France to northern Italy

[Jewellbags]

About ruddy time but we have now booked our one way ticket across the Chunnel heading for northern Italy in September (still too many commitments to go earlier ) . Using a off toll/ off motorway route and aim to drift down - no rush through france , maybe Belgium , Switzerland and Austria - also maybe Germany . So a couple of questions if you don’t mind

Do I HAVE to have a vignette (or whatever the are called ) in any of these countries if not on the main routes

Is the ASCI card worth it for this time of year ?

Would you bother booking sites in advance or just drift ?

I will be fully insurers / breakdown covered etc - might even stick on a Angles Morts or two . But any other MUST haves ?

 

[Brains]

Vignette Austria.

If you are under 3.5t I'd get one.
They only cost €9 for 2 weeks.
You can buy them at the first petrol station across the border.
It means you don't have to worry about taking whatever route you like across the country.

If you are over 3.5t, but don't look it.
(Under 8m, no tag axel etc) then you can probably get away with a Vignette (there is no checking on purchase). However if caught you get fined.

Over 3.5t should have a GoBox

It is possible to cross Austria without a GoBox or a Vignette, but you need a good navigator !
As you need to avoid all the motorways and many of the main roads.
You also need to choose your Alpine passes carefully.

That said, the Alpine passses are very definatly one of the high points (pun intended) of the trip, I'd recommend the Timmelsjoch ($7) and especially the Grossglockner (€27), both well worth the toll fee.

 

[Reallyretired]

You could cross directly from France to Italy without going through these other countries and save yourself the hassle. Also no charge for the passes.

 

[Brains]

You could cross directly from France to Italy without going through these other countries and save yourself the hassle. Also no charge for the passes.

True
But you would miss this.
Driving a motorhome through the Grossglockner Pass