[eurocars]

My 21 year old son and I will be arriving in Gothenberg on August 16 to pick up my wife's 2013 T6 XC70. We will be there for 11 days and we will share the driving. We are looking forward to bonding with our Volvo and to a European site seeing road trip...Here are our proposed driving plans:

1. Gothenberg (arrive / 1 night)
2. Copenhagen (1 night)
3. Berlin (1 night)
4. Nürburgring (2 nights with a 1/2 day on the race course)
5. Paris (2 nights)
6. Geneva (1 night)
7. Venice (1 night)
8. Munich (1 night / depart)
ESTIMATED DRIVING TIME: 37 hours 42 minutes | DISTANCE: 2309.89 miles (from MapQuest)


Are these plans reasonably doable? Between which cities might it be best to start the drive in the early morning hours?.... and between which cities might it be alright to start the drive in the late afternoon? Any and all driving suggestions welcomed! Thanks

 

[DebitNM]

I guess your goal is to drive. Personally, we would never undertake that that plan since you will barely be able to enjoy the wonders of the cities you will pass through.

Be sure to bring a GPS with European maps loaded as well as paper Michelin maps. Good luck.

 

[gascos80]

My 21 year old son and I will be arriving in Gothenberg on August 16 to pick up my wife's 2013 T6 XC70. We will be there for 11 days and we will share the driving. We are looking forward to bonding with our Volvo and to a European site seeing road trip...Here are our proposed driving plans:

1. Gothenberg (arrive / 1 night)
2. Copenhagen (1 night)
3. Berlin (1 night)
4. Nürburgring (2 nights with a 1/2 day on the race course)
5. Paris (2 nights)
6. Geneva (1 night)
7. Venice (1 night)
8. Munich (1 night / depart)
ESTIMATED DRIVING TIME: 37 hours 42 minutes | DISTANCE: 2309.89 miles (from MapQuest)

Are these plans reasonably doable? Between which cities might it be best to start the drive in the early morning hours?.... and between which cities might it be alright to start the drive in the late afternoon? Any and all driving suggestions welcomed! Thanks

Just a humble opinion on some of the destinations and transitions...in order they presented...

- See Copenhagen at the very end...arrange a stop-over there...
- Take a ferry from Goteborg to Kiel, Berlin deserves more than 1 night, it is one of liveliest European capitals lately...
- Replace Geneva with Bern, you do need a break between Paris and Venice, and Bern is smaller and less business-like...you can drive-by the Geneva Lake to see it...
- Leave Venice for another time...Bern - Venice and Venice - Munich are two ambitious legs and 1 night in Venice between two driving days is really nothing...is not worth the price of accommodation and troubles of getting there...spend more time in Paris and drive straight to Munich...

or...go to Munich after Nürburgring and end your journey in Paris, leaving Switzerland and Italy for other time...at the very least - add 5-6 days to your trip, if seeing those countries is a must...the drop-off in Paris is very convenient...right at the airport...

 

[cwilsong]

Can you do the plan as you have it outlined YES.

Is it a good idea, well that depends on if you want to see anything
but the road you are following and the tail lights of the car in front of you. Because I really don't see how you are going to have time to stop and see or do anything.

And I would recomend listening to the idea Gasco posted above he is QUITE well versed in travel and has helped out a lot of people.

 

[epk123]

that looks like a 3 week trip not an 11 day trip - if you do make it to Munich don't forget to drive the German Alpenstrasse

 

[mstak]

I would suggest that you select the 5 cities in the northern part of Europe and spread out the days in those cities and fly out of Paris. You will get to see more of the wonderful sites that each place has to offer and you will still get a chance to enjoy your new Volvo. Spend at least 2 night in Gothenberg to adjust to the time change. This will also keep you on the remainder of your schedule if you have flight delays and you don't make it to Gothenberg until a day later. It sounds like it would be too much of a mad dash to try to do the remaining 3 cities. Save them for OSD 2

 

[eurocars]

Well i would have to be A FOOL NOT TO GET THE MESSAGE

 

[eurocars]

I will add a day...make it a 12 day trip....and cut out a couple of cities and spend a bit more time at each stop...I will go back to the drawing board...Thank you all for what sounds like sound advice!!

 

[eurocars]

PS: And I will listen to Gasco and replace Geneva with Bern....Thanks for the tips!!! I may need a more realistic estimate of the driving time between each city....I will post a revised (and hopefully more sensible) travel plan....

 

[gascos80]

I would suggest that you select the 5 cities in the northern part of Europe and spread out the days in those cities and fly out of Paris. You will get to see more of the wonderful sites that each place has to offer and you will still get a chance to enjoy your new Volvo. Spend at least 2 night in Gothenberg to adjust to the time change. This will also keep you on the remainder of your schedule if you have flight delays and you don't make it to Gothenberg until a day later. It sounds like it would be too much of a mad dash to try to do the remaining 3 cities. Save them for OSD 2

...btw...one of the reasons why I always suggest the overnight ferry to Kiel is the jet lag...the ferry helps, if you want to travel south of Scandinavia...you arrive to G-b a day before the pick-up, spend a day adjusting, then spend another night on a ferry...and, typically, you are good to go for the any road adventure on the third day...and you are already in Germany, just two hours away from Berlin...

 

[bigguy]

Obviously, you get the message. One other point-- lot's of construction around Berlin and between Dresden/Nburg and Munich 10 days ago. My driving time was significantly longer than Mapquest had first thought. AND...Munich traffic at any time of day is BAD.
Other issue-- Munich drop off point is easy to find at the airport-- but often they are short on parking for your car. Just double-park on the street in front of the door.

 

[BKNCOSD]

If you choose to make Paris last....the drop point is VERY easy....it is in front of terminal 3 at the airport How simple is that?
Then fly home from Paris!

