austria for my 40th birthday ,do i drive or fly

boblibarn

any advice please,going march next year ,x

Blue264

Where do you plan on going to? Destination airport, etc...?

I got married in Austria (in a previous life) and got to know the west of the country quite well. Also currently have a work colleague who was a travel rep resident in Kitzbuhl so I'm sure I can pick her brains for advice.

Personally, I'd get a cheap flight and forget driving at that time of year. Public transport is so cheap that it is still is the better option.

susancs

We went to Salzburg in Austria, using cheap Ryanair flights from Stansted ( December). There are buses that run from outside the airport to the train station (pay on the bus) and then there are numerous buses that go from there all over the area. Just ask the bus driver which bus goes to the area you want and what the stop is called. The bus stops are displayed on an led display at the front of the on onboard seating area. We got off at Ratesse (think it was called). There was a lovely cathedral, well preserved castle/ fortress there, you reach by a hill train. Mozarts house is nearby, plus you can get horse drawn open carriage rides for about £25_£30 for 4 people to tour the city. Public transport was very cheap and buses frequent. Salzburg is a lovely city, with lots to do and see.

Blue264

susancs wrote: »

Salzburg is a lovely city, with lots to do and see.

I'd go further than that. I've spent a month in Salzburg, never got bored and still haven't seen everything the city has to offer. To give you an idea, the casino out at Schloss Klessheim is like something from a Bond film and Salzburg is the home of the (reputedly) oldest hostelry / bar restaurant in Europe And this isn't even scratching the surface...

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andyg9053

10 hr steady drive from calais, toll rds are good. you then have the car to get around in.

go to airport, check in 2 hrs before, plan for the queue on m25 en route to airport,flight always delayed and then wait for baggage reclaim etc. total time similar to the drive.

plus you can stop and have a walk or puff on the nasty tobacco stuff when you want when you drive.

susancs

andyg9053 wrote: »

10 hr steady drive from calais, toll rds are good. you then have the car to get around in.

go to airport, check in 2 hrs before, plan for the queue on m25 en route to airport,flight always delayed and then wait for baggage reclaim etc. total time similar to the drive.

plus you can stop and have a walk or puff on the nasty tobacco stuff when you want when you drive.

Depending on where OP lives it could be costly to go via ferry in both time and money. Ferry and petrol costs for 4 would have been £500 and 28 hours travelling time for us. However when we went in December it cost £276 return including airport parking, petrol and Austrian buses plus the travelling time including time at the airport was 11 hours.

pandora205

I went with a friend and drove to St Gilgen. We did have an overnight stop on the French border which meant we arrived mid afternoon which was great as we were self-catering.

I'd thoroughly recommend this as a resort as there is so much to do and it's not far for a day out to Salzburg.

Blue264

andyg9053 wrote: »

10 hr steady drive from calais, toll rds are good. you then have the car to get around in.

go to airport, check in 2 hrs before, plan for the queue on m25 en route to airport,flight always delayed and then wait for baggage reclaim etc. total time similar to the drive.

Why am I thinking of a Top Gear race?

pandora205 wrote: »

I went with a friend and drove to St Gilgen. We did have an overnight stop on the French border which meant we arrived mid afternoon which was great as we were self-catering.

I'd thoroughly recommend this as a resort as there is so much to do and it's not far for a day out to Salzburg.

I didn't quite make it to St.Gilgen but totally agree, the area is stunning. I visited St.Wolfgang, Fuschlsee and Mondsee.
The more I think about it, I'd be tempted to fly there and hire a car. There's gorgeous places like Kuchl and Hallein to the south of Salzburg and a great road right past the Wilder Kaiser in the Tyrol that links Kitzbuhl to Kufstein via St. Johann.

pandora205

St Wolfgang is the other side of the lake from St Gilgen. We hired bikes and cycled round and took the ferry back, which was a great day out. We also went to Bad Ischl and visited the Emperor's palace there which is well worth a visit.

I know the Tyrol too (being a skier - have visited Seefeld, Alpbach, Soll, Hintertux and various other resorts in that area). The chair lifts and gondolas make walking relatively easy too, if you are planning an active holiday. And of course, don't forget the gateaux and chocolates!

Flying would certainly be the quickest way to get there and the airport/motorways make it easy to reach the area.

Voyager2002

Train would be a better option.

Leave work a little early and take an evening Eurostar to Brussels. Pay the extra to travel Leisure Select so that you can enjoy a full meal with unlimited champagne and fine wine.

At Brussels, transfer to an overnight train-hotel: cheap if you book in advance through Die Bahn (German railway): you probably need to telephone their London office to do this. Wake up refreshed and relaxed, and begin your holiday.