At the time of making a decision on a grandiose tour, we had little experience of traveling around Russian cities. We started from Suzdal, then expanded our geography, reached Rostov the Great, Uglich, Yaroslavl. Petersburg was our pride and pinnacle (with Veliky Novgorod to boot). Probably, it would have gone on like this, we talked about Pskov and the Baltic states, but then chance intervened ...
In general, I somehow sat on the Internet, enthusiastically read various reports about traveling to Europe by car, and came across one very interesting one. The guys, the newlyweds, went on their own to Italy, and very vividly described everything, attaching pictures of incredible beauty. Here they are, and decided everything! I showed them to my husband and the trap snapped shut! The very first phrase was "So let's go!" True, Italy had to be dismissed immediately, it is for already advanced travelers. And we, like teapots, 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, a long 10 months passed, during which I carefully collected information, reading tons of reviews on different resources. Vadik read the most interesting ones, and we had a wonderful time discussing, laughing, and imagining our future voyage.
And for 10 more months I remembered school English, taking Vadik as a classmate. He resisted, of course, but as they say - where can you go from a submarine? :)
Finally, in May, for the first time, we independently prepared and submitted documents to the Czech visa center. And without problems received visas on hands. Hooray! From that moment on, I didn’t think about anything anymore, I didn’t sleep well and I wanted one thing - to go immediately!
Route travel around Europe by car by day
Our tour looked like this:
June 19 - Moscow-Brest 1067 km, overnight in Brest.
June 20 - Border crossing at Domachevo, 415 km to Krakow, 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 - Moving Prague - Chesky Krumlov 175 km.
June 28 - Chesky Krumlov.
June 29 - Departure to Salzburg, passing by 3 Austrian lakes, returning to Krumlov, about 400 km per day.
June 30 - Moving Chesky Krumlov - Vienna 208 km.
July 1 - Vienna
July 2 - Vienna - Krakow 468 km, overnight in Krakow.
July 3 - Krakow - Slovatyche 415 km, border crossing at Domachevo. Overnight in Brest.
July 4 - Brest - Moscow 1067 km.
Map. Cities where they lived and visited:
Hotels
Hotels were booked through Booking (except Belarusian). Advise not to advise our hotels - it's hard to say. Everyone has their own preferences and requirements for housing. But I will write the names and opinion in a nutshell.
IN Brest the choice is not great, so we settled on what seemed the most acceptable. Hotel "Energia", 2-room Twin 3.450r. 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 spent the night in Kubik-Studio apartments. This is a private apartment on the ground floor of an old house with high ceilings. So high that the bed is a bunk bed, you have to climb the stairs on it, and then make sure not to fill the bumps, knocking your head against the ceiling. Price per night 3.347 р. Very close to the center, parking near the house. Normal in general, but without enthusiasm.
But Happy Prague Apartments in Prague we were pleased. House of the XIV century, but inside everything is comfortable. The location is great - 5 minutes to the Charles Bridge. The owner is sociable, speaks a little Russian, pours compliments (for nothing that he is Italian). The car was parked in the patio, paid for 6 nights 31.199 rubles.
Hotel Garni Villa Beatika in Cesky Krumlov 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 Freddie Mercury turned out to be our neighbor. But what impressed me the most was the view from the balcony. He's just incredible! In general, we were very lucky, and when we left, they said that their hotel deserves a solid 10. Paid for 3 nights 10.746 rubles.
Well, and the hotel apogee - 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, it takes your breath away from the panorama of the city, it is 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 to be honest, it was worth it!
Roads
They are everywhere from good to very good, bad did not meet. But speed mode better to comply, and we tried our best. So far, no notifications have come (pah, pah, pah). Traveling in Poland is the most boring. Settlements go one by one, and until you get out on fast track, you will exhaust a small tangle of nerves ... During the entire trip, no one stopped us, we were not met with ambushes, even in Belarus ...
Toll roads there are in Poland, they are arranged like ours - you drive up from the barrier, pay, go further. And in the Czech Republic and Austria, you need to buy a vignette, preferably no later than the first refueling after crossing the border. They come in a different number of days, and are glued to different corners of the windshield.
A lot of copies on the Internet are broken about what is needed international law or not. We, after deliberation, 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, there is a traffic nuisance, international driving license will be needed without fail. We must bear this in mind!
