UK to Lake Garda - route help please

[Li-ionHead]

Hi all,

We will be heading to Riva Del Garde in Lake Garda at the wend of October. Will be the first Europe trip for me and my M3P, so I don't have any experience with the various routes or any charging challenges with my M3P. I have just found out the the MontBlanc tunnel is closed (thanks to another thread on here), which was the way i was planning on going from talking to a friend that does this route twice a year (nut in an ICE).

So I have looked on Google Maps to a new route, and it seems to suggest a few routes mainly through Germany, through to Basel to Lucerne to Milan and to Lake Garda.

Over to ABRP next to check recommended charging stops, and it only shows a completely different route which is through from Brussels, Karlsruhe, the over the mountains (i guess) in Innsbruck to Bozen onto Lake Garda,

So my question is, are either of these routes better etc? My only goal is getting there ASAP with least amount of hassle.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[WannabeOwner]

I don't know the routes, but you could try putting waypoints into ABRP (to match Google route) and seeing what the Charge / Drive time is.

I tried London to Riva Del Garde in ABRP and (for my vehicle) got:

904 miles
Charge 2h22m
Drive 12h01

I then added waypoints for Basel, Lucerne, Milan (which is probably rather unrealistic as it probably routes me to the City Centres) and absent a specific waypoint ABRP didn't go near Germany and I then got

890 miles
Charge 2h17m
Drive 12h37m

If you go through Switzerland I think you'll need their Motorway sticker? Not sure if the price of that would make avoiding Switzerland worthwhile ...

 

[spdpsba]

I have just found out the the MontBlanc tunnel is closed (thanks to another thread on here),

Yes, tunnel is closed approximately for 3 months.

Of course ABRP will provide the best option based on various parameters but most of us just recommend Tesla maps to sort out charging points and navigation routes. But sometimes just like what happened to me you can have some issues with charging and that will make Tesla navigation useless unless you know where you are going to charge. But that is a rare occurrence.

Having done the trip till Milan I am pretty confident you can navigate without much of problem. But as you mentioned closure of Mont Blanc brings some new set of issues. I have not done both the routes suggested by ABRP but the common route we do if MB is closed is take the Great st Bernard pass and join the A5/E25/26 via Aosta and join the autoroutes to Torino and Milan.

There is a SC in Aosta. After that you have networks available till Milan without any issues.

Before Aosta, I used SCs in Sallanches, Bonneville(cafe ok and some hot food available), Saint Julian en Genevoise ( amazing Marriott bar available to use don’t miss cocktails cost only around €5-6). Skip Archamps charger as mentioned in my other thread no facilities other than charging. Then if you move up you can do Chalon Sur saone (very good burger joint) and then Troyes ( amazing for shopping). Then further up on France you can use Matougoues (Champagne valley - you can visit Moët-Chandon and other bubbly makers) or go further up to use either Uruvillers or Saint Quentin then go straight to Calais (6 chargers so if in rush plan something before) or go via Bologna-sur-mer slightly south west bit takes same time and you don’t have to wait at Calais. Let me know if you need any help.

I’ve done the return trip above as I started from MB but you can do the same charging stops while going from UK. I just highlighted some good SC stops, but please try others and update here will be useful for others.

 

[dbartram]

Don't miss the Strada della Forra: The Strada della Forra: the eighth wonder of the world is on Lake Garda.

 

[yessuz]

you can get into your car, set destination where you want and it will show all stops and trip duration

 

[expat]

Hi all,

We will be heading to Riva Del Garde in Lake Garda at the wend of October. Will be the first Europe trip for me and my M3P, so I don't have any experience with the various routes or any charging challenges with my M3P. I have just found out the the MontBlanc tunnel is closed (thanks to another thread on here), which was the way i was planning on going from talking to a friend that does this route twice a year (nut in an ICE).

So I have looked on Google Maps to a new route, and it seems to suggest a few routes mainly through Germany, through to Basel to Lucerne to Milan and to Lake Garda.

Over to ABRP next to check recommended charging stops, and it only shows a completely different route which is through from Brussels, Karlsruhe, the over the mountains (i guess) in Innsbruck to Bozen onto Lake Garda,

So my question is, are either of these routes better etc? My only goal is getting there ASAP with least amount of hassle.

