Do I recommend working a full day in the office and then driving 1000km, well, not really. However, neither can I recommend going to the airport only to be delayed, treated like cattle, strip-searched, and then seated on a plane next to a grotesque stranger who believes in taking showers only on an annual basis. So, what about the alternatives, what's it actually like to drive from Zurich to London instead of flying?

Funnily enough, it is quite relaxing. Depart Zurich at 7pm, get to Basel by 8pm, then the choice of going through Germany or France. On the French side, the roads are good and pass glamourous landmarks like the "National Wallpaper Museum". On the German side, the traffic is sometimes heavier, but usually moves fine at around 150km/h. Beware of Porsche's and the like doing 250 km/h, but they tend to respect other road users and should not be cause for excess concern.

Whichever route is taken, first check-point after Basle is Strasbourg, home to the European Parliament. One drive past the stunningly vast government buildings is all it takes to know where EU taxpayers money is going. Then head north to the quaint town of Metz, and onwards to Luxembourg for a fuel stop. Fiscal policy in Luxembourg means that a litre of petrol costs about 1 Euro, compared to 1.30 Euro in the surrounding countries.

Aim to cross the Belgian border by 23:15 and continue north towards Bruxelles, also a home of the European Parliament! (For some reason 1 head-quarters was not enough). To speed up the journey its best to bypass Bruxelles by turning off beforehand at Namur and go west to Mons, then to the French border at Tournai.

Should be into France by 01:15 and that leaves only a quick 100km sprint from Lille to Calais. By this time the roads are almost empty and can often drive for ages without seeing another vehicle. Although beware of people who are late for their ferry and driving like Michael Schumacher. I was passed by a BMW X5 doing about 130km/h, which at that time of night would not bother me. However, whilst the BMW was designed for that speed, the caravan it was towing at the time sure as hell wasn't!!!

Once into Calais, a 02:30 check-in yields a 03:00 ferry departure, arriving Dover at 03:15 UK time. From there, a 90 minute dash got me to London and into bed by 05:00 which is the same time people get home after a major night of clubbing.

So, is it quicker than flying?....No, the door to door time is twice as long. Doubt even Gumballers or Jeremy Clarkson could beat the plane on this route!

Is it safer than flying?....Statistics say no, although by driving yourself you are master of your own destiny to a greater extent, plus the terrorist threat is vastly lower!

Is it cheaper than flying? If you factor in all the costs like vehicle depreciation then probably not, but on the trip itself I paid 50 chf for fuel in Switzerland, 11 Euro peage motorway fee in France, 35 Euro for fuel in Luxembourg, and the ferry crossing is 35 Euro each way. Quite close to a plane ticket in total, but the savings add up if you have passengers in the car and/or excess luggage.

Is it better than flying?....in my view yes, not always, but for most trips around Europe I prefer to drive. You get a glimpse of different countries and cultures, learn and see things you otherwise would have missed, you have a comfortable spacious seat, listen to your own choice of music at the volume you want, travel with exactly who you like when you like, set your own air temperature and will not be disturbed by badly behaved children, smelly people, laptop computers, people using in-flight sick-bags etc. Plus if you get tired or see a beautiful little hotel then you can chose to stop, where as plane pilots are less likely to grant whimsical detours from the flight plan. Even in terms of the carbon footprint and resources, the impact is often similar or less when driving.

Of course everyone has their own travel preferences and that is great, would be dull if we all did the same thing. At the end of the day, you pays your money and you take your choice. Pros and Cons on all sides and whichever means of transport you chose I wish you a good journey! Regards, Phil

philMar 31, 2007 @ 02:57