[Travel] Driving in Europe (Holland/Gemany) advice, experiences etc

[Official Old Man]

That seems to be for Czech vignettes bought in Austria? I was talking about Swiss vignettes. The video seems to be saying if you buy a Czech vignette at the border you pay 5 Euros more? Not really a scam is it? I suppose you’re paying a bit extra for the convenience.

You need to watch it. Even the presenter admits it is the greatest legal scam ever.
The vignette costs 12 euros. Behind the money exchange is the official machine to buy the vignette at 12 euros. This money exchange charge 17 euros and it's cash only.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

Also remember, if driving on the motorways in Germany, you must play Kraftwerk’s Autobahn at full volume.

 

[Wes Tupper]

Tip: HGV’s are banned from driving on German Autobahns on Sundays, unless they are transporting perishable goods.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Drove to Amsterdam, four times to Cologne, many times Calais and down the coast and a round trip to Rouen.
It's so easy to do as long as you remember to drive on the right.
Drivers are so kind. No 'middle lane hoggers'. Motorways are two lanes most of the time, and very quiet. As soon as a car or lorry has overtaken it will pull back to the right. Roadworks have 100 metres advance warning and the speed limit is only for a mile or so, the length of any works. No mile after mile of 50mph limits.
Talking of speeds, see if you can change the settings from MPH to KPH on your car.
For a bite to eat pull off at a smallish town and search for a local patisserie. Toilets at service stations cost 1€ but whilst driving along McDonalds have their restaurant signs 100 foot or more in the air so you can see them miles in advance. Free toilets.
Check your insurance cover, mine has European free, plus breakdown cover, I have free (£13 account fee) European cover with Nationwide.
And finally, use a debit/credit card with no fees.

I echo this. Barclays travel insurance covers RAC here, health insurance and European breakdown cover. The account also allows a Travel Wallet, where you just transfer funds, and then pay in euros using your debit card with no fees.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Also remember, if driving on the motorways in Germany, you must play Kraftwerk’s Autobahn at full volume.

Well I did ask for tips but this one’s a sort of given! I’m the bloke that downloaded the soundtrack to Wily Russell’s ’One Summer’ so I could recreate Icky’s scene driving through the Wallasy Tunnel! (although without his fateful ending)

@BN9 BHA ’ll get it!

 

[surrey jim]

Throwing the dice around at the moment but next summer we fancy taking the car for a couple of weeks and heading up through Bruges, Holland, down near Koln, Stuttgart and back through France up to Dieppe. (Via Basel)

We don’t want to go inter railing as we want to stop off at smaller towns/villages.

The route above is sort of non negotiable as the boy will be leaving school so he wants to stop off at a couple of theme parks

It’s about 1000 miles and I’m no stranger to driving long distances (albeit in the UK)

Any tips, advice very welcome.
Thanks in advance

I can recomend Dunirell and Beekse Bergen in NL. BB is a large safari resort, Dunirell has a waterpark and amusement park.

I have heard good things about Efteling Resort but not personally been.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Well I did ask for tips but this one’s a sort of given! I’m the bloke that downloaded the soundtrack to Wily Russell’s ’One Summer’ so I could recreate Icky’s scene driving through the Wallasy Tunnel! (although without his fateful ending)

@BN9 BHA ’ll get it!

I was talking about One Summer the other day after seeing Ken Sharrock in a Sunday bond film and Mrs DCH watching David Morrissey in Sherwood later the same evening. As a teenager when that came out, I always remember what a great series that was.