Driving to Berlin

[Guest Breadvan72]

Wir fah'rn fah'rn fah'rn auf der Autobahn ...

 

I have an old college friend who lives in Berlin.  He is not at all well and may not be around for long. Another old college friend and I have decided to visit our sick friend in late July.   My other friend will Ryanscair from Newcastle (yes, I know two actual Geordies, and he is one of them), but for some reason that I cannot discern, I have a strong urge to drive to Berlin alone in an old car, and back again.  

 

The vehicle would either be my Rover 2600, a good cruiser with lots of luggage space, or the Lancia Beta Coupe that I am shortly to take possession of, which is said to be a good mini-GT.   Suggestions that I go by Sherpa van or UMM will be met with Paddington hard stares.  The Dolly would do the trip OK, I reckon, but it is a bit tiring to drive for many hours.  

 

Some of you will have done this trip or a similar trip.  Tunnel, or ferry?  Overnight in Hannover?  Any charming country inns near the route?      I shall start from south Oxfordshire, about two hours from the Chunnel.   I speak the most basic schoolboy German, mega basic.  I speak good conversational French. 

 

Also, I may possibly carry on from Berlin and go to Krakow.  This is mad, I know, but that's another topic.   Maybe not Krakow, as it is far away and being there alone would make me sad, because reasons, but perhaps Warsaw.  The only thing that I know how to say in Polish is "I love you".  I need some car Polish.  

 

Whatcha reckon?

 

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Hanover,+Germany/Berlin,+Germany/@51.6389967,1.7279733,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0x47b00b514d494f85:0x425ac6d94ac4720!2m2!1d9.7320104!2d52.3758916!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!3e0

[Guest Breadvan72]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11h73WhqK4

[Dave_Q]

We drive to the Netherlands for our summer holiday some years. 

 

My only tip is CHUNNEL4LYF_YO. You roll up, chill out for a few mins, drive on, drive straight off to the motorway at the other end. 

 

Including queueing it's normally under an hour all in for us. 

 

Cost is about £80 each way depending on time of day and length of booking notice. 

 

 

The ferry is the mingebag way as it can be as low as £40 or so return, but takes flipping ages in comparison.

 

 

Also, Y U NO drive in Sherpa for free portable hotel?

[Junkman]

I drove it in one go a few years ago, but that was with the Olds Delta 88, which means it was around the corner.

 

One ALWAYS takes the ferry when going abroad. Only having taken the ferry boat means one has actually travelled abroad.

Everything else is meh.

 

Best route is NOT via Hannover, but the old Bundesstraße 1 instead, i.e. Dortmund - Unna - Soest - Paderborn - Bad Lippspringe - Bad Pyrmont - Coppenbrügge - Elze - Hildesheim - Braunschweig, where you can either rejoin the Autobahn A2, or continue on the country road running parallel to it, all the way to Berlin.

The B1 is sort of a German version of Route 66, flanked with all kinds of meanwhile alienated 30s - 50s roadside architecture, so highly recommended.

[Longblackcoat]

Yeah, because a long journey in the Sherpa would never be contemplated, would it?

 

Anyway, leaving that aside, I reckon the Rover would be the best of your fleet to take, if only because it's better at crooozin' along motorways, which is what I expect you'll do. 

 

Key is to figure out how fast you want/need to get there. You don't have aircon and so you'll be rather hot in July, and trying to do that distance in a day is just silly. I reckon I'd do the Northern route - head through Belgium, then head for A2 (I think) that passes Dortmund. I'd probably stop at Dusseldorf on the way (a bit before you get to Dortmund, and only 20k off your route) and stay near the Altstadt - hundreds of bars and restaurants in what they claim is the longest bar in the world. It's a little bit more than half-way, but not by a great deal, and would leave you another 500km to do the next day.

 

Last time I stayed in Dusseldorf it was a company thing so I have no idea where it was or what it cost. Had a great night out though.

 

And I'd definitely take Eurotunnel - you have a long day's driving and you might as well save an hour 

 

 

Edited to say: piece of piss to get from Berlin to Krakow, as I'm sure you know. Not even a full day's drive, and it's absolutely lovely. Well, the nice bits. There's some shockingly shit Soviet-era architecture, but sitting in the main square drinking green beer was a summer highlight when I last visited.

[Guest Breadvan72]

As for long trips in the Sherpa, keep schtum!  

I have done Eurotunnel many times when going skiing in France or Austria, or when going to Italy, but I wondered if a ferry might be more old school and shitey.

 

I will deffo stop off overnight on the way.  I fancy the country road idea via Dortmund etc. 

