Up-to-date hints on hungary/romania route to bg
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Up-to-date hints on hungary/romania route to bg
Hi all, as D day is now only 12 days away before we take the plunge and drive forever to BG is there any one out there that have done this trip or know of someone that has done it in the last couple of weeks. We are coming over in a 3.5 ton luton and travelling through france germany austria hungary and romania. Info that i would like is how much hungarian currency might i need for tolls and vignette, also any advice on safe stopping/sleeping areas. Also the same info for romania. Am not sure whether to enter BG at Vidin or continue through romania and come into BG from rouse as we are heading for yambol area. Any info on snow conditions would also be really helpfull. thanks. ted & mandy
Hi, have a safe journey!
Serbia is the quickest way and from our experience OK although some say different. Have not crossed into Bulgaria at Vidin but have been advised against as have been told your vehicle needs to go on a ferry across the Danube and the ferry is apparently old and perhaps not as safe as it might be. No doubt we'll get a load of reply posts saying its all 5 star! Anyway, the route via Ruse is fine and the way we take if not going via Serbia which for us is more of a summer route than for winter driving. We would advise not sleeping the night in Romainia, and have been advised the same by friends who are Romanian nationals. Just on the border of Hungary and Romania on the motorway there is a motel/filling station/restaurant which we have used twice. Not having any local currency we paid in EUR on a credit card. Journey food etc through Hungary we bought with fuel and paid on a credit card at service stations with no problem. Romania is beautiful but the facilities for motorists leave a lot to be desired! We went through Pitesti and Bucharest(take the first right as you enter the city on the ring road to go towards Ruse). It's always a relief to get back to Bulgaria although we have not had any problems in Romania and have stayed with Romanian friends at their house. Hope this is of help, please PM us for more detail
Serbia is the quickest way and from our experience OK although some say different. Have not crossed into Bulgaria at Vidin but have been advised against as have been told your vehicle needs to go on a ferry across the Danube and the ferry is apparently old and perhaps not as safe as it might be. No doubt we'll get a load of reply posts saying its all 5 star! Anyway, the route via Ruse is fine and the way we take if not going via Serbia which for us is more of a summer route than for winter driving. We would advise not sleeping the night in Romainia, and have been advised the same by friends who are Romanian nationals. Just on the border of Hungary and Romania on the motorway there is a motel/filling station/restaurant which we have used twice. Not having any local currency we paid in EUR on a credit card. Journey food etc through Hungary we bought with fuel and paid on a credit card at service stations with no problem. Romania is beautiful but the facilities for motorists leave a lot to be desired! We went through Pitesti and Bucharest(take the first right as you enter the city on the ring road to go towards Ruse). It's always a relief to get back to Bulgaria although we have not had any problems in Romania and have stayed with Romanian friends at their house. Hope this is of help, please PM us for more detail
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rock_roland
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Hi
Here is your route. I would recommend the Serbia-route, highways are better. Pay attention to the speed limits, laser every 20 km.
Start GB Dover Destination BG Sofia
Distance 2327.00 km Duration 22:15 h:min
Date 30.11.2007 Maut*/Fees 31,40 EUR
* ohne etwaige Vignetten
Routenbeschreibung ...
Dover - Dunkerque - Brügge/Bruges - Gent/Gand - Brüssel/Bruxelles - Liege/Luik - Verviers - Aachen - Düren - Köln - Siegburg - Limburg - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt/Main - Aschaffenburg - Würzburg - Erlangen - Nürnberg - Neumarkt/Opf. - Regensburg - Deggendorf - Passau - Wels - St. Pölten - Györ - Budapest - Novi Sad - Belgrad - Nis - Dragoman - Sofia
We did the Serbia-tour twice, without any problems. Keep some cash money (Dinar, to be changed after passport control) or your card. Have a nice journey.
Roland
Here is your route. I would recommend the Serbia-route, highways are better. Pay attention to the speed limits, laser every 20 km.
Start GB Dover Destination BG Sofia
Distance 2327.00 km Duration 22:15 h:min
Date 30.11.2007 Maut*/Fees 31,40 EUR
* ohne etwaige Vignetten
Routenbeschreibung ...
Dover - Dunkerque - Brügge/Bruges - Gent/Gand - Brüssel/Bruxelles - Liege/Luik - Verviers - Aachen - Düren - Köln - Siegburg - Limburg - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt/Main - Aschaffenburg - Würzburg - Erlangen - Nürnberg - Neumarkt/Opf. - Regensburg - Deggendorf - Passau - Wels - St. Pölten - Györ - Budapest - Novi Sad - Belgrad - Nis - Dragoman - Sofia
We did the Serbia-tour twice, without any problems. Keep some cash money (Dinar, to be changed after passport control) or your card. Have a nice journey.
Roland
HI
The ferry at Vidin is fine.
The only reason not to be traveling in Romania at night is that the roads over the mountians are a bit hairy even in daylight.
And we had a Sat Nav showing the hairpin bends.
I would have thought the weather is your problem.
Don't know what the serbian roads are like?
Neil and Trudy
The ferry at Vidin is fine.
