Traveling around Europe in your own car. European toll roads. Create a route. How to get from and to. Calculation of distances between cities by car, car. Get directions on the map from and to between cities. Create a route by car using points

Today, more and more of our compatriots decide to travel to Europe by car on their own. At first glance, it seems that it is quite simple: take a vacation, load the trunk - and go ahead, towards adventure. In fact, such a journey requires serious preparation. So, you need not only to take care of the documents you have that may be required abroad, but also to check the serviceability of your car, and also carefully develop a route. So, today we propose to understand in more detail how to go to independent travel across Europe in your own car. To do this, we will consider the main points that should be given special attention when planning a trip.

We are developing a route: by car in Europe

First of all, you need to think about a rough travel plan, and then carefully develop all its details. Of course, in this matter, everyone is free to be guided by their preferences, as well as financial capabilities. However, we will give basic recommendations. First of all, you should not include too long journeys in your route: driving around Europe by car, although pleasant, is very tiring. As a result, wanting to cover as many cities and countries as possible during your vacation, you will be very tired, as a result of which you will have to spend more time relaxing than walking and sightseeing. Also, when planning your travel time, be sure to factor in stops for snacks, etc.

Navigation

When planning a trip by car in Europe, it is advisable to use the Google Maps service or a navigator, with which you can plot a route in accordance with certain entered parameters (for example, excluding toll roads). If your car is not equipped with a standard GPS, we recommend purchasing one, especially since the price of these devices is publicly available today. And when you find yourself in a completely unfamiliar country, where people speak a language you don’t understand, this little device can become a real lifesaver for you. After all, it will not only show you the way, warn you about the permissible speed limit, but also inform you about the nearest gas stations, ATMs and cafes. It’s best not to count on paper maps, although you can throw a couple in the glove compartment just in case.

Hotel reservations

When traveling to Europe by car, you should take care in advance of reserving rooms in the hotels where you will stay on your trip. To select and book suitable hotels, it is very convenient to use popular websites. Pay attention to whether the hotel you like requires prepayment. After all, when submitting documents to the embassy, they will most likely require you to confirm 100% prepayment of hotel rooms for the entire period of your trip. Also try to find out if the hotels where you plan to stay have their own parking. Don't be discouraged even if it is paid. Upon arrival, it is advisable to park your car near the hotel and go sightseeing on foot, by public transport or by taxi. It makes sense to drive your own car to the city center only if you are absolutely sure that you can find parking for it. The fact is that the situation with parking in all more or less large and popular European cities is quite bad. Moreover, this pleasure is far from cheap. If you cannot find parking and leave your car in the wrong place, then be sure that you will be subject to a considerable fine, and perhaps even the iron horse will be taken to the impound lot.

To Europe by car: documents

Once you have developed a travel plan, booked hotels and received the appropriate visas for all travel participants, it is worth remembering other necessary documents. So, when going to Europe by car, be sure to take with you a passport with a valid visa, medical insurance (it is inexpensive, but in case of an emergency it will save you a tidy sum, because medical services in European countries are by no means cheap), international car insurance ( Green Card), documents for the vehicle (registration certificate and, if necessary, a certified power of attorney), driver’s license.

In addition, it is advisable to have with you printed confirmations of hotel reservations, copies of the pages of your passport with visas stamped, and an international driver's license. Next, we suggest taking a closer look at car insurance and an international driver’s license, since these issues often raise many questions among people planning to travel to Europe by car.

International vehicle insurance

Most people know this insurance by its English name - Green Card. " Green map"is a kind of analogue of the usual MTPL, which operates on the territory of all European countries (with rare exceptions). This policy insures the driver's civil liability. Thus, the payment under it is received by the party injured in the traffic accident in accordance with the legislation of the state where the accident occurred.

As for the cost of the Green Card, it is the same in all insurance companies and is regulated by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. The cost of the policy is influenced by three factors: its validity period (minimum - 15 days, maximum - 12 months), type vehicle and area of use. On average, a Green Card for 15 days will cost you one and a half thousand rubles.

International driver's license

Many travelers believe that they need an international license to travel to Europe. This term refers to an international driver's license (or IDP), which is a translation of a national driver's license and confirms your right to drive a vehicle of a particular category. On the territory of Russia, only the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate has the right to issue an IDP. Please note that an International Driving Permit is only valid when paired with a national licence.

To be fair, it should be noted that traveling by car to Europe in most cases does not require the driver to have an IDP. It is enough to have a national driver's license with you. However, in states that have only signed the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, adopted in 1949, you may still be required to have an international license today. In Europe, such countries are Albania, Ireland, Andorra, Iceland, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey and the Netherlands. Of course, the requirement to have an IDP is in most cases purely formal, and local police rarely punish foreign drivers for not having this document. However, in order not to worry once again and to protect yourself from possible problems, it is better to spend a little time and especially since this procedure takes only 20 minutes (in Moscow) and will cost an average of one thousand rubles.

Getting your car ready for a long journey

I would like to say that if a trip by car to Europe is on the agenda, then the issue of preparing your iron horse should be one of the priorities. Be sure to remember what you wanted to repair in your car and put everything off until later. Also look at when the next maintenance is scheduled to be carried out. And if there is very little time left before it, then it is better to do it in advance. Be that as it may, diagnostics will not be superfluous, because not all car problems can be identified during an external examination.

Once you have made sure that your iron horse is fully technically serviceable, and that your trip to Europe by car will not end at one of the service stations, you can slowly begin to equip it with everything you need. Thus, to enter the territory of the European Union, your car must have a European-style first aid kit, a warning triangle, a fire extinguisher, and also. Moreover, these items are not only necessary in emergency situations. Their presence can also be checked by police at the border.

