Toll free route to Lake Garda - a money saver?
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( votes)In recent days, a couple of camp sites opened their doors for the start of the 2013 season at Garda. It then struck me that “my” toll free route to Lake Garda is not directly documented. As a result, here we go! I use the term “toll free route to Lake Garda” but there are some tolls to pay. However, the routes suggested will minimise money spent on tolls and maximise the cash spent on other Italian niceties, such as wine, pasta and Parma ham!
The toll free route to Lake Garda is about 750 miles from Calais. Some routes will add a few more miles, but not many, whilst other routes will shave a few miles off.
Due to the length of the journey, I have split the toll free route to Lake Garda into sections. The first part will take us as far as Basel, the French/Swiss border. This is a particularly straight forward route and using Calais as a starting location, it is simply a matter of following the signposts as detailed. It may of course be cheaper to take a ferry to Dunkerque. This has the added advantage of chopping a few more miles off the journey.
Toll free route to Lake Garda via Chateau Salins
This is a particularly straight forward route and using Calais as a starting location, it is simply a matter of following the signposts as detailed.
Calais – Dunkerque – Lille -(towards Belgium) Tournai – Mons – Charleroi – Arlon – Luxembourg – Metz – Metz Est – Chateau Salins – Sarrebourg – Phalsbourg and then here, a little cheat. It is worth joining the A4 motorway for one junction at J44 and leaving at J45. This avoids a steep hill and also bypasses the town of Saverne. Of course Saverne is a pretty enough place for an overnight stop, but the traffic can be busy. From J45 of the A4, head for Molsheim – Obernai – Colmar and the French/Swiss border at Basel/Mulhouse. It really is that simple. We have done this route many times with a conventional motorhome and also the tag axle – it is a very easy drive.
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A Google map of the first part of the toll free route to Lake Garda is shown. The actual distance is 462 miles with a Google time factor of 8 hours 53 minutes. Obviously, motorhomers and caravanners may take longer than that anyway, thus the timings for information only.
Toll free route to Lake Garda via Nancy
This route starts off in the same way – so Calais – Dunkerque – Lille – Tournai – Mons – Charleroi – Arlon – Luxembourg and Metz. From Metz, head south on the toll free A31 motorway towards Nancy – Epinal – Thann and Basel.
Toll free route to Lake Garda may feature a night stop at the superb aire at Charmes
This route comes out at 459 miles and an anticipated journey time of 8 hours 10 minutes. The “Coline de Bussang” is quite steep but it is used by buses and trucks. We have driven this route both north and south at various times of the year and had no problems with passing villages or the hill. There are also several supermarket in the Thann area offering good value diesel and also easy access to the pumps for motorhomes and caravans.
Toll free route to Lake Garda via Germany – just!
This is the last of my tried and tested toll free routes to Basel. The little quirk being a short stretch on the German autobahn! The mileage for this route is 462 with a time factor indicated by Google maps of 8 hours 54 minutes. The routing is the same as far as Luxembourg. From Luxembourg, it’s onwards towards Saarrebrucken in Germany before re-entering France at Sarreguemines. Follow the N61/D1061/D661 towards Saverne, before continuing again via Molsheim, Obernai, Colmar and finally Mulhouse/Basel.
The non toll free route from Calais to Basel, via the A26 motorway and the A4 motorway comes in at 474 miles and a traveling time of 8 hours and 4 minutes – so as you can see very little time differences between the routes.
Full details of the cost or routing via Reims is available on the French Autoroutes website.
Another advantage of a toll free route to Lake Garda
The three toll free routes to Basel that I have tried and tested have a common factor – routed via Luxembourg. Diesel is Luxembourg is amongst the cheapest in Europe and so compared to France, you could save up to one euro per gallon. By planning your journey carefully, adding diesel at Calais to get you as far as Luxembourg and then filling “to the neck” with cheap diesel once in Luxembourg, you can make further savings to your journey thus reducing further the cost of your toll free route to Lake Garda.
On arrival at Basel, you are required to obtain a Swiss motorway vignette for vehicles under 3500 kg. Drivers of motorhomes over 3500 kg must complete a paper document. More details are available on my Swiss motorway tolls page.
There are ways to travel from Calais following a totally toll free route to Lake Garda, but in my experience the route via Switzerland is the best if you are heading for Garda south or east. Equally, if you are heading for Milan and so on the same route applies.
Once in Switzerland, and you have paid your dues, transit the country via Lucerne, the St Gotthard road tunnel and Chiasso. Enter Italy from Switzerland at Chiasso.
