Gotthatd or Mont Blanc tunnels?
Hi guys, we're off to Lake Garda at the end of July next year and would really appreciate any advice on which tunnel to use on route. We are going with friends who have been to Italy a few times always using the Gotthard
tunnels at different times of day each time, trying to reduce queuing times, but not with much success. He's never used the Mont Blanc tunnel so doesn't know if it's any better. Has anyone had experience of both tunnels and if so which did you find best? Any
and all advice much appreciated.
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Hi, Just got back from Sicily thru the Mont Blanc Tunnel .The north to south approach is very steep and long.Up to 7% for over 20 kms,but the south to north is much more kind. Used the St Gothard in 2009 and do not recall either approach being as steep.Cost
for car +4m van this time thru M.B.south to north was 58Euros.Went down thru Frejus tunnel 44 Euros.Frejus is obviously older and shows this.Both tunnels are single carriageway.I cant really comment on delays in summer as both trips were Sept/Oct..Hope this
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We love the Chamonix area and will always stay there happily for a week, but if costs come into the picture then do the math.
French motorway tolls from Calais to Chamonix and back, plus toll costs two ways through that tunnel add up to about 350 euros.
Free motorway most of the way from Calais to Basel plus two vignettes to get you across Switzerland and the St Gotthard tunnel, and back again, adds up to 75 euros.
How rich are you ?
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Went down to Italy and returned via Gothard tunnel returning 2 weeks ago.
South bound from Chunnel via France, motorway tolls over £80. Vignette for car and caravan in Switzerland £62. Arrived at Gothard at about 1500hrs on a Saturday and joined a 7Ks queue, they use traffic lights to control the traffic and p to swop to single carriage way, not horrendously steep but at least 3 cars had broken down, 1 with a caravan.
Return journey on a Sunday, a 10 minute queue at Swiss border and virtually no queue at all. Vignette already paid for and as I returned through Germany and Holland no further tolls required. The approach to Gothard from the south is fairly long but gentle with.
Gothard tunnel is approx 3500 feet high and 17.5 Ks long
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Further to Deleted User User's comment. We have used his route many times; Calais - Belgium - Germany - Austria then Brenner to Garda. No tolls until the Brenner and these can be avoided by going via Landeck and using the Reschen Pass then Bolzano. No problems
at all with a caravan. Plenty of sites en route and allow 2 night stops. End of July you should consider booking your night stops or stopping no later than 4pm. A weekend at the end of July (and I assume returning mid August) will be very busy as the Northern
Europeans go/return! I would recommend you try to travel mid week.0 -
We have been to Italy many times and to Lake Garda about four times. Although we have used different routes in the main we use the Germany/Austria route. We use the Fern Pass to get to the Brenner Pass but you could equally go via Munich. No tolls in Germany
but some modest ones in Austria if you buy a vignette. There is an extra toll on the Brenner but not a massive amount. As has been said lots of good places to stay en route.David
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If you're on route to Lake Garda then DK's and others recommendation of the Fern Pass followed by the Brenner is by far the better option. Try to avoid weekend on the Fern Pass as its the preferred route by Bavarians for a day out to Austria and North Italy.
The St Gottard pass is the most convenient route for Lake Como and Maggiore. In my experience the Mont Blanc tunnel route is not only expensive but is boring and less scenic.0 -
Have used the St. Gottard dozens of times including early September this year. It was one of the few times we have been delayed (about 30 mins) and it is advisable to avoid peak times - Sunday's, Friday afternoon etc. Having said that, if you get a map and
draw a straight line between Calais and the Lakes it goes through Metz, Basel, St. Gottard, Lugano. It is a very easy and scenic route but you need two vignettes for Switzerland for a caravan (one for motorhome) and tolls in France although you can avoid a
lot of tolls by going from Calais through Belgium then join the Autoroute around Metz. The section from Strasbourg to Mulhouse is free.We haven't been through the Mont Blanc or Frejus tunnel because it is not the obvious route to the Lakes and you will have more tolls on the autoroute and tunnel tolls.
Although we haven't done the Brenner pass the route is almost toll free although further.
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Lots of good info already posted.
Re cost,as said if you look at the direct comparson Gothard wins easily but we have also used Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels and can say that we would choose Gothard over those as the drive through Switzeraland is pretty good.
Re queues we have had a couple of bad ones but both were due to accidents and as they control the flow for safety reasons it is quite normal to wait your turn.
All that said we would now go via Germany and Austria. We asked for suggestions in CT and in 2015 used this route and it was really good. It does depend on your port of arrival but if you head for the Fern Pass and then the Reisa pass via Landeck,and not the Brenner Pass, then it is totally toll free. We chose this due to our travel companions having a 4200kg motorhome,and not wishing to use the GoBox system but it also avoids long sections of Autoroute in Italy where caravans cannot overtake-unless,apparently, you are a German in a BMW!
P.S. Forgot to say that we had to queue for the MB tunnel as well and that was in May so not sure what the queues at any will be like in late July but probably not better.
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Have you considered avoiding both and traveling through Germany and Austria using the Brenner pass instead. Its a while since I went that way and cant remember the cost but its going to be nowhere near the tunnel routes.
We have done this route several times and recommend it - however we did experience a lot of traffic on the Fern pass and the Brenner on one visit.
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I woud certainly recommend the Fernpass and Brenner Route driving through Belgim, Germany and Austria only one vignette in Austria.
Route on Europen Route's page on my website
here. with good ACSI Camping Card sites en route. If you need any other info please contact me will be glad to help.DianneT
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12 hour night shift. I'll catch up tomorrow. Night night.
