Route to Turkey?

[Orion]

We’re in the initial planning stage for next year and considering heading to Turkey for roughly 6-8 weeks in country - plus a week(ish) or two either way.

Not too keen on traversing Austria as we are >3500kg so a potential route would be Germany - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Bulgaria - Kapikule border crossing, with an option of Romania instead of Serbia if better driving wise.

Any thoughts from those who’ve gone that way would be appreciated.

Return is looking to be via northern Greece and the Igoumenitsa ferry to Ancona and over the alps ‘somewhere’.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Northernraider ?

 

[frwjd]

I believe the Igoumenitsa ferry gets booked up way in advance, others will know.

We went in November 2021 via Switzerland, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Greece.
What time of year are you thinking?

 

[Orion]

I believe the Igoumenitsa ferry gets booked up way in advance, others will know.

We went in November 2021 via Switzerland, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Greece.
What time of year are you thinking?

Yes, thanks we are aware of the ferry situation as we tried to get the Ancona routes when touring Greece and Crete in 2022 - had to make do with Bari and the not ideal drive down the A14/E55.

Possibly leaving U.K. mid to end April back July.

 

[guy b]

We’re in the initial planning stage for next year and considering heading to Turkey for roughly 6-8 weeks in country - plus a week(ish) or two either way.

Not too keen on traversing Austria as we are >3500kg so a potential route would be Germany - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Bulgaria - Kapikule border crossing, with an option of Romania instead of Serbia if better driving wise.

Any thoughts from those who’ve gone that way would be appreciated.

Return is looking to be via northern Greece and the Igoumenitsa ferry to Ancona and over the alps ‘somewhere’.

On our way back from a couple of months in Turkey. Driven to Istanbul a couple of years ago via the Hungary Serbia route and it’s a long long way.
This time we’ve got insurance for Albania and it’s been so much easier and quicker to get into and across Greece. Far more to see and feels a lot safer than Serbia.
Turkey is amazingly different but expect a level of rubbish you probably haven’t come across before. The places to see are some of the best we’ve seen across Europe BUT in between there is little to see and sometimes little opportunity to stop.
Can let you have more details if you need about route etc.

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[WESTY66]

We’re in the initial planning stage for next year and considering heading to Turkey for roughly 6-8 weeks in country - plus a week(ish) or two either way.

Not too keen on traversing Austria as we are >3500kg so a potential route would be Germany - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Bulgaria - Kapikule border crossing, with an option of Romania instead of Serbia if better driving wise.

Any thoughts from those who’ve gone that way would be appreciated.

Return is looking to be via northern Greece and the Igoumenitsa ferry to Ancona and over the alps ‘somewhere’.

Haven’t you got the go box equivalent malarkey in Czech, Slovakia and Hungary?? Being >3.5t in that part of Europe is a nightmare! As it Happens I traverse Austria easily without the go box at 5tons.
Interested in your route and trip though as I’ll be doing it in the latter half of 26, if it starts getting that difficult I’d rather drop down to 3.5t than miss out

 

[Brains]

We have found, after several transits of Austria, if you look like you are a conventional 3.5t motorhome, then you just buy a normal sticker Vignette at the border.

Our van, like your van, is also produced as a 3500kg model.
It just happens, as we are UK registered, ours, like yours, happens to be a bit over 3500kg because C1 licences are common in the over 50's in the UK.

My feeling is you are unlikely to be caught.

That said, I'd not try it with an A class, or a tag axle, or anything much over 7m
And if you do get caught, the fine can be quite heavy.

 

[Rob Turner]

Not a massive fan but the Roaming Radfords on YT have done that trip recently. There will be links to sites and border crossings etc.