We have sorted out the necessary items. Now let's talk about optional, but highly desirable things that you need to have with you when going on a long trip by car. So, it won’t hurt to put a compressor in the trunk to inflate the tires. Also check the condition of your spare tire or spare tire. If you are planning a trip in the autumn winter time, then keep in mind that the use of studded tires is prohibited in Europe.

Don't overlook the tow rope either. Of course, if something happens, you can use a tow truck, but most often it is much easier to tow a stalled car, especially if you are traveling with several cars. It is advisable to take all the vital fluids for your car for topping up. After all, if something happens, this can help you get to the nearest service center, and maybe even to Russia, which will seriously save on repair costs. Also, bring along a set of basic tools: pliers, wrenches, and screwdrivers. Scotch tape and electrical tape will also come in handy. All these items will not take up much space in the trunk, but in some situations they can be literally irreplaceable.

Border crossing

So, any trip to Europe begins with crossing the border. Since the price of gasoline abroad is quite high, we recommend filling up a full tank in the CIS. At the border with the European Union, they may write down the number of liters in your tank, but there is no need to worry about this, and no one will take money from you in the form of a fee for this.

When communicating with border guards and customs officers, behave correctly and politely. Fulfill all requests coming from them. So, they may ask you to open the trunk, hood, or show the contents of your bags. Surely the border guard will ask about the purpose of your trip. You shouldn’t invent any tall tales, answer as it is.

If your car has tinted front windows, be aware that this may cause problems at the border. The fact is that in Europe such tinting is prohibited. It may even get to the point where you are asked to remove the film, which can be quite difficult, especially in winter. However, even if you safely enter the territory of the European Union with tinted windows, you should not delude yourself and think that all the problems are behind you. After all, you can easily be stopped by the first policeman who comes across. And in this case, you will not only be forced to get rid of the tint, but also pay a fairly hefty fine.

On European roads

So, you have successfully overcome all the formalities, and your iron horse is briskly winding its first kilometers along the roads of the European Union. But you shouldn’t relax here either. First of all, it is recommended to pay for highway tolls immediately. In Hungary and Austria, you need to purchase a sticker that should be attached to the windshield. It will mean that you have paid for travel on the autobahn. The cost of a sticker may vary depending on the country, but on average it will cost about 15 euros.

Now, in order for a trip by car to Europe to bring you extremely positive emotions, all you have to do is carefully follow all the rules traffic. Before entering each country you enter, you will see an information board indicating speed limits for the city, country roads and highways. It is very important to remember these numbers and not exceed them. After all, even driving a few kilometers per hour can result in a minimum fine of 30 euros. For more serious violations, the fine can be several hundred or even thousands of euros! Moreover, it is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid punishment, since all roads have modern video recording equipment. If a policeman stops you, don’t even try to bribe him. Not only will he not take the money, but he may also hold you accountable for attempting to bribe an official.

However, when traveling by car in Europe and concentrating on complying with the speed limit on European roads, you should not forget about other traffic regulations. So, pay very close attention to signs, traffic lights and markings. By the way, in most cases the latter is applied very competently and is capable of not only not confusing, but, on the contrary, helping the driver to correctly cross a junction or intersection. Of course, as a rule, the first kilometers on European roads are accompanied by slight stress for our drivers. However, gradually you will get a taste for it and will be very surprised by the driving style of our compatriots after returning home.

Cost of traveling by car

It is naive to believe that tourist trips Traveling to Europe by private car is much cheaper than traveling by plane. Therefore, the consumable part is an important point in planning your vacation. We suggest you briefly find out how much it might cost to travel to Europe on your own “iron horse” and what expense items your budget should include.

Registration costs necessary documents on the driver and the car. This item implies the purchase of a “Green Card” and, if necessary, registration of an IDP. It will cost approximately 2500 rubles.
Costs for medical insurance and Schengen visa. On average, processing these documents will cost 4 thousand rubles per person.
Costs of preparing the car for the road. It all depends on the brand of your car and its technical condition. We will also include the purchase of a navigator in this paragraph. So, a good device with loaded maps of Europe will cost approximately 8 thousand rubles.
You can only calculate gasoline costs if you have a final travel plan in hand. On average, if you travel along the route Moscow - Warsaw - Berlin - Brussels - Paris, you will have to spend about 18 thousand rubles. Don't forget to budget for gasoline for the return trip.
Costs for toll roads and parking. Here everything will depend solely on the country where you are heading, as well as on whether you plan to leave your car in the hotel parking lot and walk around the city on foot, or whether you want to ride your “iron horse” everywhere.
Expenses for accommodation, food and entertainment. Everything here is purely individual. After all, some people don’t mind staying in cheap hotels far from the center, while others definitely need 4- and 5-star hotels in the very heart of the city. The same applies to food and entertainment.

Many people love all-inclusive holidays. This is when a travel company shows the best place to stay, in their opinion, and deals with buying tickets, booking a hotel and drawing up excursion program. The result is a vacation like everyone else's.

And sometimes you want to organize something different from a template trip from a travel agency. This is exactly what traveling around Europe by car becomes, the routes and cost of which we will try to determine in this article.

If a tourist has never been on an independent trip around Europe by car, you need to carefully evaluate all the pros and cons of such a trip and only then decide to organize a trip.

The main advantages of a self-driving tour include the following:

Complete independence – I can go wherever I want. This means that you can always stop or turn off the chosen road in the direction of some unusually beautiful place. You can delay a little or adjust your travel plan a little.
Economical. If you approach the organization of the route correctly, you can make the trip quite budget-friendly.
You can take with you everything that fits in the trunk and on the roof of the car.
Convenience. It is difficult to relax on a tourist bus; strangers can be irritating. Only close people with whom you feel comfortable take your own car on a trip.
Freedom from schedule. Without a car, you need to follow the departure schedule of buses and trains and spend some time waiting for departure.

