Driving to Croatia, via Calais

debtout

Hi all. A few months ago, I made the mistake of driving to Hungary and ended up being fined, for not buying a vignette. I'm now planning to travel to Croatia, so don't want to make the same mistake. Any tips and advise please for driving to Croatia, especially around paying for stuff like vignette as I believe, one is needed for driving through Austria? Also will welcome any helpful tips, for anyone whose done the calais to Croatia trip. Thanks in advance. 

baser999

Check out the AA, they’re usually a good reference point for all matters driving abroad

daveyjp

viamichelin is the go to site for any European road trip.

Goudy

I haven't driven into Croatia but have driven to the southern Italian ports a few times in the last few years which took me through Austria.
Just pay the Vignette.
You'll save far more in fuel, time and toll roads than trying to bypass it. It's less than 10 Euro and can be bought online at ASFINAG.

debtout

Goudy said:

I haven't driven into Croatia but have driven to the southern Italian ports a few times in the last few years which took me through Austria.
Just pay the Vignette.
You'll save far more in fuel, time and toll roads than trying to bypass it. It's less than 10 Euro and can be bought online at ASFINAG.

Goudy said:

I haven't driven into Croatia but have driven to the southern Italian ports a few times in the last few years which took me through Austria.
Just pay the Vignette.
You'll save far more in fuel, time and toll roads than trying to bypass it. It's less than 10 Euro and can be bought online at ASFINAG.

Hi many thanks. Just checked and cannot use the vignette, as travelling next week. It needs to be at least 18 days before travel. I assume I would have to buy it along the way? 

Goudy

It does seem a bit dim that the earliest you can buy one online starts on the 6th June??

Looks like you have to buy one on the road on the way in, service stations either side of the boarder will sell them. 

debtout

Goudy said:

It does seem a bit dim that the earliest you can buy one online starts on the 6th June??

Looks like you have to buy one on the road on the way in, service stations either side of the boarder will sell them. 

Many thanks for your helpful advise... 

zagfles

It was over 10 years ago when we went but as well as Austria you needed a vingette in Slovenia if you're going that way. But IIRC petrol was far cheaper in Austria than Germany which mostly paid for it.

You need to look up current driving rules for all the countries you'll pass through, for instance in most of Europe when you turn at a junction, even at a green light, you need to give way to pedestrians who also have a green man to cross. Stuff like speed limits signified by town signs, meaning of yellow diamond etc.

Check for stuff like clean air zones, loads of places in Europe have them, generally urban areas. For France you can get a crit'air sticker which doesn't cost much, a few EUR and it gets sent to you, so worth it if there's any chance you'll travel through any areas where it's needed. Check about car accessories too, most countries need a triangle, hi viz jackets (IIRC in France these must be in the main car not the boot) and headlight deflectors, I think France still requires breathalysers but not sure...

chris_n

I live in Austria, you need a vignette for the motorways. You can buy them at service areas south of Munich or you can get a digital vignette online https://shop.asfinag.at/en/ . You can get 10 days (€9.90), 2 months (€29) or the rest of the year (€96.40). As you say if you are travelling next week you will have to buy and display a normal one, just stick it next to the mirror.
 As mentioned above be aware of clean air zones and avoid the major cities if unsure. I did nearly get caught out in Köln (Cologne) when they were doing some work on the motorways on a weekend and we were diverted through the city centre. 

debtout

chris_n said:

I live in Austria, you need a vignette for the motorways. You can buy them at service areas south of Munich or you can get a digital vignette online https://shop.asfinag.at/en/ . You can get 10 days (€9.90), 2 months (€29) or the rest of the year (€96.40). As you say if you are travelling next week you will have to buy and display a normal one, just stick it next to the mirror.
 As mentioned above be aware of clean air zones and avoid the major cities if unsure. I did nearly get caught out in Köln (Cologne) when they were doing some work on the motorways on a weekend and we were diverted through the city centre. 

Hi many thanks. Would you have got a fine for clean air zones? 

chris_n

debtout said:

chris_n said:

I live in Austria, you need a vignette for the motorways. You can buy them at service areas south of Munich or you can get a digital vignette online https://shop.asfinag.at/en/ . You can get 10 days (€9.90), 2 months (€29) or the rest of the year (€96.40). As you say if you are travelling next week you will have to buy and display a normal one, just stick it next to the mirror.
 As mentioned above be aware of clean air zones and avoid the major cities if unsure. I did nearly get caught out in Köln (Cologne) when they were doing some work on the motorways on a weekend and we were diverted through the city centre. 

Hi many thanks. Would you have got a fine for clean air zones? 

Normally you would, I don't know if I got away with it because of either, it was a weekend, the motorways were closed and the diversion was through the city over the weekend or if it was due to driving a non German registered car.