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General => General => Topic started by: Bracechenko on 21 June 2012, 09:58:03 am
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How do you pay for tolls in Europe?? We're aiming to avoid most of them but are they cash/card/sexual favours?
Riding in Belgium, Germany, France, Lux & maybe Switzerland
Thanks!
Brace
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France is cash or card.
Switzerland you have to buy an annual vignette for ~€33 there's no day/week/monthly option
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For Switzerland, that vignette is to use the motorways at all - there aren't any toll booths as such, but you're in bother if caught on a motorway without it! If you dont intend using motorways while there, you don't need one. It used to be cheaper to buy in advance by post (or probably online these days!), rather that at the border posts, dunno if that's still the case. Its a good trophy to have on the bike screen though :thumbup
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Well Switzerland is still a maybe but I guess the other Euro countries are just cash/card like France then?
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I've never encountered any toll roads in Germany, can't recall ever having paid them in Belgium either.
Whilst in theory it sounds easy enough to avoid the main autoroutes in Switzerland, the reality is it's not like avoiding motorways in the UK. It's pretty tricky if you're trying to get any distance quickly as the terrain consists basically of a lot of mountains with autoroutes running through the valleys to connect the place up.
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I might be out date now but on your bike dont use unmaned booths if you can as you will pay more (car rate)
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As BR said, in France, you must use the manned booths (I think there's a no bikes sign on them).
They take cards or cash. It's a PITA as it's gloves off, ticket out, money out, change in, gloves on and ride off!!
Mostly when collecting the ticket at the begining, most bikers hold the ticket in thier teeth and move forward to the side of the road to safely zip it in a pocket. Don't let the ticket fall out of your mouth as you will be chasing it across the traffic leaving the booth's :lol
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Allways set my sat nav to avoid tolls and motorways. Job Done.
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there are options to use credit card toll booths ( automatic) ...not to be confused with the prepay card booths which regular autoroute drivers use. The manned booths are slow, but do give change.If you ride in a group, get 1 person to pay and settle up later, it saves time.If you want to use the main autoroutes in france you cant avoid the tolls...germany has none, austria you have a vignette system like switzerland. Its not worth trying to not buying one either , as its a 60 euro fine if ur caught in austria, and more in switzerland.
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You say Switzerland is a "maybe", but you really need to include it. I recently went from Northern France, down to Colmar and then through Switzerland, over to Lake Como in Italy and ended the journey in Monaco.
Of all those places, Switzerland (to me) was the most beautiful.
Tom
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https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/what-is-liber-t (https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/what-is-liber-t)
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Thanks everyone for you help, leaving tomorrow morning for my first Euro trip so proper excited now.
Got that nagging feeling of forgetting something but i'm sure it's just apprehension of my first trip with the bike abroad, we've prepared and planned pretty well so i'm sure we'll be fine.
:woot :woot :woot :woot
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https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/what-is-liber-t (https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/what-is-liber-t)
Must admit we use these tags, as it stops them over charging and putting us in the Intermediate Vehicles ( instead of Light Vehicles) when we have the bikes on a trailer. They are not any cheaper and cost 5euros per month up to 10 euros pre year, but makes life so much easier.
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Docs , money and a pair of spare shreddies ,everything else to can sort lol
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probably been said a few times now, but do check ALL your required documents, especially with french police being a bit more actively checking UK bikers.Try and take a copy of each too , as its your lifeline.I do think take a simple high vis vest just in case, and one of the breath test double packs....just saves any aggro.
If you forget an item of clothing it can be replaced , I even bought a phone charger for a new nokia phone in Italy in 06( so most things can be obtained...)...but without yer docs you is fecked !!
Pace yerself, dont get too carried away if you find a superb bit of road, enjoy the sheer experience rather than just trying to go as fast as possible.You can always turn round and ride it again ! ..which we did a couple of times on our first trip abroad.
Probably the biggest thing I learnt over the last 8 yrs of foreign touring is to relax and enjoy it , expect the unexpected, and try to laugh at any mishaps ! No matter how well you plan things, stuff can happen....
Hope you have a great time.... we is orf to slovenia on 6th July ! yippee!!
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Cheers Pitt! Packed all of that except for the breath test as didn't think it was in force until 1st July?
Ah well, can always pick one up at the ferry port
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Docs , money and a pair of spare shreddies ,everything else to can sort lol
You forgot 'hairdryer'.
Have a fantastic trip.....you Know you're gonna!
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Just seen a French Travel report, there are long queues approaching the first toll booth's out of Calais. An English motorcyclist is thought to be the cause of it.
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Not me, in Baden Baden right now and still alive. Unbelievable roads so far, this is what bikes are made for!
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:)
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So where are the pictures?
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So where are the pictures?
Fair point Dick. Waiting to combine all of our camera shots and sort out the crap ones and will post when done....next week or so for sure! :thumbup
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So tell us what you learnt, what you forgot and what you'll do different next time?
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I learnt that Germany is absolutely beautiful especially around the black forest, roads were biking Nirvana everywhere we went. I didn't forget anything as we were pretty well prepared but I would research the places we stayed a little more next time. All were fine but some were a bit boring and after a days riding it could have been nice to have more to do. Also, having a spare day mid week was a good thing to do just to have a break from riding and to replenish energy etc.
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Yes, that area of Germany is attractive, (i've been there in the car with family) and reckon it's good for two wheels as well!
I was wondering how you faired because due to sudden changes here, I might be tempted to get on the bike and go for a week or so myself, (just as well I get on well with myself)!! :D [size=78%] It would be short notice so little time to plan but we have travelled france/germany/italy/switzerland area for the last few years with the car so I don't feel daunted by the prospect.[/size]
Was the weather kind or did you get any soakings? How far did you travel on a daily basis? Did you camp?
Sorry for all the questions! :o
D
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The 1st day we rode for 6.5 hrs in persistant heavy rain. There was absolutely NO let up whatsoever, the roads were horrible and the weather was grim. Fortunately my Goretex gear stood up to it very well along with hard luggage keeping my stuff watertight. My 2 mates were soaked through to the bone and soft luggage let some water in (not ruined though). After that, weather was kind to us!
We travelled about 220 - 250 miles a day avoiding motorways & tolls and stopping every hour or so for a break, it was ideal mileage but any more would have either meant we hopped on motorways or just got a bit tired, I thought our mileages were spot on to be honest.
We toyed with the idea of camping but in the end we stayed in some random B&B's which were all pre-booked and that was the right call for us. Less stuff to lug around and the comfort of weather protection and secure storage for bikes