Despite all the positive aspects, a car tour will not be successful if the driver cannot have a good rest. Constantly sitting behind the wheel is very tiring. Therefore, it is better if two experienced drivers go on a trip, who can change each other.

Where to go by car

You can travel to Europe by driving your own car or renting one. It's hard to describe the huge amount interesting places, which open to the traveler in Europe. Every tourist will be able to find the most exciting route for himself. Here are a few destinations that, according to vacationers, are considered the most picturesque.

Austria, Großglockner high mountain road

This is a journey for drivers who are not afraid of winding roads. mountain road. It bends in unimaginable turns, then descends, then rises, revealing the unique grandeur and splendor of the Austrian mountains. You can stop the car and enjoy the greenery of the alpine meadows.

Video about traveling along this Austrian road:

One landscape combines cute villages, harsh glaciers, green valleys and cascading waterfalls.

You should not plan travel for the winter and spring months. The road becomes dangerous.

The winding route of the Hochalpenstrasse highway connects Carinthia and Salzburg. Entry to high mountain road paid: 35 euros for one day. If you travel in the evening and at night – 25 euros.

Alsace Wine Route in France

Since 1953 it is the official a tourist route. The route is not long - about 170 kilometers. The path begins in the small village of Marlenheim and ends in Thann.

Travelers are presented with landscapes of incredible beauty. Drivers don’t really like to take this route, since the entire route is dotted with French wineries, where they immediately offer to try real Alsatian wines. While driving, you can taste the divine drink only upon arrival at the parking lot.

Italy, Florence

Italy is a unique country, where each place has its own unique architecture, and the local landscapes evoke only admiration.

To the most romantic and picturesque Italian roads relate:

Pianoro – the road length is about 100 kilometers. It has a completely unromantic name - Route SP/SS 65. Unique landscapes of wine-growing Tuscany in the background Alpine mountains create a stunning spectacle.
Otranto - Leuca. A small country road about 75 kilometers long takes the traveler to the very extreme point Italian heel – the port city of Otranto. Its attraction is the absence of tourists. You can stop anywhere and have a picnic or swim in the magical waters of the Mediterranean.
Riva del Garda - Cortina d'Ampezzo. Wonderful route leading to ski resort. Its length is just over 200 kilometers. The journey begins from the magnificent Lake Garda. All the way you can admire the picturesque alpine landscape.

Montenegro, Bay of Kotor

Montenegro is a unique country with a huge amount sights and natural architectural monuments. Each area surprises with its beauty and picturesqueness. Therefore, the road along the bay is one of many that is worth a ride.

For 130 kilometers there are magnificent views of the bay, and there are many different attractions around. You can pull your car to the side of the road and quietly spend time exploring them.

What you need to know to travel by car in Europe

Before planning a trip by car to European countries, you need to worry about obtaining a visa. This may be a permit issued to the Schengen zone and opening up the possibility of travel throughout all EU countries, or a national visa if the route was drawn up in a specific country.

Applying for a visa has its own characteristics; in addition to the standard package of documents, you must attach the following documents:

Travel itinerary with marks of all possible stopping places (this is a replacement for air or train ticket reservations).
Confirmation of reservations for overnight accommodation in all places of the intended stop (that is, the route must be clearly thought out by the hour).

In addition, the driver must have an international license. In some countries, there is a restriction on car rental if the total driving experience is less than 3-5 years. It’s worth asking about this in advance.

Which car is better: personal or rented?

This is very important point. In most cases, it is better to give preference to a rented car and get to the destination by plane or train. Firstly, the driver will not be so tired and he will have enough strength to fully “ride” around Europe. And secondly, at home you won’t have to solve a lot of problems with the preparation of technical and permitting documentation for the entry of a car. After all, most European countries have high demands on the condition of the car; if something is wrong, the car simply will not be allowed across the border.

Choosing your own car

When traveling along the route in your own car, you should consider the following nuances:

You should not hit the road on an old vehicle. It may simply not withstand a long journey and fail the environmental safety test.
Pay attention to the tires. Many countries have earlier winterization requirements. Finland is one of these countries. The borders of some states are closed to owners of studded tires, as they significantly injure the road surface.
The tint will have to be removed from the car. There are certain parameters for its admissibility. Usually Russians more than exceed them.
Certificate about the technical condition of the car and its possible participation in an accident in the presence of external damage.

But if a traveler is confident in the reliability of his “iron horse” and does not trust the rented equipment, then even if all technical specifications car, the journey will be pleasant and comfortable for him. A European roads, will leave only the best memories.

But do not forget that the car must be equipped with child seats, and each passenger must have reflective vests. The complete set includes a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. If they were purchased more than six months before crossing the border, the car will not pass inspection. On the rear window, for Russian tourists A special RUS sticker is provided.

Insurance

Buy it in advance, because the closer you are to your cherished goal, the more expensive its cost. Without a “green card” attached to the windshield of the car, entry into any European state will be closed.

The cost of insurance is about 50 euros. It can be issued for a period from two weeks to one year.

Cost of traveling with your own car

First of all, you need to decide on fuel costs - this is one of the main expense items. If you are planning a tour of several European countries, you need to understand that the cost of gasoline in them will vary significantly.

To calculate this amount, you need to clearly think through the entire travel plan, including all stops, parking and movements on toll roads. A well-planned tour will cost significantly less than a chaotic trip.

A general tour of Europe by car will consist of the following costs:

Green card – insurance. If you apply for it in Russia, the cost will be 2,400 rubles for 15 days. For 30 days the amount increases to 4,500 rubles.
International driver's license - maximum cost 1600 rubles.
Medical insurance for minimum coverage is about 1,400 rubles.
The total cost of the visa, including the consular fee, is around 4,500 thousand rubles. More is possible with expedited processing of documents or home delivery.
Gasoline consumption depends on the point of departure and the place of arrival. In each European country your rates. Let's look at the price of gasoline using France as an example:

A 95 – 1.48 euros per liter;
A 98 – 1.55 euros per 1 liter;
diesel fuel – 1.40 euros per liter.

