Motorhome Trip to Croatia - Any advice? (1 Viewer)

[Hymer22]

Hi we are heading over to Croatia in a few weeks. We plan to go through Belgium Germany Austria Slovenia and into Croatia. What do we need to know about each country regarding poss clean air stickers ? road tolls ? and any other paperwork we may need to apply for to get through each country. Any advice gratefully received.

 

[billym]

Briefly.....

Home

Which city can I drive into ? What do I need to drive into cities in Europe? All information on European city driving restrictions, Low Emission Zones, Congestion Charges, Vehicle Access Regulations & Traffic Restrictions

urbanaccessregulations.eu

Good luck!

For Austria if you are using motorways and under 3.5 t

Vignette | ASFINAG

www.asfinag.at

If over 3.5t you buy a Go Box at the border

GO toll | ASFINAG

www.asfinag.at

Slovenia you buy a digital vignette under 3.5 t
Or a Darsgo box at the border if over 3.5t

DarsGo

www.darsgo.si

 

[Hymer22]

Briefly.....

Home

Which city can I drive into ? What do I need to drive into cities in Europe? All information on European city driving restrictions, Low Emission Zones, Congestion Charges, Vehicle Access Regulations & Traffic Restrictions

urbanaccessregulations.eu

Good luck!

For Austria if you are using motorways and under 3.5 t

Vignette | ASFINAG

www.asfinag.at

If over 3.5t you buy a Go Box at the border

GO toll | ASFINAG

www.asfinag.at

Slovenia you buy a digital vignette under 3.5 t
Or a Darsgo box at the border if over 3.5t

DarsGo

www.darsgo.si

Hi billym thanks for this info. We are 4.5t so as soon as you cross the borders there is somewhere to purchase the go box and darsgo box ? Or can you pay as you go along on the motorways as we did in France last year. I know when in France there is an item you can purchase that you put on your windscreen but we heard quite a few bad reports that these are not very reliable and you get stuck at the tolls before you can move on. Just want to know if these boxes you have mentioned are a similar thing ? Thanks for your input very much appreciated.

 

[Figaro]

Toll tags for France Spain Italy are available from many companies, Fulli, ATMB, bip and go etc and as far as I know they are perfectly reliable if placed correctly, I've never been stuck at a toll. Well worth having to avoid fumbling with coins and cards at the barrier.

The Gobox for Austria is available at service stations as you approach the border. It's works out quite an expensive way of crossing the country. I had trouble finding somewhere to return it for a refund on the way back as I was avoiding motorways. so had to bring it home and post back. I got a very small refund about two months later.
If I went again I think I'd just avoid motorways, but you do run the risk of being diverted onto a toll road by police if there's an incident.
Also worth noting is that motorway road signs are green and A road signs blue, ie reverse of what we're used to and can cause some subconscious confusion

 

[Lenny HB]

Also worth noting is that motorway road signs are green and A road signs blue, ie reverse of what we're used to and can cause some subconscious confusion

Switzerland is the same, nearly been caught out by that.
We always use non toll roads in Austria.

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[WESTY66]

Went to Croatia in 22 we are 5tons never paid a toll, never bought a vignette or used a box, only thing we did was buy 7 days in Switzerland on the way back other than that went all over the alps via the passes
France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and back through Slovenia, Austria, italy. Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France. Have a good trip whichever way you go

 

[Slippymurphy]

I’m in the same position
I’m off on the Hull Rotterdam ferry on 30th April heading to porec in Croatia via Germany , Innsbruck and Slovenia
So keep the info coming
Cheers
(I’m tempted to avoid motorways and avoid the toll system as it seems complicated )

 

[Fulham Dave]

If you purchase an Austrian GoBox with a return journey, rather than 2 singles, you need to register your vehicle details on their website for the return journey within 14 or 21 days of your original purchase.

The details are on the very, very, very long receipt they give you.

If, like with us, this is not explained to you at time of purchase and you travel back without registering, you will be stopped by the ASFINAG patrols and fined on the spot, as we were - €200!!

A costly mistake to make

 

[WESTY66]

I’m in the same position
I’m off on the Hull Rotterdam ferry on 30th April heading to porec in Croatia via Germany , Innsbruck and Slovenia
So keep the info coming
Cheers
(I’m tempted to avoid motorways and avoid the toll system as it seems complicated )

For all of you that is traversing Austria and Slovenia, the art is to find a route that DOESN’T run alongside the motorways (Innsbruck especially) AND the expressways (Mainly around the Vienna area) same goes for Slovenia, the only downside is you will have to traverse the alps on sometimes narrow passes, but is not impossible, just take your time and choose the days and times carefully

 

[Figaro]

the art is to find a route that DOESN’T run alongside the motorways (Innsbruck especially)

What's the reason for that, to avoid getting diverted onto motorway ?