Leaving Switzerland you enter Italy and travel on the motorway for a very short distance. Leave the Italian motorway at the exit marked “Como Centro”. In turn, this will lead you to a rather busy interchange and from here, keep following the BLUE signs for Milan. The GREEN signs will take you back onto the toll payable motorway. The SS35 soon becomes a dual carriage way and will drop you to the north of Milan on the partially toll free A52. This route is a few miles shorter than the motorway and not particularly any longer in time as you do not have to stop at the toll booths on the A9 & A8 motorways. From the A52 it is easier to then travel to Garda on the motorway. This short section of non motorway road will save you about ten euro cmpared to the A9/A8.
We have tried running totally toll free from Garda to Como. This involves travelling around the back of Bergamo Airport, but the roads, traffic and time factor do not really make this a viable option.
So there you have a toll free route to Lake Garda. OK, it is not totally toll free but is a great compromise!
Toll free route to Lake Garda – take a map!
For those taking this sort of toll free route from the Swiss/Italian border through to the Lakes, it is well worth carrying a map of Italy. We like the Michelin one as seen below. NEVER rely only on satnav, take a back up plan!
Russel great site saving hundreds of pounds.
I have also used this route and is very comfortable to drive, I also have a tag axle so if we can go this way everyone will be able to. We stopped in Interlaken Switzerland on route home so only a slight detour.
If you are of 3.5t through Switzerland you have to buy the travel permit which is valid for a year. You complete each days journey when you use the motorway, have the good lady ready with the pen if you get stopped if you have not completed it prior to commencing your trip
Hi Russell, we’ve just purchased a new tag axle Kontiki 679 and came across this site whilst researching the van. I think your site is great and really helpful – I really love your site reviews for the larger vans. We are travelling to Italy for 3 weeks this year and were going to try and follow your toll free route, I wonder can yo programme it into the sat nav coz im rubbish with maps! Keep up the good work ! ps I’ve just purchased a hose pipe called POCKET HOSE. We found it on Ebay and its been shipped from America, it is a really small hose which extends to 25ft, doesnt kink and is really tiny. I think fellow motorhomers would love it. It can be found on Google search, POCKET HOSE. We bought 2 and they can be joined making it a great tool for filling your water tanks without having to move!
Hi Bev
Thanks for your comments. I hope you have as much fun and chaos with your 679 as we do. not sure how much you can put into a satvan but maybe you could break the journey into sections, for example Calais – Arlon first, then Arlon to Metz, then Metz to Chateau Salins etc. Try to keep a good map with you though, we use the AA Big Read Map of France.
I will look into that hose – in the meantime, let me know how you get on with yours.
What a great web site, so much useful information, my wife and I have found it very informative.
We have an AutoTrail Chieftain TAG axle and are driving to Venice to catch a ferry to Greece via Lake Garda at the end of this month. We had originally planned to go through Northern France to Chamonix and then through the Mont Blanc tunnel; then we found your web site and are now thinking of following one of your toll free routes to Lake Garda. Can you tell us which you think is the best route as this is our first time doing this journey. We have given ourselves a week to get to Venice but hope to have a couple of nights in Lake Garda
We drove to Southern Spain “toll free” in December and enjoyed doing that so we’re not daunted by the challenge, but would value your opinion.
Hello and thank you for your kind words! The Chieftain is a great motorhome with a kitchen and worktop space to match many an apartment. So for Garda then, a nice steady route and keeping costs down….
Calais – Dunkirk – Lille, entering Belgium, Mons, Arlon, to Luxembourg – don’t forget that cheap fuel – fill it to the brim – and then back in to France via the A31 towards Metz. Head for Cheatea Salins and then towards Sarrebourg and Phalsbourg. Here, join the A4 motorway at junction 44 and leave at junction 45. Follow signs towards Wassolnne, Molsheim, Obernai, Colmar and the Swiss border at Basle/Mulhouse. Purchase your tax/toll document – read here – and then through Switzerland passing Lucerne, St gotthard tunnel and to the Swiss/Italian border at Chiasso. As it is your first run to Italy, use the motorways yo Garda – it is easier and will cost about 20 euro for a tag axle.
To avoid the tolls in Italy, leave the motorway pretty much as soon as you enter Italy – “Como Sud” and then follow the BLUE signs to Milano. This will drop you on to the SS35 dual carriageway and then onto the Milan ring road. From there, it is signposted as Venice and onto the A4 with a toll to pay
Thank you for your prompt and comprehensive reply! We will be taking your advice and giving this route a go. We’ll let you know how we get on.
Thanks again.
