European Tour 2013 – The options and preliminary costs

[Wasso]

This won’t be a cheap holiday boys and girls, although the fun factor is huge, and will take in some great historical sights and test the limits of the Zed and the driver of course.

 

The costs are rough, although were possible are accurate (ie ferry). I have a spreadsheet that calculates all the different routes, with fuel, hotel and subsistence costings. The MPG and fuel costs are estimated, but will give you a ball park figure.

 

Here’s the headline maths based on two people, and does not include your UK fuel costs. The ferry is also from Harwich to Hook of Holland using overnight boat. The Tunnel comes out at £150 return, but you’ll need to add 1 extra night of accommodation.

 

Fuel Cost = £1.65 per litre

MPG = 30

Food Per Day = £40

Hotel Per Night = £70

Misc Per Day = £20

Tolls Per Day = £5 (multiplied by days should = total Toll costs)

 

 

 

Trip 1 (16 Days) – Stelvio Pass, Transfagarasan Highway, Nurburgring

(Using Ferry and Train to Italy)

 

Total Fuel £649 (2842 Miles)

Total Hotel £910

Total Food £640

Total Misc £400

Total Transport £646 (includes AutoSleeper from Holland to Italy)

 

Total Holiday £3,245

 

Detail of events (Attached)

 

 

Sight Seeing:

Vienna

Hungary

Bratislava

Munich

Nurburgring

 

 

 

 

Trip 2 (14 Days) – Transfagarasan Highway, Nurburgring

(Using Ferry)

 

Total Fuel £656 (2872 Miles)

Total Hotel £840

Total Food £560

Total Misc £350

Total Transport £196

 

Total Holiday £2,602

 

Detail of events (Attached)

 

 

Sight Seeing:

Nuremburg

Plzen Czech (Pilsen Beer Factory)

Hungary

Kosice Slovakia

Munich

Nurburgring

 

 

 

 

Trip 3 (13 Days) – Monza, Stelvio, Nurburgring

(Using Ferry)

 

Total Fuel £501 (2197 Miles)

Total Hotel £770

Total Food £520

Total Misc £325

Total Transport £196

 

Total Holiday £2,312

 

Detail of events (Attached)

 

 

Sight Seeing:

Nuremburg

Vienna

Hungary

Monza

Konstanz

Nurburgring

 

 

There will be ways in which to reduce costs, such as improved MPG, camping along the way, avoiding Toll roads.

 

The information above is draft, and can be tailor made to suit your budget, holiday duration, stopping points etc, where we can also add new trips, taking in different routes and countries. Main meeting points could be Nurburgring, Stelvio, Monza for example. Either way, commentary to the above is welcome, and what do you think, is this just too much money for a trip round Europe!

Edited December 27, 2012 by Wasso

[ChrisS]

What, no tables.

 

(sorry Ian,had too)

[Wasso]

What, no tables.

 

(sorry Ian,had too)

 

That's right Chris no friggin TABLES....... No Dave that doesn't mean another Table post

[ChrisS]

But I still love ya.

[Ekona]

I think the costs sound very realistic, although is 30mpg not a bit optimistic? Maybe on a run at 70mph, but no-one sticks to that and on the fun runs you'll be looking at half that. Cost it for 25mpg and anything else is a bonus I would say.

 

Aside from that, it looks pretty doable. Do you have any routes down yet? Just wondering as Holland to Italy in a day is a hell of a push, that might be better split into two days. Am happy to look things over if you like, I've spent the last week or so doing my route for a tour of Spain I'm doing next June so am used to juggling Euro roads at this point!

[glrnet]

What, no tables.

 

(sorry Ian,had too)

 

That's right Chris no friggin TABLES....... No Dave that doesn't mean another Table post

So funny!!

[glrnet]

I think the costs sound very realistic, although is 30mpg not a bit optimistic? Maybe on a run at 70mph, but no-one sticks to that and on the fun runs you'll be looking at half that. Cost it for 25mpg and anything else is a bonus I would say.

 

Aside from that, it looks pretty doable. Do you have any routes down yet? Just wondering as Holland to Italy in a day is a hell of a push, that might be better split into two days. Am happy to look things over if you like, I've spent the last week or so doing my route for a tour of Spain I'm doing next June so am used to juggling Euro roads at this point!

Wouldn't mind seeing your Spain tour if you don't mind Dan, just after some ideas really as most of Ian's stuff is completely the opposite direction from where we will be in SW France. Understand fully if you think this a bit cheeky

[Wasso]

I think the costs sound very realistic, although is 30mpg not a bit optimistic? Maybe on a run at 70mph, but no-one sticks to that and on the fun runs you'll be looking at half that. Cost it for 25mpg and anything else is a bonus I would say.

 

Aside from that, it looks pretty doable. Do you have any routes down yet? Just wondering as Holland to Italy in a day is a hell of a push, that might be better split into two days. Am happy to look things over if you like, I've spent the last week or so doing my route for a tour of Spain I'm doing next June so am used to juggling Euro roads at this point!

 

The Holland to Italy is via a Auto Train..... Sorry should have added that to the trip 1 criteria.

 

To be fair 95% of the journey will be motorway, so just follow Sat Nav. It's not too difficult as I've done a fair few Euro trips now.

 

The 30mpg is based on my last trip doing 27mpg with a full load. This time I'll be doing a hotel so I don't think 30mpg is too far off the mark. If there's a gang of us, there will be no need to hare off intothe sunset, and just a few spirited drives on the Autobhans.

