Twickenham to Bulgaria

Hi there,
your second option is the best but include Slovenia (it's soooo beautiful)
this is the route we take twice a year, we love it.
We are in Voynika between Yambol and Burgas so if you pass by come over, we'll be there end of June till the end of August.

Thanks,,,,,,,,still deciding route. What is your exact route?

Hi again all,

I am now doing the necessary searching for european breakdown cover. Has anyone ever actually had to use their cover and if so did it work out well and who have people used for euro breakdown cover.

I have found prices varying from £66.00 for annual cover up to £247.00 at present.

Any info much appreciated.

Hiya Ty, I agree with Sihemt, I have driven from the UK to BG about three times now and always take that route, and never had any problems. Got the ferry to France in the early hours of the morning, drove to Frankfurt about 07:00. Then got my head down for a few hours, then off again, really loved the drive.  Terry

Hi all,

I have chosen a route to suit what I want to see on the way to BG so I am travelling on Eurotunnel and then will drive first day to Strasbourg. Second day stopping just outside Vienna in St Polten. third day will be stopping in a small town called Bazosu Nou just east of Timisoara in Romania and then last day will drive to Sofia to stay with friends for a couple of days before heading off to our house for 3 months......happy days!!!!

If anyone thinks unwise then please let me know of anything I should watch out for.

It would seem that you can buy all vignettes required on line nowadays so will purchase beforehand.

This a very handy site for you, EU Tolls. I would also follow the news as the UK is leaving the EU and new rules might come into force, driving and bringing pets into the EU.

Any tips on european breakdown cover anyone. My trip is for 92 days so I am struggling to find cover as most stipulate no more than 31 days per trip and not more than 90 days per annum.

I am thinkimg I need cover when getting to and from BG so should I do 2 single trips of a week at a time or is this dodgy ground as the second stint of cover will start when I am in BG but I have not seen anything stating cover MUST start in UK.

Anyone got any ideas or info?

Ty.

https://www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover/e … down-cover

Hiya Ti,
I don't know what age you are but I took out breakdown Insurance Insurance with SAGA they are underwritten by "Acromas Insurance Company Limited ". I am talking about 2014, If I remember correctly the Eu cover was for the whole time you were out of the UK, like you I was out of the country at 6 months or so at any one time. If you are not old enough for SAGA, take a look at Acromas directly. I did have to claim from them as my car was stolen out here in BG, what a song and dance that was, they even got one of their staff to friend me on Facebook to try and find out if I was involved in the theft, but I switched on to that right away, It all seemed a bit odd so I gave her all the crap she wanted to know just through chatting in general, then she disappeared, never heard from again. So be careful whoever you take out Insurance with, they try anything to squirm out of paying up if you put in a claim.

                                                                     Good Luck,

                                                                              Terry

Hi Ty

I use the following route from the chunnel to Vidin (NW Bulgaria) area.

Sleep well the day before, (packing the car before you sleep), travel to the chunnel to catch one of the cheaper night crossings.

Have your pet passport, car document V5 with you.

These were the comments from a friend who's done the route repeatedly for 11 years, I've no done it both ways 3 times in 8 months, (twice with my wife and dog, once without), and it works well, breaks the trip up into 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 hours driving a day. And was especially relevant to diesel cars, about gas stations and gas prices.

I also now miss the Hotel Paracin, as our house is not far into BG, and I'd rather shorten the trip by a day, if I can.

Ok here we go.....

Pick up the E16 towards Belgium this turns into the E40 once you go over the Belgium border and you are then looking for exit 1 Adinkerke, off at the junction and turn left, straight on at the roundabout following the N34 keep straight on at all the roundabouts or traffic lights (you will pick up tram lines that will run along to your left, you will eventually come to a small gas station on your right with only card payment no staff its yellow and blue get as much in as you can.

As you leave the gas station take the little fork to you right through the houses and at the roundabout take the first left onto the N8 follow that straight on at roundabouts traffic lights etc and under the central underpass then right on motorway E40 signed Brussels.

You are now pretty much on the E40 all the way through Belgium once you hit the outskirts of Brussels pick up signs for Liege (Luik) and when you get down that far look out for signs to Cologne (Koln).

You will pick up the A3 and keep following it to Frankfurt, Wurzburg (this  is where you will stop for the night , more of that later), Nuremberg, Regensburg and on to Passau.

After Regensburg you can stop at almost any gas station on the motorway and they will sell you your first required toll sticker for Austria (they all take cards or cash), you want one for an ordinary car for the minimum 10 days and I think its 8 Euros ish.

