From Ijmuiden to Dortmund then Carinthia (Austria)

[Grianan]

Can I run a vague idea past you please?

We have have a small window this August to undertake a fortnight’s trip and my teenage son and his German friend are trying to tie in their holiday plans .....

The idea is that we would sail Newcastle to Ijmuiden and drop Sam at Leo’s house in Dortmund.

Leo’s parents will then drive the boys down to their holiday home in Carinthia (I need to ask exactly where).

Then we would saunter down and pick Sam up from Carinthia a week later, saunter back and sail home ...

My main worries are ...

- are there too many kilometres to make sauntering possible?
- if it is doable, can we get away with non-motorway in Austria to avoid the dreaded Go Box.
- will we find places to stay, without booking, in first 2 weeks of August?

Advice welcome!

 

[Nasher]

Roughly 1200 km or 750 miles each way - no problem distance wise

Tolls can be avoided in Austria, but if below 3500kg a vignette is relatively cheap, so you can use the motorways. If over 3500 you will need a Go box or avoid the motorways

I regularly drive back from Austria or Slovenia to Calais or Dunkirk with just the one stop for fuel. But always use the motorways

 

[CazPaul]

Its sounds like far too much driving for me but it depends on your circumstances. Are you working and have limited annual leave like us, if so it would be a nightmare trip.

My idea of a nice trip is to get the ferry as you suggest Newcastle to Ijmuiden and then tour part of Holland, plenty of lovely places there, Delph not far away for one.

If retired and fancy a hectic long trip, then you have a nice fortnight in the camper afterwards somewhere relaxing to recover it would be fine.

 

[Grianan]

Its sounds like far too much driving for me but it depends on your circumstances. Are you working and have limited annual leave like us, if so it would be a nightmare trip.

My idea of a nice trip is to get the ferry as you suggest Newcastle to Ijmuiden and then tour part of Holland, plenty of lovely places there, Delph not far away for one.

If retired and fancy a hectic long trip, then you have a nice fortnight in the camper afterwards somewhere relaxing to recover it would be fine.

We’re working ... OH can only take a fortnight. Given the choice I’d go to France ... it’s just trying to fit around the boys plans ... it’s so kind of them to invite Sam, but we need a holiday too!

 

[Grianan]

Can I run a vague idea past you please?

We have have a small window this August to undertake a fortnight’s trip and my teenage son and his German friend are trying to tie in their holiday plans .....

The idea is that we would sail Newcastle to Ijmuiden and drop Sam at Leo’s house in Dortmund.

Leo’s parents will then drive the boys down to their holiday home in Carinthia (I need to ask exactly where).

Then we would saunter down and pick Sam up from Carinthia a week later, saunter back and sail home ...

My main worries are ...

- are there too many kilometres to make sauntering possible?
- if it is doable, can we get away with non-motorway in Austria to avoid the dreaded Go Box.
- will we find places to stay, without booking, in first 2 weeks of August?

Advice welcome!

I should have said, we have uprated to 3900kg, so would need a go box if we wanted to use the motorways.

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[CazPaul]

We’re working ... OH can only take a fortnight. Given the choice I’d go to France ... it’s just trying to fit around the boys plans ... it’s so kind of them to invite Sam, but we need a holiday too!

In that case you will both be going back to work after your HOLIDAY, knackered.
You would better asking your son and his friend to make their own holiday plans and be bloody selfish, then you can enjoy yours, or drop them off in Holland somewhere.

 

[bellabee]

Far too much driving for a 'saunter', or for a relaxing holiday. Can't you drop your son off at his friend's home, have your own holiday while he has his, and buy him a ticket to fly home?

 

[Grianan]

Far too much driving for a 'saunter', or for a relaxing holiday. Can't you drop your son off at his friend's home, have your own holiday while he has his, and buy him a ticket to fly home?

That would be ideal but can’t think how it would work ... he’s invited out for a week ... we could possibly pick him up in Salzburg instead which would be more manageable. He’ll be 15 by then and confident to travel alone but needs meeting at other end

 

[WESTY66]

As @Nasher says Carinthia is perfectly do able in a fortnight, we’re doing it twice this year, June and sept. Even easier under 3500kg as we are

 

[DangerMousy]

I don't think the distance is a problem at all, I'd be perfectly happy to do that in 2 weeks.

I think our travel style is probably a bit faster than many people on here though: for example on one of our trips last year we did 2,171 miles over 16 days and had a fabulous holiday with plenty of relaxing time. It seems some people only want to travel very slowly, others (like us) are happy to put the miles in.....only you know what your travel style is like?

Picking your son up in Salzburg is also an easy option if you wanted to save a day or two of driving: its only about a 3 hour drive from Salzburg to Klagenfurt via the motorway (if it were me then I'd get the Go Box just to make life easier). He could even get a train to Munich to make things even easier for you - there are direct trains from Klagenfurt to Munich (its the same train that goes to Salzburg) so its a pretty simple journey. It really depends where in Carinthia he's going to be staying?

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[WESTY66]

Picking your son up in Salzburg is also an easy option if you wanted to save a day or two of driving: its only about a 3 hour drive from Salzburg to Klagenfurt via the motorway (if it were me then I'd get the Go Box just to make life easier).

There is a toll on the A10 Motorway between Klagenfurt and Salzburg in between the two long tunnels, and that’s on top of any Go Box or Vignette charges.

 

[DangerMousy]

There is a toll on the A10 Motorway between Klagenfurt and Salzburg in between the two long tunnels, and that’s on top of any Go Box or Vignette charges.

Yes, there are number of special tolls on the motorways through the mountains in Austria but all vehicles pay them whether you have a Go Box or a vignette. Salzburg <-> Klagenfurt avoiding the motorways would take almost twice as long, so if time is of the essence then the motorway is worth paying for.

 

[Grianan]

Thanks, I think either Salzburg or Munich might work well. We can then decide if we would like to tour around Fuschl/Bad Ischl/Mondsee .... or stay in Germany.
I’m sure his friend’s family would be happy to drive him to Salzburg or to put him on the train either to Salzburg or Munich. That sounds like a great option.
He’s 15 in March and has flown home from Düsseldorf alone so the train would be a new experience for him.

 

[WESTY66]

Thanks, I think either Salzburg or Munich might work well. We can then decide if we would like to tour around Fuschl/Bad Ischl/Mondsee .... or stay in Germany.
I’m sure his friend’s family would be happy to drive him to Salzburg or to put him on the train either to Salzburg or Munich. That sounds like a great option.
He’s 15 in March and has flown home from Düsseldorf alone so the train would be a new experience for him.

Very nice round there, also towns along wolfgangsee are worth a look too

 

[Grianan]

Very nice round there, also towns along wolfgangsee are worth a look too

If we were going to stay in the Salzburg / northern lakes area would it be easy to do so without a GoBox ie off motorway ... we are 3900kg.

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[WESTY66]

Without a good look I would have thought so, might have to come in north of Munich and Salzburg and head south east towards the lakes, probably best to have a good look on maps,