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[WESTY66]

What's the reason for that, to avoid getting diverted onto motorway ?

Correct, I’ve seen it done and was one of the “diverted” (ironically east of innsbruck) however we was on the Harley WITH a vignette so all was good
Which is the MAIN reason I’m downgrading to 3500kgs on my next van just so I don’t get hassle in the eastern side of Europe

 

[Howard H]

For all of you that is traversing Austria and Slovenia, the art is to find a route that DOESN’T run alongside the motorways (Innsbruck especially) AND the expressways (Mainly around the Vienna area) same goes for Slovenia, the only downside is you will have to traverse the alps on sometimes narrow passes, but is not impossible, just take your time and choose the days and times carefully

You are one tight ar§e Ady

 

[WESTY66]

You are one tight ar§e Ady

I haven’t got a clue what you mean

 

[Howard H]

I haven’t got a clue what you mean

Driving over mountains to avoid paying a few taxes

 

[WESTY66]

Driving over mountains to avoid paying a few taxes

You don’t see anything going through toll tunnels It’s all about taking in the scenery H, you should try it sometime

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[billym]

Hi billym thanks for this info. We are 4.5t so as soon as you cross the borders there is somewhere to purchase the go box and darsgo box ? Or can you pay as you go along on the motorways as we did in France last year.

No you can't 'pay as you go'
You buy them just before or at the border .

Here are two excellent you tube videos by someone who doesn't waffle and talk crap like most of the others.

austrian go box motorhome adventures you tube - Google Search

darsgo box motorhome adventures youtube - Google Search

We don't have a Certificate of Conformity so will be charged at the most expensive rate, but in the great scheme of things that's OK with us.

Taking non toll roads is OK for some but if like us your van doesn't like steep mountain roads very much you are stuck with motorways for some of the way at least.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I haven’t got a clue what you mean

 

[aleclitchfiel]

Hi billym thanks for this info. We are 4.5t so as soon as you cross the borders there is somewhere to purchase the go box and darsgo box ? Or can you pay as you go along on the motorways as we did in France last year. I know when in France there is an item you can purchase that you put on your windscreen but we heard quite a few bad reports that these are not very reliable and you get stuck at the tolls before you can move on. Just want to know if these boxes you have mentioned are a similar thing ? Thanks for your input very much appreciated.

Hi to all this year we are off to croatia.via Newhaven/Dieppe were we will overnight then on the Sunday we make how way to Ulm Germany . Overnight move down to Salzburg overnight then onwards to Icici Croatia for 14 nights.

.

 

[Nick wright]

Hi we are heading over to Croatia in a few weeks. We plan to go through Belgium Germany Austria Slovenia and into Croatia. What do we need to know about each country regarding poss clean air stickers ? road tolls ? and any other paperwork we may need to apply for to get through each country. Any advice gratefully received.

hi ive got a crit air for France and another for Germany. When we went Croatia we headed south from Munich on the A93 and came off at exit 59 oberdaudorf (no go box or vignette required) as you don’t touch the Austrian motorway network. From there we headed to the grossglockner pass and think the cost was €20 but well worth it. That night we stopped at a beautiful aire

 

[jaygee]

We were over 3.5t when we went in 2018. Avoided go box issue & went through Switzerland- go to office at border & buy a document that allows you to travel in Switzerland- we only camped one night as very expensive. We went to Slovenia initially only to see lake bled so only allowed 3 days but Slovenia was lovely & we ended up staying 2 weeks! Into Croatia- just follow the road down the coast don't use motorways unless you go to national park (we'll worth a visit!) Plenty of drop.in camp sites & Aires all down the coast next to the sea. We didn't have insurance for Bosnia & NO you can't buy it at the border - we tried!! We ended up catching the drive on/off ferry across to the island, drove to end of island which connects with the mainland and then on to dubrovnik. The islands were lovely & well worth a visit, ferry was about £35 at that time.

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[StephandJohn]

Agree with everything Jaygee says. We did the same amazing trip although we did use the tunnels not go over the alps.
we didn't realise we weren't insured for Bosnia until we got to Split. We'd been to Dubrovnik before so got the ferry to Ancona and went to Assisi and many more amazing places in Italy. Came back through Tuscany and Germany. Hadn't even thought of going to Italy when we were planning to got to Croatia.
Didn't book a campsite for any of the trip at all.
Love to do it all again.
BTW Salzburg is one of the best cities we've every visited. Stayed in a stellpatz(Reisemobil Stellplatz Salzburg www.reisemobilstellplatz-salzburg.a) just outside and got the bus in.
Also there's a lovely fishing village called Fazana just above Pula in Croatia) worth spending a few days if you have the time.

