1. Road trip
Sledge: I'm thinking of organising a road trip for travelling to Banja Luka in July for Debconf 11. If you're interested in joining me, please add yourself below. The details so far are:
See http://j.mp/hxMx3g for the route planner I'm using
All times approximate and in local time
1.1. Trip out: dash down through France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina !
Friday 2011-07-22
- ~03:00 Leave Cambridge and drive to Dover
- 06:00 Ferry from Dover to Calais, landing ~8:30
- 08:30 Drive across France, Belgium, Netherlands, enter Germany.
- 12:30 Stop somewhere around Cologne for lunch, pick up mirabilos
- 13:30 Continue south and east, cross into Austria
20:00 Stop in Graz for the night, staying at Mercure Graz City; GBP 55.39 per room for the night, hotel booked
Saturday 2011-07-23
- 11:00 Leave Graz, head into Slovenia then Croatia
- 14:00 Stop somewhere around Zagreb for lunch
- 18:00 Head on to Bosnia, get to Banja Luka (depends on time spent for lunch etc.)
1.2. Debconf!
1.3. Trip back: reverse route
Sunday 2011-07-31
- 06:00 Leave Banja Luka early morning. Head back through Bosnia, Croatia, Austria, Germany
- 13:00 Stop somewhere near Regensburg for lunch
- 14:00 Head on through Germany
- throw out mirabilos on the way, in Koblenz or Trier
19:00 Stop in Luxembourg for the night, staying at Mercure Kikuoka Golf Club; GBP 52.47 per room for the night, hotel booked
Monday 2011-08-01
- 10:00 Leave Luxembourg, cross Belgium and France.
- 14:00 Catch Ferry from Calais to Dover
- 14:30 Head back from Dover
16:30 Arrive in Cambridge and sleep
Sledge: I'm expecting fuel costs of ~GBP 400 for the trip, plus tolls etc. for maybe ~GBP 100; ferries cost ~GBP 100 for a car including 4 passengers. And there are 2 overnight hotel stops: 1 out and 1 back. Assuming reasonable prices for sharing hotel rooms, I'm estimating a cost per person of *roughly* GBP 300 to GBP 350 per person for the travel. It'll probably be more expensive than the train or plane options, but it includes more sight-seeing across Europe plus the flexibility to do stuff while we're down there. I'm in for the road trip, and Jo says she is too.
Insurance will be interesting: most UK insurers won't cover Bosnia, it seems. However, there are apparently insurance brokers at the border crossings from Croatia.
Note that in a couple of countries along the route, it is illegal to carry a radar detector. Additionally, it's indicated that you should carry the V5C. In Bosnia, you also need a tow rope.
Germany has special requirements in some cities for emission standards (http://www.tuev-sued.de/car_vehicles/services/emissions_stickers_from_tuev_sued); Austria has a requirement for a special sticker if using the motorways. In Belgium, they sometimes ban cruise control in congestion.
This gives the following table. Where things are Recommended, that's because they're required for country registered vehicles, but not for foreign ones, but it may make things easier if you carry them.
DRL = Daytime running lights (dipped headlights during the day)
IDP = International Driving Permit
Camera disabled = You can have GPS, but you must disable the speed camera POI. Or you're not allowed to take it.
Lots of the raw info came from http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/atoz.html.
Country |
Warning Triangle |
Reflective Jacket(0) |
First aid kit |
Fire extinguisher |
Beam benders |
Bulbs |
GB Sticker |
IDP |
GPS |
DRL |
Green card |
France |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
When parked |
No |
No |
Belgium |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. |
Rec. |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Ok |
No |
No |
Netherlands |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Ok |
No |
No |
Germany |
Rec. |
No |
Rec. |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Cameras disabled |
No |
No |
Austria |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Ok |
No |
No |
Slovenia |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. |
Rec. |
Yes |
Rec. |
Yes |
Rec. |
Ok |
Yes |
No |
Croatia |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. |
Ok |
No |
Rec. |
Bosnia-Herzegovina |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. |
Cameras disabled |
Yes |
Yes |
Luxembourg |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Ok |
No |
No |
Whole trip |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rec. (1) |
Ok |
Sometimes |
Yes |
Country |
Warning Triangle |
Reflective Jacket(0) |
First aid kit |
Fire extinguisher |
Beam benders |
Bulbs |
GB Sticker |
IDP |
GPS |
DRL |
Green card |
Notes:
(0) Must be in the car, not the boot in some countries. One per vehicle is fine.
(1) compulsory if you don't have a photocard, and recommended if you do
DanielSilverstone estimated per-person for his car at approx 200+hotels/food so slightly cheaper than Sledge's due to slightly newer engine and slightly less leaden foot. Flights looked to be around 250/person excl. local travel at either end, or other incurred expenses. A more reasoned calculation by Daniel reached the all-in cost of roughly 300 GBP/person assuming 4-up in Daniel's car, but starting from Manchester and using Eurotunnel, thusly different fuel and channel-crossing costs.
1.4. Interested people
I'm wanting to book by the middle of April, so don't take too long.
Confirmed |
Name |
Nick |
DD? |
Location |
Willing and able to drive? |
Car available? |
Car 1: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
crispy |
Yes |
Sheffield |
Yes |
BMW 3-series saloon, space for 3-4 depending on luggage |
|
Y |
cibervicho |
No |
Cambridge |
Yes |
|
|
Y |
joeyh |
Yes |
USA |
maybe? |
|
|
Y |
mirabilos |
Yes |
Bonn, .de |
maybe? (left vs. right side) |
|
|
Car 2: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Rattusrattus |
No |
Southampton |
Yes |
BMW 3-series estate, space for 4 people |
|
Y |
Serbitar |
No |
Southampton |
No - Can't drive |
|
|
Y |
Sledge |
Yes |
Cambridge |
Yes |
|
|
Y |
Randombird |
No |
Cambridge |
Yes |
|
|
Car 3: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Maulkin |
Yes |
Cambridge |
Yes |
Mazda MX-5 cabriolet - Full! |
|
Y |
codehelp |
Yes |
Cambridge |
Yes |
|
Sledge: Update 2011-04-27: Ferries booked with Norfolkline for cars 1-3 above. Sledge: Update 2011-06-01: Hotel rooms booked: 5 double/twin rooms for 9 people in total, as in cars 1-3. Still need to update ferry booking to add Joey, waiting in case we need any more changes.
We should work out cars and drivers before we travel, but I suggest we head to Dover to check in and meet up there as arranged above. Swap around on the boat as we see fit...
Rattus Update 2011-06-01: I'm going to need driver details in next few days so I can sort out car insurance for extra drivers... Joey - are you OK with a stick shift / Right-hand drive?
mirabilos Update 2011-06-09: Adding myself by confirmation of Sledge. He uses http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Itineraires?strStartLocid=31NDE4YmIxMGNOVEl1TWpBeU5UTT1jTUM0eE16RXhPQT09&strDestLocid=31NDIxOHgxMGNORFF1TnpVek16Zz1jTVRjdU1UWTVOams9 as tentative route, but considers (thanks!) to throw me out of the car in Trier or Koblenz (which is much closer to ~) on the way back.
Sledge: Update 2011-07-12: Updated car passenger lists to match reality; ferry bookings altered in the same way.