Vehicle requirements for Foreign Gadabout

RoaminRog

RoaminRog

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Just mulling over next years escape route. We rather fancy France, Italy, Austria and Germany, although nothing set in stone yet.
Our van is 3800kg, can anyone advise what we will need in terms of Clean Air stickers, vignettes, paying for tolls electronically and anything else you can think of please.
 
RoaminRog said:
Just mulling over next years escape route. We rather fancy France, Italy, Austria and Germany, although nothing set in stone yet.
Our van is 3800kg, can anyone advise what we will need in terms of Clean Air stickers, vignettes, paying for tolls electronically and anything else you can think of please.
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Crit Aire needed, irrespective of weight, because of tightening pollution regs. If one city declares a pollution alert, ALL townsin the Departement are affected, so the diversion option will not work. Direct Application to French Government website needed, with V5 details and, IIRC, a photo of the relevant page. My V5 has virtually no detals printed and was accepted without query [think the EU Regs changed around 2013 or a little later to permit the 'no engine info', recognising that the small Van Converters couldn't afford the kit for 'Type Approval' et seq, and that they would also clog the MOT Testing Stations during the Testing Process.

I might have the original Application Process email kicking around; if I can find it, I'll put details on this thread. Allow plenty of time for the application; I think the French Gov said up to 4 weeks, but my application was processed in a little over a fortnight, though I did have to have the Sticker posted to aFrench friend's address and she then posted it to me in Scotland. All got a wee bit frantic at that time!

Can't advise on the Tolls. We just use the Cretin Card but have a supply of coins for when SAPN Autoroute system throws a wobbly and refuses the Card [but reserves 3 x payments after multiple attempts with different cards! No problems with other Autoroute networks. Having to reverse out of the toll area and persuade a Hairy HGV Driver to drop back a little at 5am around Rouen was not themost convivial of experiences :oops:] GMJ bought the electronic Gizmo, so he can talk you through the process

Steve
 
Ok thanks Steve. We already have the French Crit Aire sticker and a peage device but not sure about Italy Austria or Germany.
 
For Austria you'll need a Go box I think it's called if using the motorways, don't think you need one for Germany, you will need the equivalent to the Crit Aire sticker if going into cities, they're available through TUV.
 
1807truckman said:
For Austria you'll need a Go box I think it's called if using the motorways, don't think you need one for Germany, you will need the equivalent to the Crit Aire sticker if going into cities, they're available through TUV.
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Thanks for that, all duly noted👍
 
Just back from a trip through Italy. Get the Telepass, I had a nightmare with the toll booths :cry:
Top Tip, if you manage to leave the Autostrade without going through the toll booths you have to pay online, I never found one an exit without booths.
 
Mostly covered above Rog but I'll add..

- If you get a Tag for the French and Italian motorways get a Bip&Go one as it covers both countries...plus Spain and Portugal too. Makes a world of difference. PM me if you decide to go that way and I can get you €4 off your first bill (I get it too btw). I understand folks not wanting to use M-Ways but some times its a necessity.

- Austria is perfectly crossable without getting a Go Box/On Board Unit if you stick to the non toll roads. In fact it's a lovely drive from Germany to Italy through the Fern and Brenner passes. We usually use that route to go to Italy and then cross back into France via the SS26 road and the Petit St Bernard Pass - which avoids the exorbitant cost of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and again, is a stunning drive.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas on where you plan to roam to Rog. We were in northern Italy for September this year and are off to Sicily next April/May.
 
GMJ said:
Mostly covered above Rog but I'll add..

- If you get a Tag for the French and Italian motorways get a Bip&Go one as it covers both countries...plus Spain and Portugal too. Makes a world of difference. PM me if you decide to go that way and I can get you €4 off your first bill (I get it too btw). I understand folks not wanting to use M-Ways but some times its a necessity.

- Austria is perfectly crossable without getting a Go Box/On Board Unit if you stick to the non toll roads. In fact it's a lovely drive from Germany to Italy through the Fern and Brenner passes. We usually use that route to go to Italy and then cross back into France via the SS26 road and the Petit St Bernard Pass - which avoids the exorbitant cost of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and again, is a stunning drive.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas on where you plan to roam to Rog. We were in northern Italy for September this year and are off to Sicily next April/May.
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I hear the Cosa Nostra have good deals on Road Tolls; they don'tadvertise, they just tell you when they flag you down that they have an offer that you really cannot afford to refuse ... :rolleyes:

Steve
 
marchie said:
I hear the Cosa Nostra have good deals on Road Tolls; they don'tadvertise, they just tell you when they flag you down that they have an offer that you really cannot afford to refuse ... :rolleyes:

Steve
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I'll throw the wife at them and scarper!
 
I read somewhere Europe was going to harmonise all the vehicle toll boxes, I take it that hasn't been introduced yet?
 
GMJ said:
Mostly covered above Rog but I'll add..

- If you get a Tag for the French and Italian motorways get a Bip&Go one as it covers both countries...plus Spain and Portugal too. Makes a world of difference. PM me if you decide to go that way and I can get you €4 off your first bill (I get it too btw). I understand folks not wanting to use M-Ways but some times its a necessity.

- Austria is perfectly crossable without getting a Go Box/On Board Unit if you stick to the non toll roads. In fact it's a lovely drive from Germany to Italy through the Fern and Brenner passes. We usually use that route to go to Italy and then cross back into France via the SS26 road and the Petit St Bernard Pass - which avoids the exorbitant cost of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and again, is a stunning drive.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas on where you plan to roam to Rog. We were in northern Italy for September this year and are off to Sicily next April/May.
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Thanks Graham, we already have a Bip n Go tag for Spain and Portugal, but for France we have ATMB.
I’ll have to check if BnG would work in Italy as well. Been reading up about Telepass, which covers most of Europe, but only up to 3,500kg, unless I’ve missed something.
We’re leaving mid March and hoping to cover as much of Italy as we can, then through Austria to Germany, to take in Eagles Nest, the Romantic Road and Last Post at Ypres, arriving home mid June.
 
Because we’re leaving mid March, and I don’t believe we have Full Winter Tyres fitted, (Continental Fourseason 2 all round) we may have to avoid transiting Austria and Northern Italy until after 15th April when the restrictions ease. Nothing to stop us heading for the South of France initially, and then entering Italy from Monaco.
 
You can avoid m ways so the need for a go box in Austria.
Easy enough to used the Fernpass normal roads to Innsbruck and then the old Brenner pass rather than the new bridge which costs x2.
In Switzerland you have little choice but to payup as normal roads become m ways.
It is possible to free/wild camp in Switzerland.
Germany you need the Dekra sticker easy.
Lots of cheap good stellplatze
Italy sostas are variable some very very nice.
Use the toll roads very cheap other roads slow and potholed with interesting wildlife/scenery !
Entering from France Cuneo is worth a visit
 
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