The only reason not to be traveling in Romania at night is that the roads over the mountians are a bit hairy even in daylight.
And we had a Sat Nav showing the hairpin bends.
I would have thought the weather is your problem.
Don't know what the serbian roads are like?
Neil and Trudy
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rock_roland
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on or around 10th december heading for varna, from newcastle. If anyone is heading out around same time would be nice to convoy!!
we did the Serbia route in October and it was very good - dont expect to do the route in 22 hours as posted above as I dont think thats realistic the quickest we have ever done it was with two drivers and it took 24hrs from Sofia to Amsterdam - we got the ferry back to North Shields which cuts the mileage down a bit. If you decide on the Romania route the ferry is perfectly safe! sometimes you have to wait a while for it to fill up or if its busy for it to come back but I have never thought it unsafe and we have been on it about eight times now
Hi Tammat,
I live in Romania, Timisoara, and when ever we drive to Bg we always go via Serbia. At the moment the roads from Timisoara/Vidin are still under repair and the alt route via Buch/Russe is very, very busy. The normal drive time from Timi/Bucharest is approx 10hours.
If you do take on Romania try to make it on a Sunday, a hell of a lot less traffic.
Seeing as though you are driving a big un then my personal advice is to keep to motorways as much as possible, and here there are next to none, go via Serbia.
In general from Timisoara to Sofia it takes me around 7/8 hours and from there to Sliven another 2/3 hours.
Have a good trip and also read the other threads/bloggs about road trips from the Uk.
Ah, BTW, in general, Hungary and Serbia (OMV stations allways except cards and euro's)
55k's or 65k's from Buda is a great overnight, excellent food and clean room's, when I come back from Buda I always stop off there for a snack.
7red
I live in Romania, Timisoara, and when ever we drive to Bg we always go via Serbia. At the moment the roads from Timisoara/Vidin are still under repair and the alt route via Buch/Russe is very, very busy. The normal drive time from Timi/Bucharest is approx 10hours.
If you do take on Romania try to make it on a Sunday, a hell of a lot less traffic.
Seeing as though you are driving a big un then my personal advice is to keep to motorways as much as possible, and here there are next to none, go via Serbia.
In general from Timisoara to Sofia it takes me around 7/8 hours and from there to Sliven another 2/3 hours.
Have a good trip and also read the other threads/bloggs about road trips from the Uk.
Ah, BTW, in general, Hungary and Serbia (OMV stations allways except cards and euro's)
55k's or 65k's from Buda is a great overnight, excellent food and clean room's, when I come back from Buda I always stop off there for a snack.
7red
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rock_roland
- Super User!
- Posts: 478
- Location: Berlin / Sv. Vlas
- Contact:
LUCI wrote:we did the Serbia route in October and it was very good - dont expect to do the route in 22 hours as posted above as I dont think thats realistic the quickest we have ever done it was with two drivers and it took 24hrs from Sofia to Amsterdam - we got the ferry back to North Shields which cuts the mileage down a bit. If you decide on the Romania route the ferry is perfectly safe! sometimes you have to wait a while for it to fill up or if its busy for it to come back but I have never thought it unsafe and we have been on it about eight times now
Yes, Lucy, its very optimistic to do this route in 22 hours. We did it from Germany and spent a night in Szeged, 10 minutes beside the route. It was cheap, 52 € BB for two and they have a parking court. Then started early in the morning, right after breakfast, and reached SB at 8 pm. But the streets are good, the traffic police is present (follow the fastest car because the first one has to pay the penalty) always with hand radar. Nevertheless I can recommend this route.
Roland
Hi Tammat,
We drove to/from Bulgaria via Romania in September/October. You can pay for the vignette in € or Hungarian forints and they cost €7 or forints 1750. Don't forget to buy one because there are checks in service areas.
It's about 240 miles from the Austrian to Hungarian border and depending of your mpg you may be able to cross without stopping for fuel. We paid about 80p/litre (300 forints/litre). I was able to use my debit card on the way back but on the way down the petrol station insisted on cash.
On the way down we had exchanged €50 into forints (there are about 375 forints to the £ so this was about 12,500 forints) on the ferry. We paid for the vignette in forints and for fuel and had little left for anything else.
We'd stocked up snacks, nibbles and drinks before we left England and Bulgaria and this saved us having to buy food along the way.
I have a blog covering our trip which may give you a bit more information.
All the best
M
We drove to/from Bulgaria via Romania in September/October. You can pay for the vignette in € or Hungarian forints and they cost €7 or forints 1750. Don't forget to buy one because there are checks in service areas.
It's about 240 miles from the Austrian to Hungarian border and depending of your mpg you may be able to cross without stopping for fuel. We paid about 80p/litre (300 forints/litre). I was able to use my debit card on the way back but on the way down the petrol station insisted on cash.
On the way down we had exchanged €50 into forints (there are about 375 forints to the £ so this was about 12,500 forints) on the ferry. We paid for the vignette in forints and for fuel and had little left for anything else.
We'd stocked up snacks, nibbles and drinks before we left England and Bulgaria and this saved us having to buy food along the way.
I have a blog covering our trip which may give you a bit more information.
All the best
M
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