Toll roads, parking. You can look at the map of the roads and read the cost of entry to them. One parking space costs from 10 to 15 euros per day.
Living expenses. It all depends on the accommodation that is booked in advance. Hostels and campsites are relatively inexpensive. At the same time, they have all the necessary conditions for normal rest. The cost of an overnight stay is from 25 to 35 euros. Find out in advance how many beds are in the room. In foreign hostels, rooms for 8-10 beds are often rented out. An economy class hotel room costs from 50 euros or more per night
Food expenses. There is no way to do without them. In an inexpensive canteen, lunch will cost around 15 euros per person. Fast food is even cheaper - about 10 euros. You should not budget less than 60 euros per day for food per person. Usually you have to spend more. You can only save on dry food.
Excursions. There are attractions that can be seen for free, but some visits will require you to pay. In order to calculate this expense item, you need to find out the cost of entrance tickets to those museums and galleries that you plan to visit.
Buying souvenirs. Here it is better to immediately lay down a fixed amount, otherwise in every city you will want to buy some small change. The result will be a huge amount of expense.
Mobile connection. We check the cost with our operator or purchase a card on the territory of a European state.
Form major. We plan on it 10-15% of the entire trip budget. And we don’t spend unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks to this list, you can very accurately calculate possible expenses and calculate the items on which you should save.

What can you save on?

The biggest costs are fuel, food and accommodation. In order to save on gasoline, you need:

Fully refuel your car before entering a foreign country. It is unlikely that you will be able to carry cans of gasoline with you; they may not be allowed through customs.
Refuels only in populated areas. The cost of gasoline on the highway is slightly higher.
Try to avoid traffic jams.

You can save some of the funds allocated for food if you eat in regular canteens and cafes, where local residents prefer to have a snack. All tourist establishments are many times more expensive.

Booking hostels and campsites allows you to reduce your living expenses. Moreover, if you worry about this in advance, you can find rooms with only 4 beds.

What to take with you on the road

Baggage must be packed taking into account customs requirements. Therefore, you should find out exactly what is prohibited for import into the state, and what items can be imported, but in limited quantities.

In addition to your personal set of things on a long journey, you need to take the following items:

Minimum set of tools for car repair. These are a jack, a pump, a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle.
Mobile phone, camera, video camera, laptop or tablet and chargers for them.
Navigator. Necessary thing, especially when you are in a foreign country and do not have any language skills.
Travel plan and detailed map to him. It wouldn't hurt to have a guide to the places you plan to visit.
Parking sign. Essential item for Europe. When parking the car, it displays exact time parking. This applies to free parking spaces. It’s just that in such places there is a limited time for free standing. That is, you cannot leave the car for three days and forget about it.
Cash in local currency and credit cards with an international payment system. Credit cards must be personalized. Otherwise, problems with calculations may arise.
Thermos for tea and coffee to drink drinks on the road without stopping. Bottled water.
Flashlight.
Necessary medications, in addition to those in the first aid kit.

Further luggage can be equipped at your discretion. The list contains only the essentials. In rainy times, an umbrella or raincoat will not hurt. For summer - fumigator or mosquito spray. In order not to forget something you need to make a list. This will make it easier to navigate what is important and what is not needed at all.

At first glance, it seems that planning a trip to Europe for own car very difficult. But that's not true. You just need to prepare for it in advance. It is impossible to think through a route, book places to stay and calculate the required budget in 1-2 days. Chaotic trips can also be a lot of fun, but they usually come at a high cost. Anyone who has once tried to independently organize their own tour by car in Europe gets a lot of great impressions and starts planning a new trip.

We have all tried the standard range of services from travel agencies according to the system All inclusive", but today ideas about vacation are changing. Traveling by car gives you the freedom to choose your own route and the opportunity to get a lot of vivid impressions. Inga Khrushcheva, a former commentator, talks about what you need to know and be able to do to go on vacation by car. Olympic Games, and now an organizer of road trips to the most remote corners Europe, where there are almost no tourists.

About safety, or “A first aid kit is not for the traffic police”

When going on a road trip, you should clearly understand that the condition of the car is your safety. It is clear that you will be deployed at the border in a 1997 Volkswagen Passat that is dead and smoking with oil smoke. But today the fleet has been renewed, and I almost never see very old cars on the roads. Of course, you need to undergo maintenance and take into account the weak points of your car - every driver knows them. After all, any trip to Europe is no less than five thousand kilometers. You need to consult with specialists, change the oil, bleed the brake system, especially if you have to travel to the mountains. For road trips, many people rent a car in their country, since in any case this involves a lot of mileage. But our compatriots mostly drive their own cars.

What else should you take with you on the road? First aid kit, reflective vest, cable. There must be a fire extinguisher and a child seat if there is a child in the car. Already in Poland, the traffic police may inquire about the availability of all this. Do not install radar detectors or studded tires (if it’s winter). And, of course, the first aid kit should not be for technical inspection, like most of our drivers, but really in anticipation of the fact that anything can happen on the road. Here, as they say, “it’s better to be safe than sorry,” especially if you’re traveling with children. Of course, you must have medical insurance and a green card for your car.

It is important to roughly determine your path based on your own strengths and capabilities, and how many drivers are in the car. If there are two of you, you can travel about a thousand kilometers in a day without any strain. 500-700 kilometers is the maximum that even an experienced driver can travel in a day. Moreover, it is unlikely that on this day there will be any strength left for any more walks. There are dashing people who travel for a thousand or even more kilometers without rest. But I think this is wrong. Road travel should be a pleasure, not a pain.