Enjoyed Sygic navigator. He worked without failures, brought to exactly the specified place, so we had no reason to scold him for his stupidity. For hiking routes, we always took a tablet with Maps.me maps with us. Before the trip, we downloaded maps of the necessary countries and wandered around the cities without fear. True, due to their own fault, they went to the wrong place several times, but quickly returned ...
Pay for purchases with cards and cash. In Moscow, they changed a little of each of the currencies ahead of time, and did not regret it. When you are still poorly oriented in the city, it is possible to pay for parking without delay, buy water, pay for a toilet, etc.
Well, now the trip itself.
Travel program in Europe by car by day
We left Moscow at 7 am, and cheerfully, on the rise, drove 1067 kilometers in 12 hours. On the way, we rested and had a snack at gas stations. Accordingly, at 7 pm were in Brest, and managed 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 traveled around the European Union! Even the slow movement did not irritate me at first; one could look at the life of Polish towns in detail. Then the track began, and we rushed to Krakow. The journey took 7 hours.
Krakow we really liked it, after all, the former capital! The main attractions are the Market Square, St. Mary's Church, Matejka Square, the Barbican, the Florian's Tower, the Town Hall Tower (where you can climb) and, of course, the Wawel Castle. Inside there is the Cathedral, monuments to Kosciuszko and Pope John - Paul II.
View of St. Mary's Church
In St. Mary's Church, we caught the wedding.
florian tower
The next morning - transfer to Prague. There were more kilometers to go, but because there were no villages anymore, we drove in 6.5 hours. And then they began to explore the city. He is certainly unique! The main attractions are the Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Loretta's Temple, Hradcany, etc.
Incredible aesthetic pleasure to look around, you can shoot 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. We tried national cuisine - soup in bread, boar's knee. We listened to an organ concert in the church, rode a boat, fed the swans. In general, they were in a child-enthusiastic and joyful state!
Stained glass windows in St. Vitus Cathedral
Night Prague Castle
The weather here was only cool, and at times it rained. But we remembered the slogan of the tourists and did not back down from our plans. We left for the day, first to Karlovy Vary, and then to Dresden.
Karlovy Vary we've been conquered! A city to match Prague, beautiful, unique, with a great history. Again walked, could not work up. They bought fruit at the market, and then ate it with a huge 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, Mill, Sadovaya. Church of Mary Magdalene, outdoor pool Termal with constant temperature in 30 grams, Dvorak gardens and, of course, Becherovka (museum and shop).
Dresden after such beauties, he seemed restrained, his aesthetics are completely different. But we did not regret that we went there. Moreover, the journey took a little more than 2 hours. We looked at the Center - Alstadt, Theater Square, the Opera House, the Frauenkirche Church, the residence castle, the Zwinger - the palace complex. True, they didn’t go to the art gallery, and they didn’t see the Sistine Madonna. Nothing, next time.
Frauenkirche
After Prague there was a move to Krumlov, into another Czech gem. That's certainly a town - a box. Sights - Castle, Cloak Bridge, Central Square, City Hall, Plague Column, etc. Again climbing all the peaks and stunning views!
We left Krumlov for Salzburg. My special dream! Because of Mozart, of course. I could not take my eyes off the house where he was born and where his family lived for 27 years. I wanted to remember, absorb! And from another house where the family moved, and Wolfgang lived there for 7 years. In the city, in general, everything is connected with him - the Cathedral, where he was baptized, the Old Residence of the Princes, where 6-year-old Mozart played in the Hall of Soviets. Therefore, we walked, and I constantly asked Vadik, “And Mozart saw this, what do you think, and this? He probably went here, but here? :)
Even in Salzburg, you can climb the Festunberg mountain, visit the Hohensalzburg fortress. Which is what we did. Moreover, the ascent began young and briskly, and ended barely trudging along, remembering all their diagnoses. We went down already on the funicular ... You can see the very beautiful Mirabell Park, the territory of the abbey of St. Petra, walk along the main street of Getreidegasse. And that's not all.
Salzach River
From Salzburg to Krumlov they decided to go through the lakes. It turned out a little detour, but not to see such beauty was just a crime! When we were driving, 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 are still standing in the eyes!