Thanks in advance for any advice

I've driven down that way three times the last year. You've got to pay tolls in France, but I think you can avoid most of them by going via Belgium. But then the French motorways are really nice and a lot less stressful to drive on compared to the German autobahn. I like to avoid the autobahn if I can and prefer the French roads going south. You need a vignette for Switzerland which is around 40-50 € and another one for Austria, which is about half the price of the Swiss one, but limited to a week or so. Going through Italy there are also tolls, and the driving is more spirited than in Germany. At least the speeds are lower.

Don't worry about charging, just stop when the car tells you to.

 

[yessuz]

for the French and Italy tolls I can recommend Bip&Go tag.

beauty of it is that you pay one month later...

 

[djtaylor]

We're heading down to Lake Como next year, planning to route Furka Pass in Switzerland and probably return via Mont Blanc tunnel.
I see that Fulli still have their cheap deal on toll badge which includes France and Italy:-

Fulli Nomade + : France, Spain, Portugal, Italy - Fulli

The Fulli Nomade + badge is a single badge for travelling between France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Don't stop at toll booths anymore !

www.fulli.com

If you go for this, see my post on Ulys toll badges (how to) in case you use a UK bank account. Short summary is that you need a bank that processes EU SEPA direct debits, easy ways include Revolut and Starling but you should add a Euro account to them and pop some funds in there. Then it's effortless.
Switzerland now offers digital vignette:-

The Official Swiss E Vignette | Vignetteswitzerland.com

Here you find all the information regarding the Swiss E Vignette. Read when it will be available….

vignetteswitzerland.com

Oh and as others have said, there's no hassle, the worst part is the UK side.

 

[s_zigmond]

you can get into your car, set destination where you want and it will show all stops and trip duration

This - I had everything planed when going from Leeds (via Newcastle) to Italy, and then ignored it all and just let the Tesla satnav decide. Each way I ignored one suggested stop knowing that i actually wanted to stop longer for lunch at the next stop so wanted to use more charge.

 

[yessuz]

excatly!

I had suggested stops by car, but during the drive, just checked the sat nav screen, saw that next charger is still reachable and push along.

easy

 

[Leejmoff]

I did Lake Lugarno this year. I honestly just put it in the car and went. Its so good the sat nav. Tells you the best route and you can double check if you want to reroute another way. Tolls weren't that bad. Had to pay for a vignette in Switzerland too €40 up till Jan24 I think it is.
I would trust the car. We used a tag for the French tolls and it was so easy.

We did the Gothard Pass too, fantastic views, you also have the Furka Pass near there.

 

[yessuz]

as mentinoned above, I actually, before the long drive, just plug destination in the ABRP to see the general idea/duration of drives and stops.
and then I just check if there are any chargers near the place I am going to stay in.

all the rest - done by car

 

[spdpsba]

all the rest - done by car

If you do not face the same issue I had where the car’s sat nav refused to calculate anything beyond its battery range. As I had prepared using the ABRP was not caught off-guard, so good to prepare a little bit about charging stops etc., as routes can be planned using google. Anyhow, it is rare but it does happen. At the moment I am at MK services fixing that battery issue - it is going to be a 4hrs wait - any suggestions in Milton keynes (didn’t prepare for 4hrs)- I can’t see any hire e-scooters or other ways of commuting other than hiring a cab to go to the centre of MK. Leave a message if you are a local.

Btw, the OP seems to have forgotten he had asked this question - so I am not going to further waste time exploring options for the OP.

 

[yessuz]

but car does calculate all beyond it's range. it tells you all the stops required to reach destination...

regarding MK: best offer most likely is to look for Asian Spa, get a good massage and you might get additional service offerings most likely happily one hour :/ do not know what to suggest for remaining 3...

 

[hgmichna]

I also use Bip&Go for the Italian stations. Very convenient! You just drive through the "t" lane, and the barriers open when you approach.

For Austria you can install the ASFINAG app on your phone. You need two different toll permissions, the general Autobahn "vignette" and the Europa Bridge—or whatever it's called—route toll. You can order both through the app. The route toll registers your number plate and does not run out. Every time you pass there, the toll is deducted.

The Autobahn vignette has to be ordered for 10 days or in the near future alternatively for 1 day, once this new rule is established.