About traveling in a motorcade, or When navigators are evil

Some novice road travelers believe that it is better to go on a trip in a motorcade of several cars. Like, than more people, the safer. This is mistake. I understand that a motorcade is fun and great, but everyone walks along the highway at different speeds, everyone has a different driving style. I accompanied motorcades of tourists, and I myself traveled long distances with friends in a “caravan” of several cars. It never works out to go in a motorcade the way you would like.

Surely someone will get lost, someone’s child will need to go to the toilet, and some other unforeseen circumstances will happen. And after a while it starts to get annoying. Plus, navigators sometimes build different routes to the same point.

If you decide to go on a trip with several cars, take care of the means of communication between the drivers. Experience shows that it is best to use a radio with a range of several kilometers, like truck drivers. Communicating abroad by phone is too expensive. And the best option is to go in several cars to some pre-agreed point, where everyone arrives at the appointed time. But people go there themselves, in accordance with their individual rhythm and driving style.

Honestly, navigators are evil. You get used to the navigator, and if something happens to it on the road, you simply don’t know where to go. I am a driver of the old formation. I started driving when there were no navigators yet, and I can get anywhere using maps and road signs. Of course, the navigation system will offer detour options and competently build a route, but sometimes the traffic situation requires you to make a decision, and when you rely entirely on the navigator, your thinking turns off.

About “hope for a Russian maybe” and lovers of romance

Sometimes I dissuade people from traveling: I just know how it can turn out. When setting off on a journey with a child a few months old, you need to take into account that you will need many more stops than you originally expected. Of course, you cannot plan a road trip if you have less than two years of driving experience. I refuse to work with those who want to go far away, having barely passed their license. Only with experience comes the ability to read the road, and not just turn the steering wheel. Having received my license, I went on a trip the very next day. But there were smart people with me, and when the serpentine started, an experienced driver got behind the wheel.

Our people love romance. We’ll just go anywhere in the summer and spend the night somewhere “along the way.” Unfortunately, this does not always work out. For example, Austrians have been on vacation since Thursday, and if you want to spend the night somewhere on a lake in Austria, you will have to spend three to four hours looking for a hotel, and it is very likely that you will have to sleep in the car. In summer, all of Europe travels by car. So why waste gasoline and nerve cells when you can book your accommodation for the night in advance by calculating your route. I can say from personal experience: if at the beginning of the week you manage to spend the night in the hotel you like without any problems, by the end of the week you will still inevitably encounter difficulties.

In 2007, driving through Austria, we didn't know where to pay for the roads. We thought that there would be an Italian option - turnstiles, where payment would take place. It turned out that we had to buy a vignette. The police caught us and asked where the toll was. The fine was huge, but we were forgiven and we just bought a vignette. In those days, it was not yet possible to receive any information as freely as it is now. But even today our people often try to “slip through at random.”

I am not a supporter of our national recklessness. A vignette costs eight and a half euros, you pay for the roads and you are a law-abiding citizen. They simply don’t understand any other approach. And if you are a guest, follow the laws of the country where you are. There are different toll systems. In the Czech Republic and Austria there are vignettes, in Poland there are turnstiles and so on. For us, this is such a special daring: to pass through Austria, because supposedly there are almost no police on the roads there. But there is video recording, and if you miraculously didn’t get caught once, it doesn’t mean you won’t get caught a second time. Plus, the traffic police have the opportunity to send information to the embassy that you have committed an offense on the territory of the European Union. Do you need it? If you go, obey the law.

About freedom and responsibility

When setting out on a journey, some people just want to get to a point (for example, to Mediterranean Sea), others - to go around non-tourist corners. For example, visit Sardinia and Sicily, get acquainted with the life of the country. On such a trip, you can even learn a language in two weeks! Road trip- this is freedom.

Yes, you plan your route, book hotel rooms or apartments along the route in advance. But when you arrive at a certain point, you have a whole region that you can explore. You can turn right or left, stop at a place you like, look and make sure that it is beautiful and amazing, or, on the contrary, you can be disappointed.

When my friend and I go to the mountains in Germany, we check the weather over breakfast. Let's say it's raining today where we were going to go. So we'll go to France, it's sunny there now. And if this had been a planned excursion with a tour operator, we would have been walking around under an umbrella all day in a crowd of strangers... A road trip allows you to see places where it is not profitable for tour operators to take people, and less traveled destinations turn out to be the most interesting. For example, best view The view of Florence opens from the hills of the town of Fiesole, where tourists usually do not reach.

Traveling by car is much cheaper than traveling by plane. All travel expenses, as a rule, are divided between three or four people, plus the opportunity to rent accommodation not in a hotel, but in apartments. Of course, you need to have some amount with you for unexpected expenses. But if the car is in order, then there will be no serious damage.

Unfortunately, our people usually do not know languages other than their native one, and not everyone even remembers English at school level. But this is not a problem either. Well, you punctured your tire. Any man can install a spare tire without any problems. If there are only women in the car, you can ask the locals for help. There is mutual assistance between drivers, and in Europe, just like here, any driver will stop and help. Ask him how to get to the tire shop. They will explain it to you, and often they will even take you there and show you.

A classic tourist trip assumes that everything happens according to a predetermined plan. It is believed that most people like it “on schedule.” But, as it turned out, this is not so. Yes, the guide will not lead you by the hand. You take responsibility. But - to yourself, you are of sound mind and will not accelerate and crash into a pole. And you don’t know who is at the controls of the plane. Enough to remember last plane crash when a psycho pilot decided to crash into a mountain...