The first lake is the Fuschlsee, the second is the Wolfgangsee, and the third is the Traunsee. The last one is a small town. Gmunden with its castle Orth. Schubert lived in Gmunden, who wrote "Ave Maria", looking at this very castle. We could not resist, with an expression we sang a masterpiece (fortunately no one was around), and Vadik said that he would also write "Ave Maria" while living here! :)
Well, the last point of the program - Vein. Chic, imperial, white. We love her, although not everyone likes her. There is a huge list of must-see attractions. Belvedere Palace and Park, Hofburg Imperial Palace, Opera House, Parliament, St. Stephen, the Karlskirche church, the whole museum quarter and much more. We had only two days in the city, so we did not try to embrace the immensity, but we still saw a lot. The rest next time.
After Vienna, the road again lay in 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 unnoticed. Krakow met us with warmth and sunshine, which could not but rejoice. 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 positive. Lots of tourists, yes. But we chose popular places, we had to reckon with this ...
And then - we drove through Poland, crossed the border in Domachevo. Moved in 1 hour. Because they did not have tax-free checks, and stood in the green corridor. In red, you would have to stand for 3 hours, if not more. In the evening in Brest they managed to get into. I was there in my school years and really wanted to visit again. Thanks to Vadik, he was already hacking from fatigue, but he supported me, and we trampled another 10 kilometers with our feet.
In the morning it was the way home. The last kilometers were not easy, but, as you know, everything ends. And as my mother said when I called her with the words “We are at home!” - "God bless!".
We covered 5,300 km in total in 16 days.
Concluding my long story, I want to say that this trip was wonderful! She keeps us emotionally still. We have been happy all these days without a break, our eyes have absorbed so much beauty, and our souls have so much joy that we want to share them with everyone! Vadik at work stirred up the people with his stories, and now everyone also urgently got together in travel by car to Europe! Isn't that a reward!?
We welcome everyone who came to our page.
My name is Vadim. I travel a lot and mostly it's Europe, well, Siberia, Altai, but these are completely different stories that I might write someday. Do not judge strictly, I write for the first time. And my story will be about an adventurous journey 12,000 km long.
Here you can see photos and videos. I hope that my story will be interesting, and most importantly, useful to future road travelers. All events that happened to us are real. A little about us. We are three friends of travelers: me, my wife and friend Alexander.
And so let's start in order. The idea to visit Portugal has been lingering in our subconscious for a very long time, because. this is almost the only country in Europe to which we have not yet reached. Our dream constantly "bumped" into objective reality: either the work did not let go, or there was not enough finance, or the company could not be assembled (we were looking for a fourth fellow traveler, but a reliable, sociable in general "our" person). We didn’t tense up much and generally thought that we wouldn’t go anywhere.
And then, at some point, life situations began to line up in such a way that everything stirred, the stars lined up, the factors that prevented organizing and making a trip dissipated, a fellow traveler was found. My wife went to a beauty salon, she was asked to wait a bit and she got into a conversation with the owner of the salon, with a good friend of hers, and she unexpectedly, immediately agreed to go with us. We have started working on the route.
And so, starting in St. Petersburg, we must get to Lisbon, having visited the extreme western point of Europe - Cape Roca, then descend to the south of Portugal to the Algarve coast, then to the extreme southern point of Europe - Tarifa with a visit to Gibraltar, back along the Mediterranean coast with a stop to Cassis (France), through Italy to the Hungarian thermal complexes in Zalakaros and Jaeger.
Team: 4 people, 2 of them are drivers with experience, one reserve and a boss (Rita).
Car: Skoda Octavia.
Equipment: tent, sleeping bags, blankets, foams, gas stove, spare gas cylinders for tiles, photo, video equipment, quadrocopter, food for the first time, coffee, tea.
We did not book our overnight stays in advance, with the exception of one in Minsk-Mazowiecki (Poland), because this was our first stop after a long haul and needed to check in quickly and easily late in the evening. Housing was not reserved only for the reason that it would not depend on the reservation on the road and travel more “flexibly”.
While preparing the trip, we considered various options economical travel. One of these points is to take a passenger through BLABLACAR, because Skoda Octavia I was allowed to take a fifth person with me. I want to say that this option works, it is real. But potential fellow travelers call and the last hours before the start. So, a fifth person appeared in our company, who wished to go to Brest (Belarus). Video
site is a portal dedicated to car travel. Car tourism (or “car tourism” for short) originated at the beginning of the 20th century with the advent of the first car and after a few decades became one of the most popular types of tourism. Millions of people around the world prefer traveling by car to traditional tourism. Our country was no exception - more and more often a trip to Europe for own car becomes a favorite route for our fellow citizens. Domestic tourism is also gaining momentum: road trips in Russia break all records of popularity in last years, ahead of traditional beach holidays in Egypt and Turkey.
