Driving England to Crete March 2013

[Barbary Coaster]

Interesting Steve that you use the identical route across Europe (including Luxembourg and Pirmasens) as we do, apart from us using Venice.

The Hull route sounds good, will look into it next time.

I would disagree about the Vignette in Austria though - it is compulsory for driving on any A and S roads, with a hefty fine if your caught without one. The Brenner Pass toll is an additional cost

Bob

[STEVE.W]

Bob,

You are correct in what you say about the Vignette foe A & S roads, however, the route I used and have posted uses the B roads, the only time that you touch an A road is on the A12 and when you join this road from the hotel we used, you are on it for just 1 mile before it becomes the A13 Brenner Pass Toll, as we were on this not long after 5am, 1 mile is unlikely to incure you a hefty fine by the law of averages, however, we did have the Vignette but from experience, it wasn't necessary.

Steve

[DJ]

Big thanks to Steve.W for the effort involved in describing the journey from Hull to Crete. I'm sure people will find it useful/interesting. It demonstrated to me that it is no short haul ! Thanks again.

[thebigbluecheese]

Happy New Year to you both Steve ... next time do what I do and save a few sheckals. On the last leg , get a 3 Euro Gyros on the top deck , find an empty bench , roll out your doss bag and crash out until Souda.
Happy Days

[bobscott]

From an earlier post: "BORDER/SECURITY/PASSPORT CHECKS: NONE, NOT A ONE EXCEPT NANNY STATE/SECURITY MAD UK AT HULL FERRY TERMINAL."

It must be very galling for hard working members of UK Border Agency, customs officers and the like to be labelled part of the 'Nanny state'.

Only yesterday 3 blokes were arrested trying to get from the UK to the Middle East to go on terrorist training courses. For fun, of course! No suggestion they would return to the UK and blow up a few buses and trains.

It is thanks to these security measures and others like them (on flights for instance) that we don't have more terrorist trouble in the UK. What we have already is too much. Relaxing the rules is only going to make it worse. For my part, I am glad someone is taking the time and trouble to make sure that I am as safe as is possible in these turbulent days.

[Eleni13]

From an earlier post: "BORDER/SECURITY/PASSPORT CHECKS: NONE, NOT A ONE EXCEPT NANNY STATE/SECURITY MAD UK AT HULL FERRY TERMINAL."

It must be very galling for hard working members of UK Border Agency, customs officers and the like to be labelled part of the 'Nanny state'.

Relaxing the rules is only going to make it worse. For my part, I am glad someone is taking the time and trouble to make sure that I am as safe as is possible in these turbulent days.

I agree. I have found the Border Force at the airports to be courteous and helpful. Civil Servant bashing is a popular sport, but these people do a good job and I, for one, am grateful.

[Kilkis]

Before judging UK border force you really need to experience immigration at JFK. They're a laugh a minute.

Warwick

[filippos]

From what I've heard you'd be lucky to get a laugh a year.

(I did recognise W's comment as ironic.)

[Eleni13]

Before judging UK border force you really need to experience immigration at JFK. They're a laugh a minute.

Warwick

And you need a laugh because you will be there for hours.

[traceew_20]

Steve W, thank you so much for the time put in to the fullest route description I have ever seen, you must of heard I am geographically challenged ha ha. 1 thing I have also discovered, through my pal making an error, book both legs of the ferry via the operator. My pal booked the first leg via a generic web site (bookferries.com or something). When Greek ferries finally came on line to book, we could not add the 2nd leg to the journey. It cost 35 euros to cancel but we saved nearly 200 euros in the long run. Watch this space folks, the time is drawing near.........

[Stuart & Jo]

OK, I said I would post back with the details of our journey to Crete by road so here we go:

WOW ~ What a great posting!

[traceew_20]

Very excited, fingers crossed that hubby hasn't sussed it, I will report back when I get there - thank you all very very much

[STEVE.W]

Good luck with the journey, we found it a lot easier than we anticipated. Post back & let us all know what route you took, S

[Greekislandsremovals.com]

This was a great post by STEVE.W and I always point customers to this thread when they are asking for advice for driving from UK to the Islands and not just Crete. I tell them just to cross the channel and head to Luxembourg to pick up the route.

To go down through France on the tolls is maybe the easier and most costly way and going through Swiss is OK if you are not carrying much personal effects (customs) and basically looking just like a tourist in a car.

But I must stress about getting the Vignette in Austria, it does not cost that much for a few days and they will come down heavy on you if you have not got one.



We get the yearly 80 euro vignette for each of the vans but that did not stop the Austrian Rozzers for relieving the driver of 120 euros on a routine stop. For the Vignette not being stuck on the windscreen in a correct way only 30 minutes after he bought it in Jan.
If they stop you, they will try their best to find fault with the vehicle or your Docs…….

After hundreds of trips going every way possible to most of the Greek islands. The past few years we have found this way the most cost effective………

[traceew_20]

Got back early this morning, what an experience. Loved every minute of it. I will post back full details later but the expression on my hubby's face was totally and utterly priceless. I may yet drive over again with my last stuff to take over just to see the things I missed.