Cheers. We usually stay overnight at Obernai but night try the site at Chateau Salins this time.
Russell,
Can we pay for the Swiss toll charges in Euros or by credit card? Wasn’t planning on buying any Swiss Francs!
Thanks.
Hi
You can pay in Euro or credit/debit card. Is your van over or under 3500kg? Have a read here in case you need more info!Have a read here
We are over 3.5 tonnes so thinking we need to complete the paperwork at the French/Swiss border and pay for 10 days in a 12 month period. Is this the best option? Thanks for the very helpful info.
Hi – yes Mel you will require the paper version. 32.50 SFR for 10 days worth of use in a twelve month period. You will need to park as directed by staff and go to the office. The paperwork is “on the side” – certainly the case at Basle, Chiasso and near Bregenz Austria. Take your log book with you just in case they ask for it. If your van is not obviously over 3500kg, such as one at 3650 etc, “they” might just sell you the vignette at 40 SFR – that happened to us with a 4000kg Kontiki. I just accepted it at the time but now I would sort it out as 1) it is cheaper going the official route, and 2) I like everything to be correct.
Hi Russell
Just to let you know we are now in Greece on the island of Lefkas having followed your brilliant route thro’ Belgium, Luxembourg, France & Switzerland to Lake Garda and then onto Venice to catch the ferry. We stopped off at Metz and Lucerne before arriving at Bella Italia campsite on Lake Garda. Had trouble getting out of Metz due to roadworks and had to do a detour to get back on route to Chateau Salins. Took the wrong motorway from the border at Basel and ended up on route to Germany but a quick u turn and got us back to Basel and on the way to Lucerne. Otherwise no issues (other than rain!) My wife is thinking of writing to MMM about our experiences – would you mind us quoting you (and your website) since it is your route?
Thanks again.
Hello there, glad the journey was reasonably OK. No problem at all with a mention in MMM – I am in there sometimes myself with campsite reviews!
Can’t wait to get on the road! The route through Switzerland – having never driven in the country before am hoping to stop off a couple of nights somewhere up in the mountains (lift up and walk down!) Will I have to deviate from the rout to access some unspoilt countryside and are there Aires in Switzerland as in France
Russell
I have just returned from my first venture to Italy in my motorhome and cannot praise enough the wealth of information you provide in your website.
My wife is sick to death with me quoting data that I have extracted from it and I am now banned from mentioning your name.
Seriously though it was so useful to pick the brains of someone who had been there and done it.
I used your toll free route to get to Lake Garda and back although I felt had to use the autostrada in Italy to get down to Rome and Pompei (incurring its exorbitant cost).
Many thanks for the information and keep it updated please so that the next time I venture forth I can check to get the latest.
Mick.
We are travelling to Italy via Switzerland with our Swift Challenger 620 later in the year and have found your site very interesting and informative and we have every intention of following your route. Can you recommend any campsites on route or any books that cover camping and distances in Europe? We though that we would make our fist overnight stop in Luxembourg, we want to spend five days in Italy and 5 days in Switzerland on the return journey which allows us five days travelling there and back. As this is our first trip to these countries, we are not sure of the driving time between campsites.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Regards
Andrea Brooke
Hi – get yourself a copy of the Best Deal Camping Card APP and an ACSI card – they are both useful with hundreds of campsites listed.
For approximate timings, we work on an average of 40 mph. Anything above that is a bonus. This allows for traffic, slowing down at the rare toll booth and so on, so, calais to Luxembourg, 250 miles there abouts, allow six hours for comfort, but you’ll probably do it in five.
Thanks for this blog Russell. We’re planning an 8 week trip next year and want to head down from Dunkerque with an eventual destination of Venice before moving across the lakes and into France. Taking time to enjoy the journey down is an important part of our thinking. We’re quite keen to travel down through Germany for a change but have never been there and don’t know what’s worth seeing. Don’t want to go too far off the track! This will be our first long trip – any advice welcomed. Is there an insurance policy anyone knows of which includes breakdown cover for an older van? We have a 2000 Pilote Galaxy A class van on a 2.8 TD Fiat Ducato.
Thanks all!
Germany is new ground for me I’m afraid. Have a word with the Caravan Club or Camping and Caravanning Club for breakdown cover and prices.
Hi, all the toll free routes look great, I’m looking at getting to Genova as quick as possible without paying the huge toll fees of France, as time is a factor are the Belgium,Luxembourg, Swiss routes mostly motorways? Thanks
Sam
Hi – yes you can go to Metz via Luxembourg and then stay on the A4 motorway to Strasbourg (toll payable), but you will get as far as Met told free. Genoa is a nice city by the way. Busy with scooters, but OK. We called at the Fincantieri shipyard!