Our site covers the topic of car trips from and to: road trips in Europe(Germany, France, Italy, etc.), Scandinavian countries, autotourism in the USA and Latin America; car trips around the cities of the Golden Ring, autotourism in Siberia, the Urals, Altai and other major regions of Russia; exotic trips by car to Africa, Central Asia and the countries of the East - how, why and how much it costs you can find out by looking at Avtoturistu.RU! After all, on our portal there is an opportunity to ask questions to autotourism experts. For example, if you have an idea to go to Finland by car, then you need to find out: the procedure for obtaining a Schengen visa, which car can enter Finland, the procedure for crossing the Finnish border, where to buy green card insurance, how to get to the checkpoint Torfyanovka and much more. You can ask these and other questions in the "" section. Everything about autotourism and autotravel you will find on Avtoturistu.RU!
Tracks of Russia and Europe
On our portal you will find a complete detailed description and photographs. Information about roads and their condition is essential for those who decide to travel abroad in their own car or explore Russia in their own car. Before planning a road trip route, you need to find out the distances between cities, assess the condition of roads, find out where the toll roads are. highways and highways and how much does it cost to travel there. All this can be found here - in the community of autotravellers Avtoturistu.RU.
How to get directions
One of important functions our site is an opportunity get directions your car trip. Absolutely any user can create a car route, even one who is a novice among car travelers. In addition, the site has the option "calculation of distances" between countries and cities and the table "", which will allow you to quickly and efficiently lay the most successful road route on the map and make the road trip unforgettable.
Road trip reports
Avtoturistu.RU is the largest community of autotourists. Among the users of the portal, you can find caravanning professionals with many years of experience and beginners who are just discovering the prospect of traveling by car. Road trip reports are presented in the "" section and they form the core of our portal. Here you will find the most complete collection of reports on tourist trips by cars, which is constantly updated with new stories about road trips. Trips across Europe by car - the right way relax on a budget and get an unforgettable experience at the same time.
Autotourist's guide
The "" section contains useful tips for autotourists: what to take with you on a road trip, what documents are needed for a visa (Schengen visas) and how to get this visa, what are the specific rules traffic in Europe(traffic rules in Finland, traffic rules in Germany, traffic rules in Belarus, etc.), how to rent a campsite (camping sites in Europe), rent a car in Europe (rent and rent motorhomes), learn about the main sights of Europe and Russia, and much more. In a word, "autotourist's guide" contains tips for autotravellers for all occasions and it is constantly updated.Traveling around Europe is becoming more and more popular. The number of cars is growing, which means that the flow of autotourists is also growing. This is a relatively cheap way to see many interesting places. But knowing some of the features of traveling by car, you can save a lot of money. And you just need to know what you will encounter abroad and what you need to prepare for.
Use the navigator. This will make your travel much easier. Also, download the latest maps to the navigator so that it does not send you to non-existent roads and finds the shortest paths between point A and B.
Plan a route in advance, at least an approximate one. No need to plan in the style: "Tomorrow at 12:00 we will be there, and by 16:00 we need to be somewhere else." Such planning collapses in the first days. It is better to decide which places you want to visit without fail, and already on the way you can change the plan according to your desires.
Take a paper card. It saves in some cases. The navigator can break down, and navigating in a foreign country is quite difficult. I recommend that you mark on the map the places you want to visit, so that later it will be easier to navigate.
Do not chase the number of countries you see. It is better to get acquainted with the new state in more detail than just drive through it and say that you were there. It is best to drive no more than 400 kilometers a day, the rush is very tiring and makes the trip just a race against time.
Refuel your car on time. Traveling by car in Europe requires a lot of gasoline. If the tank is only half full (or half empty, the eternal debate between optimists or pessimists :)), then it is better to refuel. Then you can just forget about it, and there will be no gas station nearby. Also remember that in some European countries, gas stations are open in the evening and at night. automatic mode and payment is made at this time only in cash.
Watch the road carefully. Since there are a lot of roads in Europe, the chance to turn the wrong way is great. If you use a navigator, then the risk of such a situation is minimized.
Take your inverter with you. This device converts the current with which you don’t have to worry about dead batteries in a laptop, phone, photo or video camera.
