If i were to drive to Lugano, does anybody have an opinion between taking the Mont-Blanc tunnel or the San Gotthard tunnel to get to Lugano?
I look at the tolls and the route via Mont-Blanc and Italian Autostrada amounts to more than EUR60 one way. Conversely, the San Gotthard route via Interlaken-Bern-Lausanne is almost no toll other than the Swiss Autoroute sticker which I alread have.
Is this correct?
Thanks!
If i were to drive to Lugano, does anybody have an opinion between taking the Mont-Blanc tunnel or the San Gotthard tunnel to get to Lugano?
I look at the tolls and the route via Mont-Blanc and Italian Autostrada amounts to more than EUR60 one way. Conversely, the San Gotthard route via Interlaken-Bern-Lausanne is almost no toll other than the Swiss Autoroute sticker which I alread have.
Is this correct?
Thanks!
Don't know about the toll amounts, but the Gotthard route is entirely in Switz and that's the way my colleagues from Lugano would go (or use Nufenen pass in summer).
Any way you go it's a long drive.
Don't know about the toll amounts, but the Gotthard route is entirely in Switz and that's the way my colleagues from Lugano would go (or use Nufenen pass in summer).
Any way you go it's a long drive.
And the Gotthard can have loooooooong queues, make sure you listen to the traffic report.
When I go to Italy from either Bern or Neuch I always use the Grand St Bernard, no queues and the Italian motorway on the other side is never congested. Makes up for having to pay a toll :-)
And the Gotthard can have loooooooong queues, make sure you listen to the traffic report.
When I go to Italy from either Bern or Neuch I always use the Grand St Bernard, no queues and the Italian motorway on the other side is never congested. Makes up for having to pay a toll :-)
Hi Novecento, if you drive through the Mont Blanc then you have to reach Milan from Val d'Aosta and go North again to cross the border and reach Lugano. In this case you must pay tolls for Mont Blanc + tolls for the Italian highway and it's really a long journey. Not worth at all, including the (probable) queue at the Swiss-Italian border.
Better to go through the Saint Gotthard ... no tolls at all cause your vignette will cover all the road till Lugano. To avoid the queue in Saint Gotthard don't drive saturday.
Hi Novecento, if you drive through the Mont Blanc then you have to reach Milan from Val d'Aosta and go North again to cross the border and reach Lugano. In this case you must pay tolls for Mont Blanc + tolls for the Italian highway and it's really a long journey. Not worth at all, including the (probable) queue at the Swiss-Italian border.
Better to go through the Saint Gotthard ... no tolls at all cause your vignette will cover all the road till Lugano. To avoid the queue in Saint Gotthard don't drive saturday.
I have a friend who drives to Lugano almost every weekend, he is from there. He checks the traffic and decides between these 2 options based on traffic reports.
If you take the San Gottard tunnel you have to pick your timing carefully as you can be stuck in traffic for hours. Because you pay no tolls there compared to the Mont Blanc tunnel, many more people take that route. Usually you're faster through the Mont Blanc, although you can get stuck in traffic there too on popular travel weekends. I drove the Nufenen pass this summer, it's beautiful and free! Doubt it's open now though...
I have a friend who drives to Lugano almost every weekend, he is from there. He checks the traffic and decides between these 2 options based on traffic reports.
If you take the San Gottard tunnel you have to pick your timing carefully as you can be stuck in traffic for hours. Because you pay no tolls there compared to the Mont Blanc tunnel, many more people take that route. Usually you're faster through the Mont Blanc, although you can get stuck in traffic there too on popular travel weekends. I drove the Nufenen pass this summer, it's beautiful and free! Doubt it's open now though...
Worked a year in Lugano and decided best to take the train. It takes 6 hours, driving takes around 4.5 if there are no traffic jams.
When driving have used both options and if there are no traffic jams there is not much to chose between the two (Mt Blanc being slightly quicker but more expensive)
In winter the traffic jasms on the Gothard are almost non existant and if you are thinking of leaving on a Friday evening by the time you get to the Gotthard the jams should have gone. Milan can be bad and there is no logic to when the jams occur (at least i have not found any) and the problem is no matter how carefully you check the conditions, they can change and once you have left Geneva you are committed.
For a one off I would go for Gotthard aing to get there in the late evening. Coming back Gotthard again leaving Lugano after 6pm. This valid for weekends
Worked a year in Lugano and decided best to take the train. It takes 6 hours, driving takes around 4.5 if there are no traffic jams.
When driving have used both options and if there are no traffic jams there is not much to chose between the two (Mt Blanc being slightly quicker but more expensive)
In winter the traffic jasms on the Gothard are almost non existant and if you are thinking of leaving on a Friday evening by the time you get to the Gotthard the jams should have gone. Milan can be bad and there is no logic to when the jams occur (at least i have not found any) and the problem is no matter how carefully you check the conditions, they can change and once you have left Geneva you are committed.
For a one off I would go for Gotthard aing to get there in the late evening. Coming back Gotthard again leaving Lugano after 6pm. This valid for weekends