 

Also, what about this?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Hanover,+Germany/Berlin,+Germany/Prague,+Czechia/Nuremberg,+Germany/Paris,+France/Postcombe/@50.5897119,2.272322,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0x47b00b514d494f85:0x425ac6d94ac4720!2m2!1d9.7320104!2d52.3758916!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x470b939c0970798b:0x400af0f66164090!2m2!1d14.4378005!2d50.0755381!1m5!1m1!1s0x479f57aeb5b61cd3:0xdd5daf85a98c21b7!2m2!1d11.0796553!2d49.4254092!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e66e1f06e2b70f:0x40b82c3688c9460!2m2!1d2.3522219!2d48.856614!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

[Junkman]

Düsseldorf my arse. Why not Disneyland straight away?

[Peter C]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

 

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/w123-european-trip-full-report.87635/

 

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/european-road-trip-report-w124-e220.121903/

[Longblackcoat]

Düsseldorf my arse. Why not Disneyland straight away?

 

I know they both have ten letters and start with D, but one of them's unspeakably shit and the other one serves decent beer. 

[Junkman]

As for long trips in the Sherpa, keep schtum!  

 

I have done Eurotunnel many times when going skiing in France or Austria, or when going to Italy, but I wondered if a ferry might be more old school and shitey.

 

I will deffo stop off overnight on the way.  I fancy the country road idea via Dortmund etc. 

 

Also, what about this?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Hanover,+Germany/Berlin,+Germany/Prague,+Czechia/Nuremberg,+Germany/Paris,+France/Postcombe/@50.5897119,2.272322,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0x47b00b514d494f85:0x425ac6d94ac4720!2m2!1d9.7320104!2d52.3758916!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x470b939c0970798b:0x400af0f66164090!2m2!1d14.4378005!2d50.0755381!1m5!1m1!1s0x479f57aeb5b61cd3:0xdd5daf85a98c21b7!2m2!1d11.0796553!2d49.4254092!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e66e1f06e2b70f:0x40b82c3688c9460!2m2!1d2.3522219!2d48.856614!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

 

 

Yar dooin it RONG!

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Paris,+France/Milan,+Metropolitan+City+of+Milan,+Italy/Vienna,+Austria/Warsaw,+Poland/Berlin,+Germany/Hamburg,+Germany/Bruges,+Belgium/Postcombe/@49.1217869,1.0513331,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m56!4m55!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e66e1f06e2b70f:0x40b82c3688c9460!2m2!1d2.3522219!2d48.856614!1m5!1m1!1s0x4786c1493f1275e7:0x3cffcd13c6740e8d!2m2!1d9.1859243!2d45.4654219!1m5!1m1!1s0x476d079e5136ca9f:0xfdc2e58a51a25b46!2m2!1d16.3738189!2d48.2081743!1m5!1m1!1s0x471ecc669a869f01:0x72f0be2a88ead3fc!2m2!1d21.0122287!2d52.2296756!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x47b161837e1813b9:0x4263df27bd63aa0!2m2!1d9.9936818!2d53.5510846!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c350d0c11e420d:0x1aa2f35ac8834df7!2m2!1d3.2246995!2d51.209348!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

[Guest Hooli]

I've ridden there, via Bremen. I'm not sure of the roads we took but found some nice ones down the side of a river & stopped in a delightful little town for lunch, I can't remember name of it though.

[Guest Breadvan72]

LBC: Fuck Milan.  ROME.  

[Longblackcoat]

Yar dooin it RONG!

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Paris,+France/Milan,+Metropolitan+City+of+Milan,+Italy/Vienna,+Austria/Warsaw,+Poland/Berlin,+Germany/Hamburg,+Germany/Bruges,+Belgium/Postcombe/@49.1217869,1.0513331,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m56!4m55!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e66e1f06e2b70f:0x40b82c3688c9460!2m2!1d2.3522219!2d48.856614!1m5!1m1!1s0x4786c1493f1275e7:0x3cffcd13c6740e8d!2m2!1d9.1859243!2d45.4654219!1m5!1m1!1s0x476d079e5136ca9f:0xfdc2e58a51a25b46!2m2!1d16.3738189!2d48.2081743!1m5!1m1!1s0x471ecc669a869f01:0x72f0be2a88ead3fc!2m2!1d21.0122287!2d52.2296756!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x47b161837e1813b9:0x4263df27bd63aa0!2m2!1d9.9936818!2d53.5510846!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c350d0c11e420d:0x1aa2f35ac8834df7!2m2!1d3.2246995!2d51.209348!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

 

Advantage of JMs route is that you'd be passing my (French) front door so you could pop in for the night. 

[Guest Breadvan72]

Fuck that.  TANGIERS.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Advantage of JMs route is that you'd be passing my (French) front door so you could pop in for the night. 

 

 Mais j'ai pense que tu es un slacquer Geordie de Watford, eh?