Domestic traffic accident statistics cannot be compared with European ones. I often travel by car and in Europe I have practically never seen an accident, but here on the roundabout not a day goes by without something happening. There is a different driving culture there, there is respect for road users. In Germany, for example, if you keep a distance of less than 20 meters on the autobahn, you can pay a large fine. By the way, if previously there were no speed limits on German autobahns, today there is a limit of 130 km/h. Once I was speeding and the police were even chasing me. I didn’t run away from them, I just didn’t notice them right away. Well, then I slowed down, they overtook me, we got off the highway and I paid a fine.

A classic psychological obstacle that prevents you from deciding on a road trip for the first time is fear for your health. I will say right away: medical care everywhere in Europe is excellent. When my little daughter got sick on a trip, we went to some rural outpatient clinic, and there I learned for the first time what real medicine was. Now I'm scared that something will happen to my health here, and not on the trip.

There was a case: in Sardinia, friends from St. Petersburg overturned in their car. They called me, I was nearby and immediately came to help, acting as a translator. The Italian was wrong: he reversed out of the garage onto a one-way street right in front of their car. The victims were immediately taken to the hospital, underwent a full medical examination and received the necessary assistance. IN in case of an accident in Italy health care it turns out to be free, and in a volume that you cannot get from us. France has its own nuances: there, if you are involved in an accident, but there are no casualties, the police do not respond to such cases, they simply exchange insurance. It is advisable to find out all this in advance when going to a particular country.

Traveling by car is always an adventure. Life is short, and you want to look beyond the horizon. And there is nothing scary at all when traveling around Europe. I'll tell you by personal experience: there is nothing worse than any of our roundabouts big city. Road trips are handmade trips, breaking the mold. AND unique experiences from such a vacation cannot be compared with what we get from package tours in popular directions.

Andrey Chepelev,

editor-in-chief website

Let me make some remarks. I don’t take tourists, but I have some experience of traveling around Europe. Firstly, navigators are a good thing, and what a good one!.. You can only avoid using them, preferring signs and maps, “the old fashioned way.” Much like how many men over 40 stubbornly drive cars with a manual transmission, because the automatic transmission “breaks down and, in general, it’s for girls.”

The navigator cannot “break”: there are usually several smartphones per company, and even if the navigation program somehow magically crashes, you can change the gadget, plus there is always a free one Google Maps and such a useful thing as charging from the cigarette lighter. Doesn't happen everywhere mobile connection- this is true, although in Europe coverage confidently approaches 100%.

You can have a map with you in case of emergency, but I once traveled all over Poland with only an atlas - it was a real hell, because plans of the small towns through which the route ran were not and could not be in the atlas. And so we enter such a Polish semi-village, we see a fork, a roundabout or an intersection. Where to go? No signs, nothing... The Poles don’t understand English, they don’t speak Russian either (the similarity of the languages is not perceived by ear at all, not a word of what they say is understood). Each mini-city was an orienteering event. Now, without a navigator, you can’t go anywhere at all.

Secondly, Germany still has unlimited autobahns, although most actually have limits of 100, 120 or 130 km/h. Thirdly, in France the police still go to an accident without injuries, just to record the accident. True, there are no investigators there; if the situation is controversial, it is decided by the insurers, and naturally “out of the blue” or simply in favor local resident. But you can’t not call the police if the car is a rental one. Without recording an accident, you will have no alternative but to withdraw the entire deposit from your credit card - you will be tortured to prove that you are not at fault. Everything is easier in your own car; you can part ways “amicably,” although I would still call the police so that they don’t “tell on you.” Europeans, especially southern and eastern ones, are far from the image of crystal-honest “good elves,” and they love scammers of various kinds no less than our compatriots.

At the time of deciding on a grand tour, we had little experience traveling around Russian cities. We started from Suzdal, then expanded our geography, reaching Rostov the Great, Uglich, Yaroslavl. Our pride and pinnacle was St. Petersburg (with Veliky Novgorod in addition). Probably things would have gone on like this, we were talking about Pskov and the Baltic states, but then chance intervened...
In general, I was once surfing the Internet, reading with enthusiasm various reports about traveling to Europe by car, and came across one very curious one. The guys, newlyweds, went on their own to Italy, and described everything very vividly, attaching unimaginably beautiful photographs. So they decided everything! I showed them to my husband and the trap slammed shut! The very first phrase was “So let’s go!” True, Italy had to be dismissed right away; it is for already advanced travelers. And we, like dummies, ventured only to the very edge of Europe - Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. With a one-day trip to Germany (Dresden).

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From the moment of the first phrase to the day of departure, 10 long months passed, during which I carefully collected information, reading tons of reviews on various resources. The most interesting ones were read out to Vadika, and we had a wonderful time discussing, laughing, and imagining our future voyage.
And for another 10 whole months I remembered school English, taking Vadik as a classmate. He resisted, of course, but as they say, where can you get away from a submarine? :)
Finally, in May, for the first time, we independently prepared and submitted documents to the Czech Visa Center. And we received visas in hand without any problems. Hooray! From that moment on, I didn’t think about anything, I didn’t sleep well and wanted one thing - to go immediately!

Route traveling around Europe by car by day

Our European tour looked like this:

June 19 – Moscow-Brest 1067 km, overnight in Brest.
June 20 – Crossing the border to Domachevo, journey to Krakow 415 km, overnight in Krakow.
June 21 – Krakow - Prague 536 km.
June 22 – Prague.
June 23 – Departure to Karlovy Vary 126 km.
June 24 – Prague.
June 25 – Departure to Germany, Dresden 148 km.
June 26 – Prague.
June 27 – Transfer Prague – Cesky Krumlov 175 km.
June 28 – Cesky Krumlov.
June 29 – Departure to Salzburg, passing 3 Austrian lakes, return to Krumlov, about 400 km in a day.
June 30 – Transfer Cesky Krumlov – Vienna 208 km.
July 1 – Vienna
July 2 - Vienna - Krakow 468 km, overnight in Krakow.
July 3 – Krakow – Slovatyche 415 km, border crossing in Domachevo. Overnight in Brest.
July 4 – Brest – Moscow 1067 km.