Choose the right type of road. If you want to get from one place to another as quickly as possible, then use the autobahns, and if you want to see interesting places then take the normal route.
Documentation
Where are we without papers :). So before the trip, it is imperative to collect the necessary documents so that our trip goes like clockwork. Please note that in different countries different road rules. When entering Germany at the border, your car may be checked for pollution environment, in many EU countries studded tires are prohibited, and with tinting you will receive a huge fine. And now directly to necessary documents for travel in Europe.
- Rights. In Russia, the rights to drive a car of international standard have long been valid, so no additional certificates are needed here.
- Auto insurance. Moreover, European-style auto insurance, which is called the Green Card and is valid throughout the European Union. It can be issued both at home (it will be much easier) and at the border (it will be cheaper). If you have a CASCO, then you need to write an application to extend the policy to other countries (which you want to visit).
- Documents for the car. registration certificate; technical inspection pass; power of attorney, if you are not the owner of the car, and the power of attorney must also be translated into English language and notarized.
- Customs declaration. Confirms that you entered the European Union on own car. The declaration is issued at the customs checkpoint.
- International passport. You can get it in 1-3 months, and if you already have it, then check that its validity period is more than 6 months from the date of return to your homeland from the trip.
- Visa. Or rather. You will need to submit documents to receive it at the embassy of one of the countries you want to visit. If you intend to be in a certain country for most of your trip, then apply to the embassy of that country. And if the trip is of the type “One day - one country”, then it is better to submit documents to the embassy of the country through which the journey through the European Union will begin. It is important to know that the Schengen visa is not valid in the UK and Ireland, for these countries you need to apply for your own visas.
- Medical insurance. Mandatory Document when entering the European Union. You can read more about travel insurance, which includes medical insurance.
Route
It is very easy to create a route. You can use the service, there you can not only find out which roads you need to go, but also the distance, how much gasoline is needed, the approximate travel time and much more useful. This is my favorite service for planning a trip by car in Europe. You can also use google maps.
As for the nuances of the itinerary:
- do not chase to drive as much as possible;
- if you are tired, then rest, if you fall asleep at the wheel, then you will no longer have to travel;
- also get a route in the car navigator;
- print your route on paper;
- decide on the important places you want to visit and mark them on the map.
Housing
Some travelers spend the night right in the car. I don’t really like this method, if you do too, then read this paragraph further. When traveling, you can use both, and live in hotels or rented rooms / apartments. I recommend reading articles on how to use . When I traveled around Europe, what I liked most of all was to live in hotels, this great option housing for those who love comfort while traveling and do not like unnecessary troubles with renting housing “on the spot”.
To book hotel rooms, use the service, you can also try to find hotels on, but the first service has already established itself as reliable, convenient and most effective in terms of finding inexpensive accommodation options.
There are also a lot of campsites in Europe. Camping is a small summer camp for car tourists, equipped with everything necessary for recreation, where you can set up a tent, and there are also small houses. — a very convenient search for campsites, which allows you to travel in Europe by car very cheaply.
Find a cheap hotel from RoomGuru right now:
Renting a home through Airbnb
is a service popular all over the world that allows you to quickly and easily book accommodation in the desired location. All users unanimously highlight the advantages of their favorite Arenbi site:
- Openness. When booking apartments, the traveler gets acquainted, communicates with the owner of the accommodation, learns the details and conditions of accommodation.
- Interest. Independent planning of vacation and booking an apartment, immersion in an authentic environment, emotions from communication are an important part of any trip.
It is mutually beneficial to rent accommodation from private individuals when traveling around Europe. Many Europeans earn their living by renting out accommodation to tourists. And visitors receive accommodation and many recommendations and tips on how to spend time in an unfamiliar country.
Airbnb helps you stay in places that are truly interesting to the tourist. Renting apartments in the heart of European capitals on the famous boulevards of Vienna or Paris, narrow streets of Prague, on the avenues of Barcelona or the opportunity to rent a house in the Alps, or near the purest lakes of glacial origin, or in a nice provincial outback - what could be better? Doesn't this open up wide opportunities for quality rest and a good acquaintance with a foreign country?
Arenbi with a well-established system of communication between participants acts as a kind of guarantor of good and interesting trip. To reduce the cost of rent, use.
