Switzerland Trip Advice Please

Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 7, 2013

Switzerland Trip

Hi I recently bought my first Cali and I don’t have any idea about Europe road trip. So I have some question in my mind. I am planning Switzerland Trip end of August, for 8-10 days.
1: What preparations I do for road trip any legal requirements for driving? Like extra things I have to add in my Cali?
2: Is 8-10 days ok to look around?
3: If anyone done before please share routs plan?
4: Needed good campsite suggestion in Switzerland all over the place?
5: Should I book campsite before leaving?
6: Is one night rest in France is a good option or drive direct to Switzerland?
7: I had been to Switzerland before by flight so I have idea about the places but still need your experience about good places.

Note: any special preparation?
Thanks
Jeetu

briwy · Aug 7, 2013

Usual things for travelling abroad, hiviz (one each), spare bulbs/fuses, fire extinguisher, breathalyer kits for travelling through France (although this seems to have been knocked on head now), travel/breakdown insurance.
You will need to purchase a vignette at the border if you want to use the Swiss motorways. About 30 Euros. Valid for a year from date of purchase.
You won't be able to see all of Switzerland in 8 - 10 days, best to concentrate on one area otherwise you end driving all the time.
Don't know where you are coming from but we generally use the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre (LD Lines), you could do it in a day but we tend not to rush and stay overnight in an Aire or municipal site in France.
Only camped once in Switzerland but stayed here, expensive but that's Switzerland all over.
http://www.camping-jungfrau.ch/en/ueber_uns/default.asp
as we were going on the Jungfrau railway up the Eiger. Busy but good facilities.
I would definitely book ahead at that time of year.
If you can I would delay for a a couple of weeks, less busy and prices will drop as well.
Hope this helps.

ChrisandPenney52 · Aug 7, 2013

Seriously consider camping within walking distance of a rail station (most small towns have them), leaving the Cali parked up, and using the superb train network. I haven't checked the deals lately but there may be multi-day passes that are worth buying. Investigate before you leave the UK. Lake trips could be included too - I'm not sure.

Roads are good and the speed limit system seems pretty straightforward, without the multitude of 90, 70 and 50 limits that the French seem to have adopted from the UK in the last few years. You're either in a town, on a two lane road or on a motorway. End of.

Campsites and living in general are more expensive than anywhere else in Europe. I worked on and off in Switzerland for several years and watched the value of the pound drop steadily. But there's lots of good free stuff (like mountains, and views).

Keep an eye on the weather forecast as the north and south can be very different. The south is inclined to an Italian climate, the north to a central French or German one. In fact, even one side of a mountain can be vastly different from another.

The Cali will be perfect. My 130 certainly had no trouble keeping up with the traffic on mountain roads.

andys495 · Aug 7, 2013

Motorways and semi motorways require tolls by way of the vignette sticker which you place in your windscreen. You can purchase on line in the uk before you travel and they send it to you. This saves having to get one at the border. As above they are about £30 but unlike Austria you buy one which will cover you for the year rather than a few days, hence the price.
Don't forget Switzerland have the Swiss franc and not the Euro.
Last time we camped there in the summer we had warm days and cool evenings.
Going to Vitznau in the Cali next week for 4 nights. Can't wait!

jamie · Aug 8, 2013

Hi Jeetu,
We have just returned from a last minute trip to France and Switzerland, you can see our route on my blog:- http://www.K3YAK.com I can thoroughly recommend a visit to the Maison Cailler chocolate factory in Broc. I also enjoyed the boat trip to see the Saut du Doubs waterfall on the French Swiss boarder.

Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 18, 2013

Thanks all for giving me valuable suggestions. I will keep in mined before going their.

Please any campsite suggestions for one night stay in France which is on the way to Switzerland?

any best places suggestion in Switzerland for staying and driving?

thanks
JK

Freeley · Aug 18, 2013

We stayed at the municipal site in kaysersberg en route to Switzerland last year. Nice site and lovely village. We were only planning on staying one night but liked it so much we stayed for three.

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Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 18, 2013

Thanks Freeley, Got one suggestion.

Need more advice please. little concious because its our first trip to Europe by cali.