Map. Cities where we lived and visited:

Hotels

Hotels were booked through Booking (except Belarusian). It’s hard to say whether to advise against recommending our hotels. Everyone has their own preferences and requirements for housing. But I will write the names and opinions in a nutshell.
IN Brest There wasn't much choice, so we settled on what seemed the most acceptable. Hotel "Energy", 2-room twin 3,450 rub. A little expensive, but overall we liked it. Own large guarded parking lot, walking distance to the local Arbat, where there are many cafes and places to relax.
IN Krakow We spent the night in the Kubik-Studio apartments. This private apartment on the ground floor of an old house with high ceilings. So high that the bed is two-tiered, you have to climb up the stairs onto it, and then be careful not to get bumps by knocking your head on the ceiling. Price per night 3.347 rub. Very close to the center, parking near the house. Generally ok, but nothing to write home about.
But the Happy Prague Apartments in Prague we were pleased. The house is from the 14th century, but everything is comfortable inside. The location is excellent - 5 minutes to Charles Bridge. The owner is sociable, speaks a little Russian, and showers him with compliments (despite the fact that he is Italian). We parked the car in the patio and paid 31,199 rubles for 6 nights.

Hotel Garni Villa Beatika in Cesky Krumlov I was pleasantly surprised. This is a 3-storey small villa, where each room is personalized and decorated in the style of its owner - a world star. We got No. 9 John Lennon, and our neighbor turned out to be Freddie Mercury. But what struck me most was the view from the balcony. He is simply incredible! In general, we were very lucky, and when we were leaving, they said that their hotel was worthy of a solid 10. Paid 10,746 rubles for 3 nights.

Well, the hotel apogee is the Hotel Am Parkring in Vienna. Vadik chose it, setting himself the task of finding something special, and he succeeded! The hotel is the only one with a view of St. Stefan, and when you stand on the balcony, the panorama of the city takes your breath away, it’s literally at your feet! And since beauty is rarely cheap, we had to fork out for a suite, and pay 27,617 rubles for 2 nights. But I’ll be honest – it was worth it!

Roads

They are everywhere from good to very good, there were no bad ones. But it’s better to adhere to the speed limit, and we tried our best. So far no notifications have arrived (ugh, ugh, ugh). Traveling around Poland is the most boring. Settlements they go one after another, and by the time you get onto the highway, you will wear out a small ball of nerves... During the entire trip, no one stopped us, we didn’t encounter any ambushes, even in Belarus...
Toll roads There are some in Poland, they are set up like ours - you drive up to the barrier, pay, and move on. And in the Czech Republic and Austria you need to buy a vignette, preferably no later than the first gas station after crossing the border. They are available for different numbers of days, and are glued to different corners of the windshield.
Many copies on the Internet are broken about whether international rights are needed or not. After deliberation, we came to the conclusion that it would be better to have them. The fact is that if you drive according to the rules and have no problems, national rights are enough. But if, God forbid, a traffic nuisance arises, you will definitely need an international driving license. We must keep this in mind!
Used Sygic navigator. He worked without failures, delivered to exactly the specified place, so we had no reason to scold him for his stupidity. For walking routes We always took a tablet with Maps.me maps with us. Before the trip we downloaded the maps desired countries and wandered through the cities without fear. True, through our own fault, we went to the wrong place several times, but quickly returned...

We paid for purchases with cards and cash. In Moscow, we changed a little of each currency ahead of time, and did not regret it. When you are still poorly oriented in the city, it is possible to pay for parking, buy water, pay for the toilet, etc. without delay.

Well, now the actual trip.

Travel program around Europe by car by day

We left Moscow at 7 am, and cheerfully, on the rise, we drove 1067 kilometers in 12 hours. Along the way we rested and had a snack at gas stations. Accordingly, at 7 pm we were at Brest, and still had time to have dinner and see their main street.
In the morning, already ready for battle, they rushed to the border, Domachevo(this is 40 kilometers from Brest). We passed both Belarusians and Poles in 1.5 hours, which is considered very good. And the happy ones traveled around the European Union! Even the slow movement at first was not annoying; one could examine the life of Polish towns in detail. Then the highway began, and we reached Krakow. The journey took 7 hours.

Krakow we really liked it, after all former capital! Main attractions – Market Square, St. Mary's Church, Matejki Square, Barbican, Florian Tower, Town Hall Tower (where you can climb) and, of course, Wawel Castle. There is a Cathedral inside, monuments to Kosciuszko and Pope John - Paul II.

View of St. Mary's Church

We found a wedding in St. Mary's Church.

Florian Tower

The next morning - transfer to Prague. There were more kilometers to travel, but... There were no more villages, we drove in 6.5 hours. And we immediately began exploring the city. It is certainly unique! The main attractions are Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Loretta's Temple, Hradcany, etc.

It’s an incredible aesthetic pleasure to look around, you can photograph every house! And we walked, walked, walked. We climbed all the towers, the Town Hall, the Cathedral of St. Vita, to the Panava Pavilion, from where you can see the bridges of Prague. Tried it national cuisine- soup in bread, boar's knee. We listened to an organ concert in the church, rode on a boat, and fed the swans. In general, we were in a childlike, enthusiastic and joyful state!

Stained glass windows in St. Vitus Cathedral

Prague Castle at night

The weather was just cool and it rained at times. But we remembered the tourists’ slogan and did not deviate from our plans. We went for a day first to Karlovy Vary, and then to Dresden.