Money
What money to take on a trip to Europe? How many to take? It all depends on which countries you decide to visit. Not all European countries use the euro. In Switzerland - Swiss francs, in Great Britain - pounds sterling, in Norway - Norwegian kroner.
If you are going to travel all over Europe, then take euros and a bank card. Which bank card to choose? Best of all, Visa or MasterCard, in rubles or euros does not play a special role. Even if the card is in rubles, then when shopping abroad, automatic conversion will be performed and you will be able to pay for any goods and services. It is important that the card is personalized (your name should be engraved on it), those cards that are issued within 10 minutes will not work. Learn more about travel money and bank cards read .
Travel cost
The main costs of traveling by car in Europe can be divided into five unequal parts:
- Traveling expenses. Includes gasoline, oil, toll roads, parking, washing.
- Accommodation. Overnight stays in hotels/hostels/camping sites/rented apartments.
- Food. Grocery shopping in supermarkets, meals in buffets, visiting restaurants and cafes.
- Attractions. Visiting museums, galleries and popular temples costs money.
- Other expenses.
How much you spend depends on your travel style. If you eat in expensive restaurants in every city and spend the night in five-star hotels, then such a trip by car across Europe will cost several hundred thousand rubles a month. And if, pick up, use campsites, then such a trip by car in Europe will cost 30,000-80,000 rubles a month. The more countries you visit, the more the trip will cost. Independent travel driving around Europe is good because you decide how much and on what you want to spend your money.
When I traveled around Europe, I did not count the expenses. But my friends just recently returned from a two-week trip to Europe by car and wrote down all their expenses. Their route was: Moscow -> Warsaw (Poland) -> Berlin (Germany) -> Prague (Czech Republic) -> Bratislava (Slovakia) -> Kiev (Ukraine) -> Moscow.
Their costs are:
- Gasoline - 25,000 rubles
- Accommodation (hotels, rented apartments) - 20,000 rubles
- Meals - 12,000 rubles
- Visiting attractions - 5000 rubles
- Other - 5000 rubles
In just two weeks they spent 67,000 rubles. They are not budget travelers. It is possible, traveling along this route, to spend 2 times less. The main item of expenditure is gasoline. Calculate how much it will take for a trip and, based on this, determine what the price of your trip is. You can easily calculate the amount of gasoline required on the website.
How to save money on a trip
- Think over your route. Do not zigzag (for example, the route Moscow -> Warsaw (Poland) -> Kiev (Ukraine) -> Prague (Austria) -> Moscow will be wasteful, as you will have to travel from Warsaw back east to get to Ukraine, and then drive west again to Prague), drive in one direction (north to south, east to west), then your car journey through Europe will be less expensive and less exhausting.
- Consider autobahn options. Sometimes it's cheaper to pay the fare expressway than to go to the district.
- Take a supply of food with you. Take something that does not spoil quickly.
- Go during the warm season. The cheapest trip will be in the summer, because. you can spend the night in campsites where the fee is minimal.
- Stay overnight in hostels. It's something between a hotel and a hostel. A fairly cheap way to live abroad.
- Use CouchSurfing. You can live absolutely free with other travelers. Just this more way meet interesting people than "free hotel".
- Take travel companions with you. Let them pay part of the cost of gasoline and go with you in the same car.
- Take advantage of others.
Traveling in Europe on own car is very exciting and interesting event in the life of any person. I recommend getting to know the life of the local population as much as possible and communicating with new people, then there will be even more positive emotions. Using the information provided in this article, you can easily and quickly organize your car trip in the European Union, and around the world. Travel and enjoy life! All the best;) !
We have all tried ourselves standard set services from travel agencies on the "All inclusive" system, but today ideas about rest are changing. Traveling by car gives you the freedom to choose the route yourself and the opportunity to get a lot of vivid impressions. About what you need to know and be able to go on vacation by car, says Inga Khrushcheva, a former commentator on the Olympic Games, and now the organizer of road trips to the most remote corners of Europe, where there are almost no tourists.
About safety, or “A first-aid kit is not for the traffic police”
Going on a road trip, you should be clearly aware that the condition of the car is your safety. It is clear that on the killed smoky oil smoke Volkswagen Passat 1997 release you will be deployed at the border. But today the park has been updated, and I almost never see very old cars on the roads. Of course, you need to go through MOT, take into account weak spots his car - every driver knows them. After all, any trip to Europe is no less than five thousand kilometers. It is necessary to consult with specialists, change the oil, pump brake system, especially if you have a path to the mountains. For road trips, many people rent a car in their own country, since this is, in any case, winding up the mileage. But our compatriots mostly drive their cars.
