I might need to got Lucerne in Switzerland on a work trip for a few days in mid February. I'm considering driving because I'll be going with two colleagues and taking a reasonable amount of valuable and heavy gear with us. Has anyone done that journey recently, particularly in winter and got any routes / tips to share please?
Thanks
*Edit - put this is non motoring by mistake, can it be moved please mods?*
done
Last edited by: Pugugly on Thu 6 Jan 11 at 09:50
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Would have thought A26, then A4 towards Strasbourg, then A35 near Mulhouse (past the Smart factory which you can see from the road) then into Switzerland and the A3 and A2. From Strasbourg you could pop over the Rhine into Germany and down that way into Bern and across. Have done both routes before and their not too bad, so long as you're not going at half-term (which is 3rd week in Feb).
Bear in mind:
1. If you go into Germany and the weather is bad you will be liable for any crash if you don't have winter tyres. Reason enough to avoid Germany?
2. The only thing the Swiss seem to check at the border is whether you have a motorway toll sticker in the windscreen (they never look at our passports). These can be bought at the border or from Swiss travel centre before you go.
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I drove through Switzerland on my way to North Italy back in the summer, and have driven to Italy via Switz a few times.
Easiest from Calais is to take the toll m/way to Reims then Metz, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, cross into Switz. at Basel and on to Luzern. All m/way.
The last time we deviated slightly (following a good tip from a poster on here) and turned off the motorway after passing through Reims just before the start of the toll section resumes onto the D994 (old Napoleon road -long, straight, wide, fast, deserted) passing Bar-le-Duc joining the RN at Ligny-en Barrois and on to Nancy where we had chosen to stop overnight. We then took RN57/66 to Mulhouse.
Assuming you won't be stopping o/night you can take the first option.
Don't forget you will need a Swiss Motorway Vignette affixed to the windscreen, at the border you will be directed to a toll booth to purchase one if not displayed.
You can buy in advance from the UK online Swiss Travel Centre (Tourist Office) with a c/card (£25.50), mine came by return of post.
tinyurl.com/383egwj
It can save possible queueing at the border if you are crossing at a peak time. The price in local currencey at the border is 40 CHF.
J
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>> Easiest from Calais is to take the toll m/way to Reims then Metz, Strasbourg, Mulhouse,
>> cross into Switz. at Basel and on to Luzern. All m/way.
Very boring route tho, and avoid the motorway round Strasbourg on a Friday evening, its a complete hell hole.
>> You can buy in advance from the UK online Swiss Travel Centre (Tourist Office)
>> with a c/card (£25.50), mine came by return of post.
>>
>> tinyurl.com/383egwj
>>
>> It can save possible queueing at the border if you are crossing at a
>> peak time. The price in local currencey at the border is 40 CHF.
Sound advice, last time we went back out through the border at Basle, the queue to enter was miles long.
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Echo much of the above. I posted about the Bar Le Duc road and its a nice road, though will take slightly longer than staying on the motorways.
The Swiss all seem to have winter tyres too, but if you are motorwaying to Lucerne then I cant imagine you would need them
Lucrene itself is a lovely place, there is a covered footbridge over the river feeding the lake which is "fairytale-esque".
There are also a few nice bars and restaurants along where the river joins the lake.
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If your trip turns out to be delayed until 3rd - 4th March then you'd be there for fasnacht = Carnival
Truely a experience to see uptight swiss germans letting their hair down and partying into the night
Dan
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Don't talk to me about the Swiss partying. I was in Switzerland for New Year's Eve. The hotel band were playing Boney M covers. Nuff said!
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Driving to Lucerne - Boxsterboy
