cost of driving from uk to spain

[SteveBarbosa]

Hi Dean, me and the family are also driving down to spain at the end of July. It will be a slow meander through france and into the pyrenees to catalunya, across to cantabria/asturias, then down to castilla la mancha.

After much deliberation (and a hefty 3k bill for the latest repairs - don''t ask!) we've decided to take our uk car down with us. We're going to re-register it in spain eventually, but for now we're gonna just 'cruise' it for a while. I just find that if I'm going to leave the country I love and have lived all my life and move on then flying is such a crude way of traveling in these circumstances - much better to know where I've been than to know where I'm going. Thats my view anyhow.

We havent mapped out the route yet as we're so busy packing, but I guess we'll take a mixture of toll roads and get side tracked now and again.

Xose - thanks for that advice! Its good to know. We'll have european breakdown cover for a while, but it still wouldn't prevent over zealous tow truck blokes getting in the way if we have a misfortune. Here's praying that we dont. :-)

Sorry, as for the total costs we dont know, but we've gotten quotes for the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff at around 300 quid (car with roof rack and bikes). Then petrol is around £60/64eur per 400 miles (eek!), then there are tolls which I havent got the foggiest. Also we're hoping to buy a tent (big enough for 2 adults & a 1 yr old) and camp our way down with the odd break now and again at a hotel. We originally wanted to campervan it down but too expensive to purchase and insure.

Regards, Steve

[Xose]

Originally Posted by SteveBarbosa

Hi Dean, me and the family are also driving down to spain at the end of July. It will be a slow meander through france and into the pyrenees to catalunya, across to cantabria/asturias, then down to castilla la mancha.

After much deliberation (and a hefty 3k bill for the latest repairs - don''t ask!) we've decided to take our uk car down with us. We're going to re-register it in spain eventually, but for now we're gonna just 'cruise' it for a while. I just find that if I'm going to leave the country I love and have lived all my life and move on then flying is such a crude way of traveling in these circumstances - much better to know where I've been than to know where I'm going. Thats my view anyhow.

We havent mapped out the route yet as we're so busy packing, but I guess we'll take a mixture of toll roads and get side tracked now and again.

Xose - thanks for that advice! Its good to know. We'll have european breakdown cover for a while, but it still wouldn't prevent over zealous tow truck blokes getting in the way if we have a misfortune. Here's praying that we dont. :-)

Sorry, as for the total costs we dont know, but we've gotten quotes for the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff at around 300 quid (car with roof rack and bikes). Then petrol is around £60/64eur per 400 miles (eek!), then there are tolls which I havent got the foggiest. Also we're hoping to buy a tent (big enough for 2 adults & a 1 yr old) and camp our way down with the odd break now and again at a hotel. We originally wanted to campervan it down but too expensive to purchase and insure.

Regards, Steve

A great site to play with for ideas of cost and route is viamichelin.com

I got this by just entering from Calais (pick any place inside calais it offers, it don't matter much in the grand scheme of things) and to Barcelona. The result was :
Costs 203.03 EUR
Toll 83.05 EUR | Petrol 119.98 EUR | Road tax EUR
Time 11h57 which 11h25 on motorways
Distance 1323 km which 1296 km on motorways

Great place to play with what if scenarios.

Worth knowing also that lorries are off the roads on Sundays. So this is a good day to travel. Mind you, if you're avoiding the Autoroutes and opting for the tree lined country routes typical of French motoring brochures, be aware that summer (specially weekends) releases millions of 40 mph caravans and they're all going where you are and they're all toguether behind the lorry on a hill on a two way route national. Avoid the temptation to join the cannonball run if you find yourself in this situation. Typical of this situation, if you do choose the scenic routes, be very aware when overtaking - not just what's coming at you, but a bigger threat IMO is what's about to overtake you and the 5 cars behind you, doing about 80mph on a 50 road and about to go right up your jacksie if you don't see him. This is a common danger in route nationals. If you adopt the chilled out approach, you just let them get on with it and enjoy the pantomime.