What else to take with you on the road? first aid kit, reflective vest, rope. Must have a fire extinguisher child seat if there is a child in the car. Already in Poland road police may be interested in the presence of all this. Do not install radar detectors and studded tires (if it is winter). And, of course, the first-aid kit should not be for technical inspection, like most of our drivers, but really in the expectation that anything can happen on the road. Here, as they say, “better safe than sorry”, especially if you are traveling with children. Of course, medical insurance and a green card for a car must be issued.
It is important to roughly determine your path based on own forces and opportunities, from how many drivers are in the car. If there are two, you can drive about a thousand kilometers a day without straining. 500-700 kilometers is the maximum that even experienced driver. Moreover, it is unlikely that on this day the forces will remain for some more walks. There are dashing people who drive a thousand and even more kilometers without rest. But I think it's wrong. Road trip should be a pleasure, not a pain.
About traveling in a cortege, or when navigators are evil
Some novice car travelers find it better to travel in a motorcade of several cars. Like, than more people the safer. This is mistake. I understand that the motorcade is fun and cool, but after all, everyone goes along the highway with different speed Everyone has a different driving style. I accompanied motorcades of tourists, I myself went with friends to long distance"caravan" of several cars. Walking in a cortege the way you would like is never possible.
Surely someone will get lost, someone’s child will want to go to the toilet, some other unforeseen circumstances will happen. And after a while it starts to get annoying. Plus, navigators sometimes build a route to the same point in different ways.
If you still decide to go on a trip with several cars, take care of the means of communication between drivers. Experience shows that it is best to use a walkie-talkie with a range of several kilometers, like truckers. It is too expensive to communicate abroad by phone. And the most best option- go by several cars to some predetermined point, where everyone arrives at the appointed time. But people go there themselves, in accordance with their individual rhythm and driving style.
To be honest, navigators are evil. You get used to the navigator, and if something happens to it on the road, you just don’t know where to go. I am an old formation driver. I started driving when there were no navigators yet, and I can get anywhere using maps and road signs. Certainly, navigation system will offer detour options and competently build a route, but sometimes traffic situation requires you to make a decision, and when you rely entirely on the navigator, you turn off thinking.
About "hope for a Russian chance" and lovers of romance
Sometimes I discourage people from going: I just know how it can turn out. When setting off on a road trip with a baby of a few months, you need to consider that many more stops will be required than you originally thought. Of course, you can not plan a road trip if the driving experience is less than two years. With those who want to go to distant lands, having barely passed on the rights, I refuse to work. Only with experience comes the ability to read the road, and not just turn the steering wheel. I myself, having received the rights, the very next day went on a trip. But there were smart people with me, and when the serpentine began, an experienced driver got behind the wheel.
Our people love romance. We'll just go wherever our eyes look in the summer, and spend the night somewhere "in the direction of travel." Unfortunately, this doesn't always work out. For example, the Austrians have been resting 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 a car. In summer, the whole of Europe travels by car. So why waste gasoline and nerve cells when you can book accommodation for the night in advance, having calculated 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 problems, by the end of the week you will inevitably encounter difficulties anyway.
In 2007, passing through Austria, we did not know where to pay for the roads. We thought that there would be an Italian version - turnstiles, where payment would take place. It turned out that I had to buy a vignette. The police caught us and asked where the payment for the road. 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 so freely as it is now. But even today, our people often try to “slip 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. There is simply no other approach. And if you are a guest, follow the laws of the country where you are. Eat different systems road payment. In the Czech Republic and Austria - vignettes, in Poland - turnstiles, and so on. With us, this is such a special dashing: to slip through Austria, because there are allegedly almost no police on the roads. But there is video recording, and if you miraculously didn’t get caught once, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get caught the second time. Plus, the traffic police has the ability to send information to the embassy that you have committed an offense in the EU. Do you need it? If you go, follow the law.
About freedom and responsibility
When setting out on the road, some people just want to get to the point (for example, to the Mediterranean Sea), others want to go around non-tourist corners. For example, to visit Sardinia and Sicily, to get acquainted with the life of the country. On such a trip in two weeks, you can even learn the language! car trip- this is freedom.