[Junkman]

If you do this, I'm coming with you:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Fes,+Fes-Boulemane,+Morocco/Cairo,+Cairo+Governorate,+Egypt/Berlin,+Germany/Postcombe/@39.3260028,-2.8032959,4z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m32!4m31!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0xd9f8b484d445777:0x10e6aaaeedd802ef!2m2!1d-5.0078451!2d34.0181246!1m5!1m1!1s0x14583fa60b21beeb:0x79dfb296e8423bba!2m2!1d31.2357116!2d30.0444196!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

[Longblackcoat]

Fuck that.  TANGIERS.

 

How many weeks are you planning? Sod it, take three weeks and go to Berlin via the Route Napoleon. Or, I dunno, Iceland. Or Lillehammer.

[Longblackcoat]

If you do this, I'm coming with you:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Postcombe/Fes,+Fes-Boulemane,+Morocco/Cairo,+Cairo+Governorate,+Egypt/Berlin,+Germany/Postcombe/@39.3260028,-2.8032959,4z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m32!4m31!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!1m5!1m1!1s0xd9f8b484d445777:0x10e6aaaeedd802ef!2m2!1d-5.0078451!2d34.0181246!1m5!1m1!1s0x14583fa60b21beeb:0x79dfb296e8423bba!2m2!1d31.2357116!2d30.0444196!1m5!1m1!1s0x47a84e373f035901:0x42120465b5e3b70!2m2!1d13.404954!2d52.5200066!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876ed4585071349:0x56cfcb67bc253ed0!2m2!1d-0.971442!2d51.691187!3e0

 

Via Syria? Might want to rethink cars and/or fit armour plating.

[Junkman]

But for an imminent visit to a friend in Berlin, I stick with my initial suggestion and I trust you would enjoy the B1 stint.

Anything along the route East of Paderborn is mindboggingly beautiful and for overnight you just drop into a Gasthof that takes your fancy.

[Guest]

Done it a few times, have family between Bremen and Hamburg so always stopped over there, have done Central Poland to Dunkirk in 1 go, but it's pretty boring. Hate the tunnel,so always Dover - Dunkirk...off again on Monday down to Switz/Austria.

 

Try the coast- up the Zuider Zee,Gronigen, Hamburg, Lubeck,Rostock etc.

[John F]

Done it a few times, have family between Bremen and Hamburg so always stopped over there, have done Central Poland to Dunkirk in 1 go, but it's pretty boring. Hate the tunnel,so always Dover - Dunkirk...off again on Monday down to Switz/Austria.

 

Try the coast- up the Zuider Zee,Gronigen, Hamburg, Lubeck,Rostock etc.

 

When you were there did you see a hedgehog fucking a shrew in a standing position?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3JO5KGyEAI (0:29)

[Guest Breadvan72]

OK, the plan is coming together.  I will take the B1 route that Herr Graf Von Junkenshagger has recommended, and overnight in Haus Gemutlicht somewhere on route.  I will tunnel, because although ferry is echt korrekt, I CBA.  My Geordie friend fat Martin will meet me in Berlin, and after seeing our pal there and doing lots of kinky sex and drinking and such, Martin and I will avoid Poland and drive to Prague for a night on the pils.  Then he will Ryanscair back to Geordietoon and I will proceed via Nuremberg and Paris to go home.  

 

I mildly fancy the Lancia for this gig, but will need to give it a good shakedown first.  The long legged, power steered and six cylinder Rover is the more logical choice.    The Rover may also be a reminder for the Europeeps of the soon to be forgotten Brits, although I am lucky enough to have a harp on my passport and so won't be a marginalised loser like all those English types after 2019.  "The fifties, but no Elvis", and all that.

[Junkman]

...but will need to give it a good shakedown first.

Nah, you just jump in and drive that sumbitch across the continent and beyond.

Like you do with cars. Because that's what they are there for.

[stillOrange]

I'm driving to Karlstad in July.

 

I wish I had a choice of cars like you.

 

I think I would take the Lancia.

[cros]

This is my Sherpa in Morocco in 2007. It drove there and back in 3 weeks, 4000+ miles no problems whatsoever. You'd barely get the choke in going to Berlin in one

[eddyramrod]

Elephant in the room here.... why has nobody advised you to take a left-hand-drive car?  Something like, oh say a 70s Cadillac, which would eat up the miles without you having to think about it, and puts you on the correct side for tollbooths, car parks etc.....

[stillOrange]

Eddy, do you rent Huggy out for rides?

 

Oh it sounds sooo dirty!

[eddyramrod]

Only if you're supplying cars to The Great Antiques Hunt or some such.... there are plenty of these things available to buy if one knows where to look

[Junkman]

Yeah, in Sweden.

[eddyramrod]

Actually.... why not assemble a shortlist of suitable candidates, fly one-way and buy something to bring back?  There might even be someone on this very forum who's done stuff like that recently...