 

[MGDavid]

We were over 3.5t when we went in 2018. Avoided go box issue & went through Switzerland- go to office at border & buy a document that allows you to travel in Switzerland- we only camped one night as very expensive. We went to Slovenia initially only to see lake bled so only allowed 3 days but Slovenia was lovely & we ended up staying 2 weeks! Into Croatia- just follow the road down the coast don't use motorways unless you go to national park (we'll worth a visit!) Plenty of drop.in camp sites & Aires all down the coast next to the sea. We didn't have insurance for Bosnia & NO you can't buy it at the border - we tried!! We ended up catching the drive on/off ferry across to the island, drove to end of island which connects with the mainland and then on to dubrovnik. The islands were lovely & well worth a visit, ferry was about £35 at that time.

I'm also off to Croatia end of May, going via Italy (Bari-Dubrovnik ferry) then up the coast, through Slovenia and turn left into Italy again (wife wants to do Venice). I've discovered the new Peljesac Bridge was fully opened last year which replaces the ferry between the peninsula and Komarna so you can bypass the bit of Bosnia & Herzegovina that reaches the coast without even stopping. It's toll-free too

 

[Slippymurphy]

All great info folks
Many thanks and good to hear it’s doable without the faff of go box
Appreciated folks

 

[Hymer22]

Toll tags for France Spain Italy are available from many companies, Fulli, ATMB, bip and go etc and as far as I know they are perfectly reliable if placed correctly, I've never been stuck at a toll. Well worth having to avoid fumbling with coins and cards at the barrier.

The Gobox for Austria is available at service stations as you approach the border. It's works out quite an expensive way of crossing the country. I had trouble finding somewhere to return it for a refund on the way back as I was avoiding motorways. so had to bring it home and post back. I got a very small refund about two months later.
If I went again I think I'd just avoid motorways, but you do run the risk of being diverted onto a toll road by police if there's an incident.
Also worth noting is that motorway road signs are green and A road signs blue, ie reverse of what we're used to and can cause some subconscious confusion

Thank you that is very helpful. Cheers

 

[Hymer22]

Switzerland is the same, nearly been caught out by that.
We always use non toll roads in Austria.

Hi Lenny did you find the non toll roads ok for a large MH ? We have a motorbike on the back so we are 10m in length. Cheers

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[Hymer22]

Went to Croatia in 22 we are 5tons never paid a toll, never bought a vignette or used a box, only thing we did was buy 7 days in Switzerland on the way back other than that went all over the alps via the passes
France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and back through Slovenia, Austria, italy. Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France. Have a good trip whichever way you go

Hi Westy sounds like you went the way we want to go. How can i PM you not sure how to do it on this site ? Cheers

 

[Hymer22]

If you purchase an Austrian GoBox with a return journey, rather than 2 singles, you need to register your vehicle details on their website for the return journey within 14 or 21 days of your original purchase.

The details are on the very, very, very long receipt they give you.

If, like with us, this is not explained to you at time of purchase and you travel back without registering, you will be stopped by the ASFINAG patrols and fined on the spot, as we were - €200!!

A costly mistake to make

Wow who thought using the motorways could be so difficult. Thank you for this info very helpful.

 

[Hymer22]

No you can't 'pay as you go'
You buy them just before or at the border .

Here are two excellent you tube videos by someone who doesn't waffle and talk crap like most of the others.

austrian go box motorhome adventures you tube - Google Search

darsgo box motorhome adventures youtube - Google Search

We don't have a Certificate of Conformity so will be charged at the most expensive rate, but in the great scheme of things that's OK with us.

Taking non toll roads is OK for some but if like us your van doesn't like steep mountain roads very much you are stuck with motorways for some of the way at least.

Thanks for that will check them out. Cheers

 

[Hymer22]

hi ive got a crit air for France and another for Germany. When we went Croatia we headed south from Munich on the A93 and came off at exit 59 oberdaudorf (no go box or vignette required) as you don’t touch the Austrian motorway network. From there we headed to the grossglockner pass and think the cost was €20 but well worth it. That night we stopped at a beautiful aire View attachment 888121

Hi Nick thanks for the info. I should have asked on the original question for recommended sites we will check this one out. Cheers