Yes, you build your route, book hotel rooms or apartments along the way 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, conversely, be disappointed.
When my friend and I go to the mountains in Germany, we watch the weather at breakfast. Let's say that where we were going to go, it's raining today. So we'll go to France, it's sunny there now. And if it was a planned excursion with a tour operator, we would walk under an umbrella in the crowd all day strangers… Autotravel allows you to see places where it is unprofitable for tour operators to carry people, and non-knurled destinations are the most interesting. For example, best view to Florence opens from the hills of the town of Fiesole, where tourists usually do not get.
Traveling by car is much cheaper than by plane. All travel expenses, as a rule, are divided into three or four, plus the opportunity to rent accommodation not in a hotel, but in apartments. Of course, you need to have some money with you for unforeseen expenses. But if the car is ok, then serious damage will not be.
Unfortunately, usually our people do not know languages other than their native language, and not everyone remembers even English at the level of the school curriculum. But that's not a problem either. Well, you blew a wheel. Any man will put a spare tire without any problems. If there are only women in the car, you can ask the locals for help. There is a driver's mutual assistance, and in Europe, just like in our country, any driver will stop and help. Ask him how to get to the tire shop. They will explain to you on the fingers, and often they will even take you and show you.
A classic tour assumes that everything happens according to a predetermined plan. It is believed that most love "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 - on yourself, you are of sound mind and will not accelerate and crash into a pole. And who is at the helm of the plane, you do not know. Suffice it to recall the last plane crash, when the psycho pilot decided to crash into a mountain ...
Domestic accident statistics cannot be compared with European ones. I often travel by car and in Europe I have practically never seen an accident, and not a day passes on our ring road that something does not happen. There is a different driving culture, 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 earlier there were no German autobahns speed limits, then today there is a limit of 130 km / h. Once I had speeding, even the police were 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 left the autobahn 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 on top. When my little daughter got sick on a trip, we went to some rural dispensary, and there I first learned what real medicine is. 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 rolled over in a car. They called me, I was nearby and immediately came to help, acted as an interpreter. The Italian was wrong: he drove out of the garage in reverse on a one-way street right in front of their car. The victims were immediately taken to the hospital, they did a full medical examination and provided the necessary assistance. In the event of an accident in Italy health care It turns out free of charge, and in the volume that you will not get from us. France has its own nuances: there, if you become participant in an accident, but there are no victims, the police do not leave for such cases, there is simply an exchange of insurance. All this is desirable to know in advance, 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 wrong with traveling around Europe. I'll tell you personal experience: there is nothing scarier than any of our roundabouts big city. Autotravel is hand made travel, breaking the pattern. And the unique impressions of such a vacation cannot be compared with what we get from package tours to popular destinations.
Andrey Chepelev,
site editor
Let me make some remarks. I do not drive tourists, but I have some experience of traveling around Europe. Firstly, navigators are good, and what a good thing! .. You can not use them, preferring signs and maps, only “in the old fashioned way”. About how many men over 40 stubbornly drive cars with manual transmission, because the automatic transmission "breaks down and, in general, this is for girls."
The navigator cannot “break down”: 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 free 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 the coverage is confidently striving for 100%.
You can have a map with you in the most extreme case, but I somehow traveled all over Poland with only one atlas - it was a natural hell, because the plans of the small towns through which the path ran were not and could not be in the atlas. And now we drive into such a Polish semi-village, we see a fork, Roundabout Circulation or an intersection. Where to go? No signs, nothing... The Poles do not understand English, they do not speak Russian either (the similarity of languages is not perceived at all, not a word of what they say is clear). Each mini-city was an orienteering stage. Now without a navigator - nowhere at all.
Secondly, Germany still has unlimited autobahns, although most do have limits of 100, 120 or 130 km / h. Thirdly, in France, the police still go to an accident without victims, just to fix the accident. True, there are no interrogators there, if the situation is controversial, it is decided by insurers, and naturally “from the bulldozer” or simply in favor of the local resident. But you can’t not call the police if the car is rental. Without fixing an accident, they will generally remove the entire deposit from your credit card without any alternative - you are tormented to prove that you are not to blame. Everything is easier in your own car, you can drive away “amicably”, although I would still call the police so that they don’t “tap” on you. Europeans, especially southern and eastern ones, are far from the image of crystal-clearly honest "good elves", and they love various kinds of scammers no less than our compatriots.