Any idea how much cost approximate all around (both way) using France motorway toll. its around 1500 miles both way.

Thanks
JK

Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 18, 2013

One more thing about route from Calais to Switzerland:
I found one more route on Google which is via Luxembourg, it avoids most of the France motorway toll. How does it sound?

briwy · Aug 18, 2013

Well motorways though Belgium are free and fuel is cheap in Luxembourg so should be OK if a bit longer.

Linda · Aug 19, 2013

On the fuel topic definitely fill up in France before the border, use a supermarket for super cheap tank full

maui2512 · Aug 19, 2013

We stayed in a campsite in Vitznau a few years ago which was fabulous - great views out over Lake Luzern. You can take a train up to the summit of Mount Rigi and it's full of wild flower meadows...feels like The Sound of Music! Also stayed in the central Luzern campsite which was quite busy but nice and well kept and you can get a boat over to the centre of Luzern, plus there is a large outdoor lido right opposite

GeoffB · Aug 19, 2013

Didn't know about the vignette - good job we were not stopped last year as we used the motorways quite a bit.

In general, we found Swiss campsites expensive, with showers requiring cash too. We still haven't got over one place which had locked wheelie bins. You had to show your rubbish to the staff before they let you dump it, maybe to make sure you recycled - who knows. We found it impossible to get into a campsite one Saturday, they were all totally full, so nervously wild-camped in a ski-lift car park. Booking would be a good idea.

Freeley · Aug 19, 2013

jeetu2k said:
One more thing about route from Calais to Switzerland:
I found one more route on Google which is via Luxembourg, it avoids most of the France motorway toll. How does it sound?

That's what we did. Set the Sat nav to avoid toll roads and it took us right down through Belgium into Luxembourg and emerged into France not too far to kaysersberg from there. Was an easy toll free drive to Switzerland from there

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Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 19, 2013

Thanks all.

Please tell me any website about cheep ferry booking Dover to Calais.

thanks
JK

briwy · Aug 20, 2013

These are usually about the cheapest

http://ldlines.co.uk/?gclid=CP6XoY2O7YgCFTdPEgodxiVlpQ

Good deals sometimes on the tunnel as well though, depends when you go really.

Cali-61-180-SE · Aug 20, 2013

Thanks All. Finally Booked Ferry, off next Friday night.

I bought AA Europe travel kit its comes with AA Headlamp Beam Converters.
I have one question should i place direct to head lamp or buy headlight protector and place on it.

Is their any benefit to buy headlight protector? its quit expensive £50 on VW.
is their any thing going wrong if i place Headlamp Beam Converters direct on headlight?
please advice.

Thanks
JK

Freeley · Aug 20, 2013

jeetu2k said:
Thanks All. Finally Booked Ferry, off next Friday night.

I bought AA Europe travel kit its comes with AA Headlamp Beam Converters.
I have one question should i place direct to head lamp or buy headlight protector and place on it.

Is their any benefit to buy headlight protector? its quit expensive £50 on VW.
is their any thing going wrong if i place Headlamp Beam Converters direct on headlight?
please advice.

Thanks
JK

The only problem doing it without the protectors is getting them in the right place but as long as you put them somewhere vaguely below and to the left of the centre of the headlights you should be ok.
When you take them off afterwards turn your lights on for a minute or so this will warm up the adhesive and they'll peel off easily. Use neat windscreen washer fluid to get off any residue NOT white spirit.

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andys495 · Aug 22, 2013

Just did Lake Luzerne area for 4 nights at Vitznau. Beautiful country but bloody expensive!

wyn · Aug 23, 2013

There s a very nice site at Saarnen Lakeside location good facilities and close to the station with trains to Luzern or Interlaken

Cali-61-180-SE · Sep 12, 2013

Hi all,
We just back form Switzerland 12 days trip it was wonderful. thanks for all valuable advice.

Many thanks.

JK

Freeley · Sep 12, 2013

Any photos?

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soulstyledevon · Sep 20, 2013

Sorry didnt see this.
Visited Switzerland earlier in the year and its one of my favourite places i have visited to date.

Great places to explore. Zeermat, Lauterbrunnen around lake Luzern :thumb