 

Even if we're talking 27mpg its only small £'s rather than huge added costs. For instance trip 1 at 27mpg adds £70 to the total fuel cost.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Wasso

[ChrisS]

Good job I've known Ian for a few years me thinks.

 

Ian if you want the junk deleting out of the thread, just give me a shout.

[4RE Leather]

Sounds like you have gone to a lot of hard work putting that lot together Wasso.

[Wasso]

Good job I've known Ian for a few years me thinks.

 

Ian if you want the junk deleting out of the thread, just give me a shout.

 

Can you delete your stuff

 

Only kidding, nah should be fine unless Mr Smurf gets his own thread

 

[glrnet]

Good job I've known Ian for a few years me thinks.

 

Ian if you want the junk deleting out of the thread, just give me a shout.

 

Can you delete your stuff

 

Only kidding, nah should be fine unless Mr Smurf gets his own thread

 

I'll behave now, well done mate, I'm going to have to get the maps out and see how I might combine parts of your routes, which are great, with getting back to our location in SW France.

[Wasso]

You could meet us at the ring? That appears in all trips and would be the most logical without causing too much of a divert.

[Humpy]

That does look super awesome Ian, as I said might need to sell my kidney to do it though Got a lot going on next year ££££££ wise so doubt I be able to go

Edited December 27, 2012 by Humpy

[Wasso]

Sounds like you have gone to a lot of hard work putting that lot together Wasso.

 

Thanks Peter, two days working on this to be fair.

 

That does look super awesome Ian, as I said might need to sell my kidney to do it though Got a lot going on next year ££££££ wise so doubt I be able to go

 

You could always meet us at the Ring?

[brillomaster]

hmm seeing it all worked out like that it isnt looking cheap! think i might leave you to it... but we need pics please!

[Bockaaarck]

Ian, I think this is a top effort. The locations, costs etc look realistic, and that's the important thing. No point in saying to people "It'll cost you 50p and packet of KP Skips...." if that's not realistic. All of the options will take in some great locations, stunning scenery, incredible history / culture and fantastic roads, very tempting indeed.

[AK350Z]

I don't think we could realistically do it this year, but even so, for me and especially Fran, I think It would be too much time on the move. If we did something similar it would be 2-3 nights in each place I think.

[Ekona]

Wouldn't mind seeing your Spain tour if you don't mind Dan, just after some ideas really as most of Ian's stuff is completely the opposite direction from where we will be in SW France. Understand fully if you think this a bit cheeky

No probs mate

 

http://goo.gl/maps/i55mm

 

The idea is to get through France in the one (painful) hit, then alternate between fun days blatting and days where you just need to make progress. I really want to do the Pyrenees AND Barcelona AND the southern tip AND the northern coast, which is why it's so long! It'll be tiring but well worth it I reckon, and the roads I've picked have been 50% what I think looks good and 50% recommended as detours by folks who have been there.

 

The route abrubtly ends at Bordeux as I'm heading straight back to my house from there, and I decided it was better to leave it off if I'm going to publish it on the interweb.

 

 

 

@Ian: Sorry, I kinda assumed that you'd be doing some blat drives as well and not just point to point (Stelvio excepted). In that case, I reckon you'll be okay on those mpg guesses.

[Wasso]

I updated my spreadsheet figures with 25mpg for the entire trip and it increases the total fuel cost by £130, which at 25mpg is pretty much 90+ all the way.

 

This of course does not include Ring costs, or Amy other type of exuberant driving that'll be the base figures for sure.

[glrnet]

Wouldn't mind seeing your Spain tour if you don't mind Dan, just after some ideas really as most of Ian's stuff is completely the opposite direction from where we will be in SW France. Understand fully if you think this a bit cheeky

No probs mate

 

http://goo.gl/maps/i55mm

 

The idea is to get through France in the one (painful) hit, then alternate between fun days blatting and days where you just need to make progress. I really want to do the Pyrenees AND Barcelona AND the southern tip AND the northern coast, which is why it's so long! It'll be tiring but well worth it I reckon, and the roads I've picked have been 50% what I think looks good and 50% recommended as detours by folks who have been there.

 

The route abrubtly ends at Bordeux as I'm heading straight back to my house from there, and I decided it was better to leave it off if I'm going to publish it on the interweb.

 

 

 

@Ian: Sorry, I kinda assumed that you'd be doing some blat drives as well and not just point to point (Stelvio excepted). In that case, I reckon you'll be okay on those mpg guesses.

Thanks Dan, if it helps we do Dorking to 50miles south of Bordeaux in 12 hours give or take, early Eurotunnel and 3 or 4 short stops.

[Ekona]

My plan exactly, very early Eurotunnel after a hotel in Folkestone the night before on the run down, then whatever time Eurotunnel is running from when I leave Bordeaux heading back to Braintree. I've used Google's own timing to plan my routes, as even though I know they're quite pessimistic at least I won't be short of time anywhere.

 

Only thing I'm unsure of is the availability of 98 once I step off the main routes, but I'll play that by ear. Worst case I'll just use 95 and suffer.

[glrnet]

In France no probs with 98 in most local supermarkets even off the main routes, don't know about Spain though.

[Wasso]

Can you two get a room please

 

[ioneabee]

I've used Google's own timing to plan my routes, as even though I know they're quite pessimistic at least I won't be short of time anywhere.

 

ha - if you think google's pessimistic - you should try the 370 sat nag - good, but shite on timing