I don't think it makes it cheaper to buy a one month one to cover your return , this time the 10 day one might do anyway.

Once over the Border look for junction 65 Ort im Innkreis off at the junction up to road turn right and just a few 100 yards on the right another staff free gas stop... the cheapest I have found anywhere in Europe also the little cabin just before the station does great Giro's.

By the way the motorway has now changed to the A8.

Keep going on the A8 after signs for Wells keep you eyes open for A1 to Vienna (Vein), as you reach the outskirts of Vienna watch for signs to H for Hungary there may or may not be some for Budapest but that's where you are heading its the A4 in Austria and turns into the M15/E75 in Hungary as you come over the border into Hungary you will see lots of little cabins on your right and a hotel, this is where you buy your next toll, you do not stick this one on the windscreen, go to any of the little cabins with your log book and pay your 15 euros they will ask you to check they have your registration correct and ask you to sign then give you the receipt keep it safe, you also want the minimum here 10 days again. 5U

Just carry on on the M15/E75 it will turn into the A1/E75 on the outskirts of Budapest look out for signs for M5/E75 to Szeged this is your next border point follow signs to SRB (Serbia).

You will get quite a wait at the border as you are now leaving the EU. (Last time through was 45 minutes or so)!

Keep following the E75/A1 signs for Novi Sad and Belgrade (Beograd) as you get further along you should pick up signs for A1/E75 to Nis this is the one to follow otherwise you will end up going though the centre of Belgrade, not a pleasant experience.

The road goes down to single track for a few miles don't worry this is the correct way they just haven't joined up the two halves of the A1 yet carry on down the A1/E75 until you see the sign for Paracin your last night stop, you are only 3 hours over the mountain to BG.

By the way the tolls in Serbia are paid at a payage just like France they do take cards or Euros or local currency if you can lay you hands on some tolls altogether in Serbia come to under a 1000 dinar (around 140 to the pound), you can get cash from a cash machine4 but there is only 1 services on the motorway that has one and I can't remember which one it is before the first toll booth where you have to pay and must be at least the 5th or sixth services maybe more. If you travel with euro's in coin, they discount the toll price to the next lowest whole euro, should have been €11.20 total at 2 toll booths, actually charged €5 at each, total €10.

It is worth finding it because it is cheaper in local currency and if you want a coffee or food etc.

It is inside so you have to park and go in to find it.

When you leave the hotel in the morning head back towards the motorway, but keep on the road you are on Signed Zajacar A36/E761 at Zajacar you will see signs to BG.

Get at least 100 lev so you can buy your vingette, they do not take cards or euros and you will have to explain that you want a one year one 97lev. They also do 10 days, 30 days and I believe 90 days

Sat Nav entries.

Motel Pelican just past Wurzburg   Mainfrankenpark 18, 97337 Dettelbach, Germany.

This is roughly 8 hrs drive from the ferry and is only 39 euro, if you are going to arrive after 2200 at night tell them you want the door code so you can pay at the auto checkin on the door.

Mizse Motel on motorway A5 30 miles after Budapest  Lajosmizse, M5-ös autópálya 67-es km, 6050 Hungary.

Not the cheapest place, but I have never booked and they always have a room available about 50 euros and the best bean goulash in Hungary.

Hotel Petrus Paracin,   Nikole Pasica, bb, Paraćin 352500, Serbia.

Try to book on their website or just turn up pzy"ay in local currency they charged me 3000 dinars last time and mention my name that i recommended them ,th?fn.ey will probably give you an upgrade very good internet as well.

P.S. Your Sat Nav should follow this route apart from the turn offs for fuel , but this give you an extra heads up on the turns you are looking for, also if you need to get some fuel in germany coz you cant make the Austria, stop use the ones just off the motorway you'll see that big sign I think they say Autohof and there's usually MacD's or Burger king signs!

All 3 hotels allow dogs, if you are tired at any point ibis Hotels on the Accore chain, allow dogs too, both in their ibis budget, and ibis hotels.

Hi. We are also travelling over in June this year, with our dog and cat. Also towing the caravan.
We've got the pet passports but you can't go through Serbia with pets its not in the Eu, so that will probably determine your route.
We are going via Belgium, and are hoping to make the journey enjoyable and not rushed. Our dog will be fine but the cat may get a bit frustrated.
All thus may change dependant on brexit. We may need to change our route option.

Have a good journey.

Susan

Thanks everyone for your input and advice......much appreciated indeed!