Russell, I’m just back from 3 weeks in the Italian Lakes, and took your Nancy-Epinal-Col de Bussang route down (and very nice it was too).
However, on the way back I came up the A35 as far as Colmar, and then headed west on the D415. This was specifically so that I could stay at the huge aire at Keysersberg (€7 per night, water and waste only, no EHU, pretty town).
Continuing west on the D415 takes you over the Col de Bonhomme and re-joins your Epinal route close to Nancy.
This has a couple of advantages over the Col de Bussang. Firstly it’s only about 900m compared to 1,200m at Bussang, so the gradients aren’t as bad and it’s probably better in winter.
Secondly, it’s dual-carriageway all the way from way before Saint Die des Vosges, so you’ve actually got a shorter length of single lane road than via Bussang.
The main disadvantage is that Lorries over 7.5t are banned from the Col de Bussang, but are free to use the Col de Bonhomme, so there is more HGV traffic.
Anyway, might be worth a go sometime.
Richard
Hi – came that way in May, cutting fromm Colmar to Chateau Salins area for an overnight stop.
Russell, Thanks for the most informative blog. We have just returned from a great 3 weeks touring Northern Italy, and your toll free route to Garda, and the information on the Swiss vignette system made things so much cheaper, and easier to understand.
Paul…
Thanks for your comments Paul, glad to be of assistance.
Hi Russel. Some very useful advice, thanks. Have a Vintage bike rally in Sirmione, bottom of Lake Garda next year, and we will be taking our 1951 sidecar outfit on a trailer behind our dinky Romahome, (with 2ltr HDi engine) from Kent, and was after an almost toll free route. Did the same thing to Austria a couple of years back and managed to avoid tolls by using the non motorway roads in Austria. Great fun when you get there going round the alps on an old sidecar outfit. Thanks again.
I would love to drive down and stay on a camp site at lake garda. Unfortunately I have minimal and my husband doesn’t have experience of driving in Europe. Do you think this journey would be too much for beginners, the thought of it terrifies me to be honest and my husband has flatly refused to do any of the driving.
Thanks
Hi – no take your time, take an extra day. It really is an easy route.
Thanks for the route. Im taking my young family in June, so had been using the old site, and just been re-directed here.
Hi Russell, I’ve been following your site and enjoy very much the info. But as it’s moved I can’t find the swiss info ? Keep up the good work, kind regards stewart
On the right hand side of the page, scroll down to Switzerland or type Swiss or Switzerland in the search box at the top.
5
hi
could you use this route to get to lake Annecy as we are going there in June for 3 weeks and the toll free would save a great deal probably pay for the camping
Regards
Linda white
Hi – Lake Garda is in Italy whilst Lake Annecy is in France.
If you have a read of the article “Toll free route to Besancon”, that will be a lot more what you need. Are you in a motorhome or towing a caravan?
Hi Russell, were off to Lake Garda this Thursday & ive been looking for a toll free riute for weeks, been given a lot of advise on which way to go but never been really confident one says this way & another says that way but reading your blog made my mind up. Many Thanks
Trevor, safe travels, and please let us know how you get on. We came back via Chateau Salins this week.
Hi Russell……off to Venice/Jesolo using your toll-free advice in September so wish us luck. We will then make our way round the French coast heading for the Spanish Med coast. Thanks for your marvellous advice. Sue and Al
Worth a mention, if you are on the SS11 between Peschiera del Garda and Verona, you will see some of the cheapest diesel in the area. Travelling towards Verona, the forecourt is on your left. It is called NOALOIL. There is also a Auchan hypermarket on your left, again with cheap fuel.
Hi Russell,
We have just followed your route to Lake Garda. Thank you for a detailed route and we will do this route again.
Hi Russell
We are planning a trip to basal and then touring for a few weeks after, where would you advise to go as this will be the first time abroad in the motorhome?
Within 400 miles of Basel, you have the Italian Lakes and also the south of France. What takes your fancy?
Hi Russel, thank you for your really useful blog! My boyfriend and I are going to the Dolomites via Switzerland and Lake Garda in September, and we were just going to sat nav it and see, but this has made me re-think our route!! Will definitely be trying this for our drive from Dunkirk – Switzerland 🙂 Thank you
Hi Christy, thanks for your kind words!
