How difficult is motorhoming in Germany?

BobtheBass

BobtheBass

Joined
Nov 11, 2013
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Tewkesbury
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MH
Hymer T-SL 668
Exp
March 2014
We have been to France many times in our motorhome and find it super easy and relaxing but how does travelling through Germany compare? We have friends who live in the Mainz area and they have been asking us over for years and this year we thought we would book a hotel and drive the car over for a few days, leaving May and September free for our usual long bimbles through France. The thought occurred to me yesterday though that instead of France in May why don’t we do Germany instead, perhaps driving from the tunnel through Belgium into Germany? Problem is we know absolutely nothing about travel in Germany. We normally use a mixture of aires and ACSI campsite, is this as easy to do? Are the roads as clear and as motorhome friendly as France? Should we even be in the slightest bit concerned and just get off our bums and do it? Any guidance would be gratefully received thanks!
 
Probably easier than France? Loads of Stellplatze (equivalents of Aires) some of them enormous - only problem is if you get easily jealous, when you’re between 2 enormous Concordes! Maybe not as many ACSI sites as France, but still plenty - we did found many have metered electric though.

You need to be aware of Umweltzones, particularly if you have an older van.

Variety of food probably less than in France - we were likes kids in a sweetshop when we crossed back to Alsace.
 
I’m thinking along similar lines .... will definitely need an emissions sticker as we have to drop my son off in Dortmund. I’m more worried about language (fluent French, no German) and weather! I don’t want a rainy holiday ;)
 
Grianan said:
I’m thinking along similar lines .... will definitely need an emissions sticker as we have to drop my son off in Dortmund. I’m more worried about language (fluent French, no German) and weather! I don’t want a rainy holiday ;)
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Almost all Germans speak excellent English

Go for it. Lovely country.

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We did it for the first time last June, Tunnel, Belgium, then onto the Moselle, wonderful. we dont normally stay on Aires. but the Aires in Germany were great and you can put out your tables and chair, dont think about it ... do it :D
 
Brush up on German driving rules as they are a bit different in places to the UK and German drivers will expect you to know them and drive accordingly. For example, if you are chugging up a hill on a two lane autobahn and a truck comes up behind you and blows his horn then it is because there are signs banning HGVs from the outer lane and he expects you to move into the outer lane so he can undertake. Lots of forward facing speed cameras too and they are not obvious - can be painted green in country areas. :) On the spot fines quite common as well. I speak from experience with these last two*. :)
Still stretches of unrestricted autobahn and a few cars will be going very fast on them.
But otherwise it is a great place to take a MH - we enjoyed the Black Forest area last year a bit more than the well known rivers. Don't forget Luxembourg, cheap fuel and the Little Switzerland area is attractive.

* As a twenty something year old motoring hooligan when I lived there. :)
 
Much the same as France, only Stellplatz rather than Aires and a different language.
If you can't speak German just shout louder but don't mention the war...
 
You have no need to be concerned, you will love it.
 
Just do it BOB no problem and lovely people. Don't miss the BEER(y)

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German stellplatze are fabulous, particularly the riverside ones.

My essential advice:

1, have a good long hard look before pulling out to overtake on an autobahn because the cars come up fast - very fast.

2, start saving up your 1 + 2 euros and 50c coins, lots of stellplatze operate on them although more are taking cards now.

3, get camper contact app.

4, dont get fixated on umwelt plakette, its only enforceable by the police not by camera, they have to actually catch you in there.
 
Did Alsace (France) and up along the Rhine to the Moselle last year. Roads are a little busier in some areas but not a problem. Aires (stellplatz) and sites very good and no road tolls to avoid. Food served is normally in large portions and fairly priced.
 
Germany is proly your favourite country to visit..so many Stellplatz and in such beautiful locations

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Germany is lovely. Prefer France but only because i can parlez un peu but no issues at all with Germany.

I was confused on their motorways though when we kept going past roads to Ausfahrt. A town you are likely to remember.

Finally worked it out
 
Agree with other comments, Germany is fab.
We did the Moselle from Koblenz to Trier and loved it, I wish we`d spent longer there but headed off to Switzerland and Italy.
We did a stretch of the Rhine on the return leg and were less impressed, I`m sure there are nice parts but the bits we saw were not so appealing for us.
We also enjojed a stretch of the Alpine Route and the Romantic Route. Nordingden, Dinklesbule and Rotherburg Ob Der Tauber and not to be missed.
 