Karlovy Vary we have been conquered! A city to match Prague, beautiful, unique, with a huge history. We walked again, but couldn’t get enough of it. We bought some fruit at the market, and then devoured it with great appetite. There are a lot of Russians, speech sounds from everywhere, they are treated there, they walk around with mugs in their hands. The main attractions are the colonnades - Market, Melnichnaya, Sadovaya. Church of Mary Magdalene, open pool Thermal with a constant temperature of 30 degrees, Dvořák Gardens and, of course, Becherovka (museum and shop).

Dresden after such beauties he seemed restrained, his aesthetics are completely different. But we didn’t regret going there. Moreover, the journey took a little more than 2 hours. We looked at the Center - Alstadt, Theater Square, opera house, Frauenkirche church, residence castle, Zwinger - palace complex. True, we didn’t go to the art gallery and didn’t see the Sistine Madonna. Never mind, next time.

Frauenkirche

After Prague there was a move to Krumlov, to another Czech pearl. This is definitely a small town – a box. Sights – Castle, Cloak Bridge, central square, Town Hall, Plague Column, etc. Again, climbing all the peaks and stunning views!

From Krumlov we went to Salzburg. My special dream! Because of Mozart, of course. I couldn’t take my eyes off the house where he was born and where his family lived for 27 years. I wanted to remember, to absorb! And from another house where the family moved, and Wolfgang lived there for 7 years. In general, everything in the city is connected with him - Cathedral, where he was baptized, the Old Residence of the Princes, where 6-year-old Mozart played in the Hall of Councils. So we walked around, and I constantly asked Vadik, “Did Mozart see this, what do you think, and what about this?” He probably went here, but here?” :)

In Salzburg you can also climb Mount Festunberg and visit the Hohensalzburg Fortress. That's what we did. Moreover, they started the climb young and briskly, but ended up barely plodding along, remembering all their diagnoses. We already went down on the funicular... You can see very beautiful park"Mirabelle", the territory of the Abbey of St. Petra, walk along main street Getreidegasse. And that's not all.

Salzach River

From Salzburg to Krumlov we decided to go through the lakes. It turned out to be a small detour, but not to see such beauty was simply a crime! When we drove, it was already evening, we were in a hurry, we were afraid that the sun would set and the views would not be so good. But we made it! The views were stunning, they still stand out in my eyes!

The first lake is Fuschlsee, the second is Wolfgangsee, and the third is Traunsee. The last one is small town Gmunden with its castle Orth. Schubert lived in Gmunden and wrote “Ave Maria” while looking at this very castle. We couldn’t resist, we sang the masterpiece with expression (luckily no one was around), and Vadik said that he would also write “Ave Maria” if he lived here! :)

Well, the last point of the program - Vein. Chic, imperial, white. We loved it, although not everyone likes it. There is a huge list of must-see attractions. Belvedere Palace and Park, imperial palace Hofburg, Opera theatre, Parliament, St. Cathedral Stephen, the Karlskirche church, a whole museum quarter and much more. We only had two days in the city, so we didn’t try to take in the vastness, but we still saw a lot. The rest will come next time.

After Vienna the road again led to Poland. It took about 7 hours to get to Krakow, but we were already used to it. And with music and constant conversations, time flies by. Krakow greeted us with warmth and sunshine, which couldn’t help but delight us. We finally reached Wawel, climbed our 9th peak, and, satisfied, completed the European program - at least.

What a result. Everywhere was just amazingly good! No negativity around, only goodwill and positivity. Lots of tourists, yes. But we chose popular places, this had to be taken into account...

And then we drove through Poland, crossed the border to Domachevo. We crossed in 1 hour. Because they didn’t have tax-free receipts, and they stood in the green corridor. In red, you would have to stand for 3 hours, if not more. In the evening in Brest we managed to get into. I was there during my school years and really wanted to go again. Thanks to Vadik, he was already struggling from fatigue, but supported me, and we trampled another 10 kilometers with our feet.
In the morning it was time to go home. The very last kilometers were not easy, but, as you know, everything ends. And as my mother said when I called her with the words “We’re home!” - "God bless!".
In total we drove 5,300 km in 16 days.

Concluding my long story, I want to say that this trip was wonderful! She holds us emotionally to this day. We were happy all these days without a break, our eyes absorbed so much beauty, and our souls so much joy that we wanted to share them with everyone! Vadik stirred up people at work with his stories, and now everyone also urgently got ready for traveling by car to Europe! Isn't this a reward!?

Auto tour of European cities has 3 main advantages:

Comfort. The tourist is provided with a detailed planned route with previously agreed upon movements along the way and reserved stopping places. You can go on a trip in your own car or order from us the reservation of a suitable car, behind the wheel of which you will go to admire Europe. You will be provided route maps and a trip plan, in which everything is scheduled by day.
The price of a car trip allows you to combine contemplation for a relatively small budget local nature, getting to know famous sights and different types recreation.
The price of a trip to Europe includes visits to several different countries. Every day you will be immersed in the culture of a new people.

A road trip around Europe will give you a lot of positive emotions, because this part of the world is famous for its comfort, high culture and decent service.

What will you be able to see along the way?

The price of traveling around Europe by car is largely determined by what will be included in the program. This may include visits to many countries, including the following:

. This is a special country where traditions differ in many ways from those to which we are accustomed. Here, every visitor feels like in a science-fiction film, seeing green hills, black beaches, geysers and icebergs around.
I. Monasteries, ancient quarters with colorful facades of houses and the most delicious port wine in the world - this is what awaits travelers here. You will see beautiful temples decorated in Baroque style and romantic castles that resemble palaces.
. By ordering tours by car from Moscow, you can get to know islands that many have never even heard of. Geographically they are located in Denmark, but are an autonomous region. Here you can admire the “Hanging Lake”, “The Giant and the Witch” and make many amazing discoveries.

How to order a road trip?

To arrange a trip by car from Moscow or ask any questions you may have, fill out the form on the website or call us at our contact numbers.