tournai (E42) -> Charleroi -> Namour -> South through the Ardennes to Luxembourg E46 (refuel here, fill jerry cans if you have them) -> Metz (toll from about here, but low) -> follow E25/A4 to Strasbourg -> cross into Germany here towards Offenburg, mind it is not indicated but best than going through Basel crossing from French side -> E35 to Basel (buy Swiss vignette at border, again mind that if you get into Basel from France, other side of Rein river, you will waste hours to get back on course and find somewhere they sell vignettes -> South through Switzerland passing the San Gottardo tunnel, then through Chiasso -> Milano (toll) -> Tangenziale Ovest to Bologna (E35, toll) -> Ancona (toll). From Ancona take the ferry to Greece: 36 hours cruise to Igoumentsa/Corfu or 48 hours to Patras.

Calais to Milano could take up to 13 hours. Milano to Ancona 4 hours average.

If you have a Diesel car you can make it with a full tank from Luxembourg to Italy (do not refuel in Switzerland!). Diesel in Italy is less expensive (not as low as Luxembourg).

Passing by Italy stop at Autogrill motorway stations, excellent coffe and panini.
Fuel stations in Italy surcharge 4% for credit card payments. Get yourself enough cash upront.

Good Luck.

 

[jacaldo]

Great info so far, but we are unable to find Ancona - Igoumentsa ferry time tables and costs for 2012. I am thinking of professionally converting a Citroen Dispatch into a day camper van for the journey and then to sell on our return, this may offset some of the costs involved. Caladh mentions the possibility of sleeping in a camper on the ferry, this may save some money, has anyone done this? This trip will be done as part of a 3 week holiday, hopefully 2 weeks on board our yacht.

 

[Tranona]

Probably not worth getting a camper van just for the one trip. Yes, it does reduce the accommodation costs and you can sleep on it on some of the ferries. However you can stay in very cheap motels, around 40 euros a night and a car is much more pleasant for long fast journeys. We took our 2l diesel C Max, loaded to the gunnels on the way out and plenty of room for restocking on the way back. Comfortable 110kph cruising and over 50 (miles) to the gallon.

 

[Caladh]

In this thread I think I mentioned we travelled on Minoan ferries. It was in fact Superfast and that is where we saw the "campers". Limited to the afterdeck outside but appeared to have electricity and showers provided. The Superfast timetable for 2012 is not out yet - in August they did some sort of tie up with Anek probably due to the over utiliastion of ships on the same routes with less customers etc.

As an aside, a new timetable came into operation on October 1st 2011. On October 4th we turned up for a 143ohrs departure from Patras in good time (1030hrs) only to be told that the ship was now departing at 1700hrs ! We'd checked the web site the day before but no prior info available. On the day in question I was then told it's always best to phone the day before and check your departure time .......However I can't rate Superfast highly enough for service in the ports and on the ship.