20 famous European road trips, each coloured by whether a car towing a caravan may drive it: 10 the whole road, 7 with a bypass, 3 not at all (Stelvio, the Amalfi coast road, the Lake District’s Hardknott/Wrynose loop).

A few things that surprised me while reading the rules:

  • Amalfi coast road (SS163): campers and caravans are banned 06:30–24:00, while motorbikes are exempt from the odd/even number-plate days cars get in summer.
  • Grossglockner: a motorcycle’s day ticket is €36.50 against €46.50 for a car — and a car with a caravan pays the car rate.
  • Geiranger–Hellesylt ferry: about €76 for a car with its driver, €187 for a car + caravan (10–14 m), €61 for a motorbike.

Rules read on 5 Nov from the road authorities and operators (where only a secondary source says it, the page says so). Each road is priced for car, car + caravan, motorhome and motorcycle: https://copilot.travel/maps/famous-road-trips Corrections welcome.

  • Zombie@feddit.ukEnglish
    1·
    21 hours ago

    Until you get onto the road.

    American roads are generally modern, built exclusively for cars and are therefore straight and wide. Often carving their way through the landscape. Long distances can be covered in short periods of time.

    European roads are often old, built where horse tracks would have been previously. Some roads aren’t much wider than a horse track either. They tend to wind and weave their way around landscapes instead of through.

    70 miles may be a 1h drive for most Americans, to Europeans that distance could take twice as long.

    Here’s an example of an A road in northern Scotland which is part of the NC500 route. An A road is deemed one step down from a motorway (or highway in America). Notice the coach in the distance. You don’t want to meet that coach on a corner while going at speed.

    https://maps.app.goo.gl/D85dqddYvT9g2S1r6

    • Heikki@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
      1·
      20 hours ago

      Well put and thats the trap with planning these from a map.

      The NC500 is 516 miles, but on the single-track west coast you’re doing 20–30 mph between passing places, so “a day” on Google becomes three or four.

      Thats also why I list days rather than hours for these roads. And yes, meeting that coach on a blind bend is a rite of passage, reverse to the last passing place and wave. Altought like in Germany theres autobahns with no speed limit and I can drive in night time 100mph for long distances