driving to Poland with kids

moneysavingideas

As a side note you had better make sure that have prepared the entertainment for the kids in the car. You can either go for electronic gadgets or cheap games and entertainment that doesn't cost a fortune.

Check out http://www.squidoo.com/entertainment-for-kids-in-the-car for some useful tips and ideas to keep yourself sane on the trip over.
for

mtc95

Can also recommend the Norfolk line to Dunkerque. The journey was fine when we did it and it may save you a bit of driving compared to Calais.

DVD for the car is probably a good idea. If you want a cheaper alternative, check whether your local library rents out audio story CDs. We've taken them out on long trips to play in the car and they kept the kids quiet for ages and really made the journeys go quicker.

ruthber

Thank you all for useful advice and information. We will certainly take plenty of food with us to save on expensive services stops. We will not drive non stop as it would be too tiring and we will allow 3 weeks for a round trip. I have got some Euros left over from a holiday in France last year which should be enough for a B&B. I just hope the car does not break down as it is 10 years old. is there anything I need to know about legal requirements for cars in Germany, etc is it the same as France? (triangle, hi-vis jackets, ).

KeithP

ruthber wrote: »

Is there anything I need to know about legal requirements for cars in Germany, etc is it the same as France? (triangle, hi-vis jackets, ).

This AA document should help.

zagubov

Go to Poundland for hi-vis vests and Argos for a fire extiguisher (needed for Belgium). DVD players are a godsend for long journeys. You can also download spoken stories from librivoxdotorg for free, and play them via mp3 /burn them onto disc (they're out-of-copyright) to keep everyone amused. There's a Tesco petrol station first motorway exit before Dover for cheap petrol before you cross the channel.

kawaton

Done this trip perhaps 2 dozen times, with kids
Mostly from Harwich - Hook of Holland, which i'd suggest. More time for kids to stretch legs, less time in car.
On average, 2 and half hours through Holland.
8 hours through Germany.
And for us 2 hours into Poland.

spiro

zagubov wrote: »

Go to Poundland for hi-vis vests and Argos for a fire extiguisher (needed for Belgium). DVD players are a godsend for long journeys. You can also download spoken stories from librivoxdotorg for free, and play them via mp3 /burn them onto disc (they're out-of-copyright) to keep everyone amused. There's a Tesco petrol station first motorway exit before Dover for cheap petrol before you cross the channel.

If you check on the AA website the fire extiguisher is only required to Belguim registered cars.
Remember the hi-viz must have the EU mark on it and must be carried inside the car so you can put them on before you get out of the car.
Some countries, like Spain, require 2 warning triangles one behind and one in front of car.

zagubov

Good point, Spiro - there's no shortcuts to reading the rules for each country you think you'll pass through.
Ruthber, If you're worried about the state of the car, you might try getting breakdown cover on the continent. We looked into a few examples from threads on this site, but in the end, opted for Europ Assist via Insureandgo.com. Didn't break the bank but never had to use them in the end. Why not have a look around and see if anyone has had recent experience of them?

adecor

Just having a quick troll and came back to your post about your car being 10 years old. If you don't have European breakdown I would recommend this http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/default.aspx. You have to phone Germany to do it, but they all speak English and it covers you in the UK too only drawback being you have to call Germany to get the AA to come out. I think it works out cheaper than the AA, but someone might come up with something else.

kestert

I don't know where you are going to in Poland but we went from Rotterdam to Zielona Gora last year. We stopped en route just outside Hannover in a place called Sehnde. Hotel.de and HRS.de are good sites for accommodation