Driving to Austrian ski resorts
Driving to Austria’s ski resorts doesn’t take as long as you might think – set off from Calais early morning and you can be in your chalet or hotel by suppertime, or stop off somewhere mid-way and arrive the next day for lunchtime.
Departing from Folkestone, the Euro Tunnel whisks you across the channel to Calais in France in 35 minutes, and on busy weeks, the trains run four times each hour.
Another option is the Dover to Calais ferry which usually takes about 90 minutes – a nice amount of break time if you’ve already been driving for a few hours, and a chance to stretch your legs and have a change of scene.
Once you’re in Calais, our favourite Austrian self-drive ski resorts take about 10-12 hours to get to (not including stops). Routes usually lead through northeast France, then either southeast through Germany or south to Basel and east through Switzerland.
Approx. toll costs for driving to the Austrian Alps from Calais:
50-60€ (as of 2021)
Approx. fuel costs for driving to the Austrian Alps from Calais:
80-100€ (as of 2021)
Austria road rules
Legal driving age: 18
Drive on the right
Seat belts must be fastened
Items required for driving in Austria (as of 2021):
- Driving licence
- Proof of insurance
- European breakdown cover
- ID/passport
- Motorway Vignette (toll sticker) on windshield
- V5C Certificate
- Headlamp deflectors
- Reflective jacket
- Warning triangle
- First aid kit
- Winter tyres (recommended)
- Special seatbelts / restraints for children under 14 or 150cm tall
Also needed for driving through France:
- Breathalyser
- GB sticker
- Spare bulbs
- Crit'Air vignette if driving through Paris, Lyon or Grenoble
Also needed if driving through Switzerland:
- Motorway/autobahn vignette
- Snow chains
- Headlights on at all times
- Seatbelts fastened at all times
- Spare pair of glasses/contact lenses if you wear them
- Winter tyres (recommended)
Good overnight stops on a drive to the Austrian Alps:
Some drivers like to do the whole trip in one day, while others prefer to add an extra day to the holiday with a stop en-route. The drives to most Austrian ski resorts pass some fabulous cities in France, Switzerland and Germany.
Reims – France’s Champagne region
Strasbourg – the capital of Grand Est (aka Alsace) in NE France
Basel – the Swiss city on the Rhine River (for drives to the Arlberg region or Ischgl)
Zurich – Switzerland’s biggest city (for drives to the Innsbruck region)
Munich – Germany’s capital of Bavaria (for drives to the Salzburg region or Kitzbüheler Alps)
Best Austrian Ski Resorts for Self-drive:
With distance and approximate non-stop driving time from Calais
St Anton
602 miles, 10.5 hours
St Christoph
647 miles, 10.5 hours
Zurs
647 miles, 10.5 hours
Lech
650 miles, 10.5 hours
Seefeld
650 miles, 10 hrs 50 mins
Ischgl
623 miles, 11 hours
Kuhtai
651 miles, 11 hours
Solden
660 miles, 11 hours
Igls
661 miles, 11 hours
Neustift
670 miles, 11 hours
Ellmau
676 miles, 11 hours
Niederau
677 miles, 11 hours
Soll
678 miles, 11 hrs
Oberau
680 miles, 11 hours
Westendorf
682 miles, 11 hours
The above information was accurate for the 2017/18 ski season, but we always recommend checking the latest laws and journey details through the likes of RAC and ViaMichelin. Find more driving tips and information from SNO here or browse our self-drive holidays in France, Switzerland, Italy or Europe.