Maggiore to Netherlands

oldagetraveller
oldagetraveller Forum Participant Posts: 142

We are off to Croatia in May and calling at Lake Maggiiore on the way back.  I am really struggling to find the best route back from Maggiore to Ijmuiden (for Newcastle) without paying for expensive tunnels or the double Swiss vignette.  My current plan
is Turin then Col de Mt Cenis (we have towed this pass before without a problem), Chambery, Lyon, then up through France, but it seems such a long way round.

Has anyone any suggestions?

Comments

  • Marsker
    Marsker Club Member Posts: 68 ✭✭
    edited February 2016 #2

    I would bite the bullet and pay the Swiss motorway vignettes. At around £60 for the 2 (if the pound stays where it is) it's probably a lot less than paying French tolls and you'll be paying less for fuel over the shorter route. Travel north via Basel and
    the French side of the Rhine to Colmar, then over Col du Bonhomme to Nancy and north through Luxembourg, Belgium & Netherlands (There's some lovely potential stopovers in Alscace and the Ardennes). Alternatively, travel north up through Germany towards the
    Dutch border at Nijmegen.

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited March 2016 #3

    There's no way to avoid Swiss i'd say, probably best to go via Basel then slide up the German side of the border heading for Holland. I've done Maggiorre before but from Calais and went as far as Dijon then cut across too Lausanne and over the Simplon pass but i'd say Lyon is a very long way round.

     

    I'm envious of you going to Croatia though.

     

     

  • easyonthegas
    easyonthegas Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited March 2016 #4

    Just travelled Maggoire to Amsterdam last year - agree that the quickest and easiest route is to go through Switzerland and pay their tolls. That will be much cheaper in fuel and tolls than using the French toll roads. Try and avoid the Gotthard Friday to
    Sunday otherwise a good hour extra on the journey - others days only 10 minute wait.

    For toll tickets this website is excellent www.tolltickets.com

  • oldagetraveller
    oldagetraveller Forum Participant Posts: 142
    edited March 2016 #5

    Thanks for your responses.  It would seem that the Gothard tunnel would be the most economical, particularly now I find that the toll charge is included in the Swiss Vignette.

    That said, after further discussions with the better half, who is the one who wants Maggiore, we have decided to have an extra week in Croatia and leave Maggiore for a separate trip.

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited March 2016 #6

    Thanks for your responses.  It would seem that the Gothard tunnel would be the most economical, particularly now I find that the toll charge is included in the Swiss Vignette.

    That said, after further discussions with the better half, who is the one who wants Maggiore, we have decided to have an extra week in Croatia and leave Maggiore for a separate trip.

  • JudenSteve
    JudenSteve Forum Participant Posts: 169
    edited March 2016 #7

    Congratulations on your morale victory us men don't win many !!?