Going through Germany to the alps for two weeks in June, and again to Austria in sept, do it every year on the bike, first time in the Moho, can’t wait, really looking forward to it(y)(y)
Very easy driving, Bavaria is the best part of Germany(y)
 
Very enjoyable time spent in Germany and very similar to France for motorhoming.
Don't expect everybody to speak English - most do and very well - but if you are on a stellplas and an old boy turns up for what you think is a 'chat' but you can't understand a word most likely he's there to collect the overnight fee offering him a beer don't work.

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In October took ferry to Dunkirk and drove down to the Black Forest and Switzerland.
The roads and services are very good with frequent quality stops and would you believe no litter.
I obtained Umwelt and Crit air stickers in advance, takes up to fourteen days and only expires with vehicle.
We used sites which were adequate but not as orderly as our club sites , and found the folk friendly and helpful. On the site we stayed on in Staufen they gave us free transport passes for train and buses in the Black Forest region.
Food and drink is good and not over expensive. A most enjoyable trip.
 
DBK said:
Brush up on German driving rules as they are a bit different in places to the UK and German drivers will expect you to know them and drive accordingly. For example, if you are chugging up a hill on a two lane autobahn and a truck comes up behind you and blows his horn then it is because there are signs banning HGVs from the outer lane and he expects you to move into the outer lane so he can undertake. Lots of forward facing speed cameras too and they are not obvious - can be painted green in country areas. :) On the spot fines quite common as well. I speak from experience with these last two*. :)
Still stretches of unrestricted autobahn and a few cars will be going very fast on them.
But otherwise it is a great place to take a MH - we enjoyed the Black Forest area last year a bit more than the well known rivers. Don't forget Luxembourg, cheap fuel and the Little Switzerland area is attractive.

* As a twenty something year old motoring hooligan when I lived there. :)
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DBK

As you say speed on an unrestricted part of the Autobahn can be 200kph.

Which is why I would be very cautious about pulling into the outer lane for a truck. Although your example was on a hill where I think speed restrictions normally apply.

You did not mention that where it is three-lane on a hill there is normally a blue sign indicating the minimum speed one should drive at in lanes 2 and 3. I do not know if it is an offence to not adhere to it, since the sign is blue.

Geoff
 
You lot should have learnt to speak German as well as French during the war :rofl:
 
rod_vw said:
Umweltzone plaquette - don't get caught out by the websites selling these at inflated prices, the Berlin local authority will supply by on-line order look here https://www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/feinstaubplakette/shop.86595.en.php
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That's where we got ours. Easy to do and arrived within a week. As it happened we had to come home in a hurry but we have it for when we complete the part of our tour we didn't get done in 2018.

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Figaro said:
Agree with other comments, Germany is fab.
We did the Moselle from Koblenz to Trier and loved it, I wish we`d spent longer there but headed off to Switzerland and Italy.
We did a stretch of the Rhine on the return leg and were less impressed, I`m sure there are nice parts but the bits we saw were not so appealing for us.
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Thinking about cycling the Moselle / Mosel either this year or next - not quite from the source to the sea but from the nearest railway station to the source down - and not every day but as and when we feel like it. The Rhine cycle route looks good as well. I liked Colmar and we extended our stay there. The campsite is beside the canal and was about 12 euros a night I think.
 
Satnavs on the autobahn.
If you set your satnav to the speed limit of the road it makes you think that a 400 mile journey can be done in an hour and half in a motorhome.

"Not far today love"
 
Grianan said:
I’m thinking along similar lines .... will definitely need an emissions sticker as we have to drop my son off in Dortmund. I’m more worried about language (fluent French, no German) and weather! I don’t want a rainy holiday ;)
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Google translate!!! Brilliant and got us through Germany well enough
 
nicholsong said:
DBK

As you say speed on an unrestricted part of the Autobahn can be 200kph.

Which is why I would be very cautious about pulling into the outer lane for a truck. Although your example was on a hill where I think speed restrictions normally apply.

You did not mention that where it is three-lane on a hill there is normally a blue sign indicating the minimum speed one should drive at in lanes 2 and 3. I do not know if it is an offence to not adhere to it, since the sign is blue.

Geoff
Click to expand...
I did assume you would only move over if it was safe to do so :) - which can be difficult to assess on the unrestricted bits as cars can come up so fast.

I'm not sure about the minimum speed limits being advisory or not. My instincts are they are mandatory as little is left to judgement in German traffic law. In almost any accident one or more drivers will be found to have broken the law - it is a very different idea to the UK where we have generic offences like "careless driving" and often the bar as to what constitutes the generic offence is set quite high.
 
One thing I noticed on the many trips to the fatherland is the slip roads Off the autobahn are often quite short and tight ( Like a small Yorkshireman :D) so give your self plenty of time to slow down,
Don’t ask how I know this!:ROFLMAO:

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