For the Dolomites, the other option is to run toll free to Innsbruck from the Calais area, and then drop over the Brenner Motorway towards Vipiteno. However, if you are using Austrian motorways, you will require a Vignette for vehicles under 3500kg or a Go Box for vehicles over 3500kg. We got to Innsbruck without paying a penny in tolls! In fact, I must blog the route!
Hi Russell,
Fabulous site & great info. We’re off to Lake Garda in our motorhome in July for my daughters wedding in Malcesine. Have you stayed there & if so can you recommend a campsite?
Thanks,
Heather
Hi – I have never stayed there except in hotels! It’s a nice spot but very busy.
Hi we will be going down to Chianti in Tuscany at the end of the month so will be using your toll free suggestion – do you have ant suggestions past lake Garda for us to consider please? Only just found your website – wow what a relief as we planned toll free as we are going for a 5 weeks
Thanks
Hi – are you looking for places to stay? If so the new interactive site map will help. Routing wise, the A1 motorway is far easier than any toll roads. There is a new section that cuts through tunnels etc. The old A1 is still in use and is called the “panoramic” route.
Hi Russel
Planning a route to the Italian Lakes mid Sept-mid Oct.
The route(s) through Belgium /Luxemborg to Basel is pretty much self explanatory and a manageable drive and as you say its Toll free.
However using the Via Michelin web maps it seems that journey time from Basel through Switzerland to Chiasso is over 15 hours. and 443 miles with limited motorway use. Is that the sort of journey time you would expect and presumably you would stop over in Switzerland. If so do you have a recommendation.
Thanks.
Hi – trying to get through Switzerland without a toll is a nightmare, hence you just buy the vignette or the paper document.
Your other option is via Germany and Innsbruck – documented in the toll free section of this website.
Hi Russell
Great resource, many thanks. Have you any recommends for a Motorhome site around Lake Garda, ideally quiet, views, hookups access to supermarkets etc nearby.
Many thanks for any wisdom
Bill
Moniga del Garda and Peschiera del Garda offer a lot of sites that will fit the bill. Marberba D/G is lovely, but further from shops.
Hi, very helpful for us planning our first driving trip to Italy (Lake Como). If we wanted to do one stop-over on the way down, is there anywhere you would particularly recommend? We’ll have a trailer tent.
Thanks!
Hi – if you are travelling Dover-Calais/Dunkerque, then the mileage to Como is around 650, depending upon your destination. A lot depends upon your arrival time into France. An early arrival and you could do around 400 miles and stop in the Alsace/Strasbourg/Obernai area. A little closer, Metz/Nancy/Charmes etc. A later arrival and you might prefer to stop in Luxembourg, 250 miles from Calais.
Last month I drove from Yorkshire to my home town of La Spezia and I found this forum very useful, so thank you to all all you!
I took the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, it’s a night crossing which arrives in Belgium at about 9. I travelled to Brussels, Charleroi, Namur, Luzembourg, Metx, Nancy, St.Dié and Colmar (the only toll was the tunnel on the Route Nationale 59 which allowed me to avoid the A4 / A35). Night stop in Colmar, then the second day Basel, Lucerne, Lugano, Como (from here to Milan I took the SP35 instead of the motorway). From here it was the A1 motorway to Parma and A15 motorway to La Spezia (after Milan the free route along the Via Emilia and the Statale della Cisa isn’t really convenient, unless you’ve got A LOT of time to spare!)
Hi. Do you recall how much the toll was to go through the tunnel on the N59?
If I’m right it’s 9.40 euros.
By the way, Colmar is a really beautiful town, absolutely worth a visit!
Thank you for the information.
We are hoping to drive to Lake Garda next summer. However, our van isn’t a big fan of hills.
How hilly is it? Thanks
Hi, which ever way you go to Italy, there are hills. If you go through Luxembourg, Metz, Chateau Salins, that’s as good as it gets. Once in Switzerland at Basle, it’s motorway through. There are some hills but there are many trucks and so on. So the hills are there but long and steady rather than mountain climbs like on some of our free routes.
Brilliant. Thank you
Hi Russel, thank you a lot for very useful information on how to get to Lake Garda without paying too many tolls. We’re planning to drive in a couple of weeks, and we heard there are new roles that band Diesel cars in Europe. We have LR Discovery 4 2012. Do you know if your suggested route is ok for us?
Hi – not aware of any specific issues banning vehicles from those routes. Some large cities in France insist you have a Crit D’Air sticker attached to your windscreen – it confirms your levels of polution from your vehicle.
Thx Russel for the quick reply. We’re leaving on Tuesday to Lake Garda and hoping for a as normal as possible summer vacation:-)