In the app choose a business trip, because that will allow you to have the vignette valid the next day, rather than 18 days later. Not sure if this is so just for German or EU cars, but it can't hurt to say you're travelling on business.

If you don't use the app, you have to stop at a station along the Autobahn in Germany, buy the (real) vignette and stick it to your windshield. It is difficult to remove, so I avoid that like the plague.

There are plenty of Superchargers along the Autobahn, just not at Lake Garda. Try to charge at your accommodation.

 

[spdpsba]

but car does calculate all beyond it's range. it tells you all the stops required to reach destination...

If you don’t get an error message - unable to do DC charge

btw, thanks for your MK suggestion - not remotely interested in it slippery slope and all

 

[yessuz]

If you don’t get an error message - unable to do DC charge

btw, thanks for your MK suggestion - not remotely interested in it slippery slope and all

completely understandable I would prefer to go to normal massage place for like 45 minute session, while waiting, but you have to be careful with those Asian places

by the way, DC charge error is car's error, or charger's? since you are in services regarding battery, I suppose it is car?

I, on the other hand, had issue with car's AC converter

 

[s_zigmond]

My one bit of advice would be to try and

If you do not face the same issue I had where the car’s sat nav refused to calculate anything beyond its battery range. As I had prepared using the ABRP was not caught off-guard, so good to prepare a little bit about charging stops etc., as routes can be planned using google. Anyhow, it is rare but it does happen. At the moment I am at MK services fixing that battery issue - it is going to be a 4hrs wait - any suggestions in Milton keynes (didn’t prepare for 4hrs)- I can’t see any hire e-scooters or other ways of commuting other than hiring a cab to go to the centre of MK. Leave a message if you are a local.

Btw, the OP seems to have forgotten he had asked this question - so I am not going to further waste time exploring options for the OP.

your 4 hours will now be up, but did you not get uber vouchers from Tesla to just to what you want?

 

[spdpsba]

uber vouchers from Tesla to just to what you want?

I didn’t know they give Uber vouchers for getting a massage No, I was just joking. I didn’t know about Uber vouchers but the guys at the SC fixed mine in an hour. So didn’t have to wait for 4 hours. Next time will remember to collect the Uber vouchers for massage as @yessuz suggested!

 

[WannabeOwner]

I honestly just put it in the car and went. Its so good the sat nav.

When everything is easy. There are situations where it isn't and, for me, worth checking the route in ABRP beforehand to see what alternatives exist. Mind you, I've been driving Tesla since 2015 ... there is, of course, a lot more choice for charging than there was, and it gets easier every year.

I want to choose somewhere nice for lunch. I want to take advantage to charge from "empty" to "full" during that time. How does that fit in with previous / subsequent stop. Similar for overnight stop where hotel has a charger (which doesn't show on SatNav) and I want to plan my journey that I will arrive empty there, and will leave full, and whereabouts will that get me, including charging stops, for lunch the following day.

Most obvious place to charge, from where I start, would be at Folkestone Chunnel, but sometimes it is busy. The first leg in France is a long one (unless a Supercharger has been added since I last did it, its a difficult reach with a SR - "Max seed 60MPH" type thing). There is a charger outside the Chunnel at the French end, but I would be well confused if car was taking me West when I knew I wanted to drive South. I am actually better off deliberately charging short of the Chunnel in the UK, but I expect Satnav would take me to Folkestone and expect me to wait if it is busy, regardless of my train crossing.

For me, there are two routes to the French Alps - one more East, the other more West. With ABRP I can review both routes - on the day I will check with e.g. Waze to see what the traffic is like on both, or there might be other reasons why we would choose one. We like a particular Aire for a stop. Of course I can choose that Aire as a waypoint in Tesla SatNav too, but for me the bigger overview and the what-if (temperature / speed) in ABRP, viewed on a PC with a decent sized screen, and the times for the individual legs so I can consider who might be driving ... and so on.

In the old days of ICE we would just set off. We would refuel when the car was down to 50 miles, and we'd turn off the autoroute and take pot-luck looking for a nice little village with a restaurant for lunch. But we didn't need to charge during lunch back then. So now I do a bit more planning so we can still choose somewhere half decent for lunch, and also get a charge. The restaurant by the charger at Macon is a good example. 20 stalls (or something like that) in the middle of a field, in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no services ... except a restaurant next door.