 

[dhorvath]

We did 3000 miles in 21 days total (17 days with the car). We had hotel in Gothenburg at the beginning and end, picked day-by-day along the way. For some reason your plans seem a bit aggressive (too much time on the road each day) but that's totally up to you.

 

[eurocars]

Revised road trip plans are still in need of help!

Thanks again to all for all the good suggestions.... just back from the drawing board with a somewhat less aggressive road trip....Still a lot of driving but down to 1500 miles (if we depart from Aviano, Italy). We plan to take our Volvo on the track at Neubergring and if reasonable we would really like to see Venice and some of northern Italy (with relatives in Milan). The rest of the trip is more open to changes and suggestions. Also looking for comments / suggestions on the on our two proposed drop off drop off points (Aviano on 8/25 or take an extra day and depart Munich on 8/26). We also have the option of adding an extra day if we we depart from Aviano. Has anyone had any experience or heard feedback on Aviano as a drop off location? Thanks again!

The current proposed agenda would be:
depart Boston 7:00 pm Wednesday 8/15....Arrive Thursday morning (10:30 am) Gothenberg
1 night (Thursday) Gothenberg, Sweden
1 night (Friday) Copenhagen, Denmark
2 nights (Sat. and Sun.) Neubergring, Germany
2 nights (Monday and Tuesday) Bern Switzerland (Thanks Gasco)
1 night (Wednesday) Milan, Italy
2 nights (Thursday and Friday) Venice Italy
Then either
drop off Aviano, Italy Saturday afternoon (8/25)..... Arrive Boston Saturday night 8/25
or
drive to Munich on Saturday, stay overnight (8/25) and depart from Munich on Sunday (8/26)

 

[mstak]

While Bern is a great city to visit, looking at your plan you may want to consider just driving from Neubergring to Munich to Milan to Venice. Munich and the region of Bavaria has so much to offer and it is more of a direct route. Consider those two days in Munich and Bavaria instead of Bern (the beer is better). Also consider where you wll park for your visit to Venice. You will have to park on the mainland and take the train or a boat in. No matter what you do, you will still have fun. Just trying to help.

 

[eurocars]

I assume it safe to leave the volvo on the mainland for venice?? If I go to
Munich it wound seem that I should end there (? easier and less expensive drop off)....

 

[mstak]

I don't know how safe the parking is, we have only traveled to Venice by train. You are right, drop off in Italy is much more expensive than Munich. You could travel from Neubergring directly to Milan. You say you have family in Milan. You could leave your car with them and take the train into Venice. Return to Milan and then travel to Munich to drop off the car. Enjoy your family, Italians are marvelous hosts.

 

[eurocars]

I like that idea...Thank you!

 

[gascos80]

I assume it safe to leave the volvo on the mainland for venice?? If I go to
Munich it wound seem that I should end there (? easier and less expensive drop off)....

Park on the mainland in Venice is what you do...you have no choice...you will be among thousand of Italians and foreigners who do it every day...do not leave apparent valuables in plain view, and you are going be fine pretty much everywhere in Europe.

Also, most people do not know what those red plates represent, and many treat them as diplomatic (I know it because I was asked more than once, even in Norway, and even in Stockholm by the customs officer on my return from Tallinn). Thus people would not mess up with your car.

Bern was suggested for the sole purpose of breaking Paris - Venice leg...which would be brutal otherwise...I also suggested to leave Italy for the other time and drive straight to Germany...However, If I would have a family in Milan - I would be there for sure...I have close friends (almost a family in Rome)...and we are there on every trip, one way or the other. I would drop a car in Munich and then use local flights to get to Italy...tickets can be dirty cheap...

 

[eurocars]

Updated Itinerary and 3 questions

Thanks, Gasco....

I was still, on your suggestion, planning to stop in Bern...

Here is my most recent proposed itinerary 3 questions:

Depart Boston Wednesday 8/15 at 7:00 pm
Arrive Thursday morning (10:30 am) Gothenberg, Sweden
Spend Thursday / Thursday (1) night in Gothenberg
Pick up Volvo Friday morning and drive to Copenhagen, Denmark (approx. 3 hours 30 minutes / 200 miles)
Spend Friday (1 night) in Copenhagen
Saturday morning drive to Neubergring, Germany (appox. 9 hours / 600 miles)
Spend 2 nights (Sat. and Sun.) Neubergring (experience the track on Sunday)
Monday morning drive to Bern Switzerland (approx 5 hours / 300 miles)
Spend Monday (1 night) and Tuesday morning in Bern Switzerland
Tuesday afternoon drive to Milan, Italy (approx. 4 hours / 200 miles)
Spend 1 night (Tuesday) in Milan, Italy
Wednesday take train to Venice Italy and spend Wednesday, (1) night, and all day Thursday in Venice
Thursday evening take train from Venice back to Milan and spend Thursday (1) night in Milan
Friday morning drive to Bavaria region / Munich, Germany (5 hours 45 minutes / 350 miles)
Spend 2 nights Friday and Saturday in Bavaria region / Munich
Depart Munich on Sunday at noon and Arrive Boston at 6 PM

Approx. car driving miles 1650 Car Driving time approx. 27 hours 15 minutes

My 2 questions:

1. Should I delete the stop in Bern and go directly to Milan from Neubergring?

2. I could drive from Milan to Venice and then drive from Venice to Munich. If I took the train I would leave my car at my cousin's in Milan. Is the train a good experience? How long is the train ride vs. the car ride to Venice? Also seemed like an easier ride from Milan to Munich than from Venice to Munich?? What do you think?

3. Any other suggestions? :beer:

Thanks again to all of your help....