Last thing, be aware of the hours and hours of driving at high speed effect. This is when you're doing 50/55 and could have swarn (officer) you were doing about 30. Your mind finds it difficult to judge "slow" when you've been driving fast for a long time. Adding to this problem is that your car is probably heavier than you're used to on a daily basis and so breaking times are very deceptive. This is particularly relevent when you come off the motorway straight into Route Nationals and where most "fender bender" accidents happen.

Have a fantastic trip and be safe.

Xose

[Jogirl]

Hi, try ViaMichelin: Maps, route planner, route finder, UK maps, European maps, hotel booking, travel guides they will give you a complete breakdown of the cost of driving from the UK to Spain including all tolls, fuel useage etc, to your chosen destination.

[Lawrence brown]

I hope this reply is not too late for you,
I drove to the South of Spain quite recently and it cost me about £300 including everything.
I have a Wife and a three year old, and it worked out cheaper than flying, and with no luggage restrictions!
My advice is Don't take the Toll roads unless you are on a strict timetable, plan on taking at least a couple of days to get there, and try to see something in France on the way.

[SteveBarbosa]

Originally Posted by Lawrence brown

I hope this reply is not too late for you,
I drove to the South of Spain quite recently and it cost me about £300 including everything.
I have a Wife and a three year old, and it worked out cheaper than flying, and with no luggage restrictions!
My advice is Don't take the Toll roads unless you are on a strict timetable, plan on taking at least a couple of days to get there, and try to see something in France on the way.

No, not too late. We're still getting packed and the removals companies have given us quotes. We just need to decide on one. As for our plans, we are going via car to St Malo (with bikes and a roofbox on the car roof with the intention of spending at least a week in Brittany. Then we'll drive down through the western side of France (if anyone can recommend good places to camp over there I'm all ears ;-)). We will then head through the pyrenees with a few days there.

After that we don't know whether to do the north coast of spain to Galicia and down through Santiago-Salamanca-Segovia-Toledo, or head to Girona-Barcelona-Cuenca. Any recommendations or opinions will be gratefully recieved.

We can't wait as its all a bit stressful at the moment!

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by SteveBarbosa

No, not too late. We're still getting packed and the removals companies have given us quotes. We just need to decide on one. As for our plans, we are going via car to St Malo (with bikes and a roofbox on the car roof with the intention of spending at least a week in Brittany. Then we'll drive down through the western side of France (if anyone can recommend good places to camp over there I'm all ears ;-)). We will then head through the pyrenees with a few days there.

After that we don't know whether to do the north coast of spain to Galicia and down through Santiago-Salamanca-Segovia-Toledo, or head to Girona-Barcelona-Cuenca. Any recommendations or opinions will be gratefully recieved.

We can't wait as its all a bit stressful at the moment!

GALICIA!!! It's gorgeous.

I don't know what would happen if you turned left at Irun (the border) but if you turned right, it's phenomenal scenery - along the whole of that coast and you pass some great places to stop at, including the very well known San Sebastian beach. One thing I would say, having done the trip SSOOOOO many times over the years, and ultimately preferring San Sebastian - Burgos - Palencia - Benavente - Galicia, in other words, opting for good fast roads as opposed to wonderful scenary, coastal roads, is that after around 700 miles already covered going through France, 4-500 more lovely scenary or not are suddenly not as appealing (especially with kids in the back of the car!!) Of course, this alters significantly if you do the touristy thing and you can take time to stop and smell the coffee! Perhaps a stop at Le Mans or say, Orleans, if you're not going on the motorway. Then, Bordeaux, and then lastly, Biarritz, before heading to the border. Sounds crazy, but all part of the opportunity if you have the time and you like that sort of thing - and you will arrive at Irun nice and relaxed, as opposed to arriving (you and the car) steaming and stressed!!

Tallulah.x

[bobtheboat]

we take a toyota avensis to mazarron exactly 1400 mile each way cost us about 1400 ( takes into account euro rate) including fuel, two nights hotel. tunnel. takes us three days. we dont go mad french motorways are brilliant but costly. sometimes we go via andorra one time we caught the toour de france and the police shut the motorways with no diversion routes posted so we avoid that way now.

this year i managed to get car for 2 months for 760 pounds thru avis promo so i am flying.

regards bob

[cuevadame]

Use ViaMichelin maps for the directions/costings and ADAC for your European Breakdown cover and you won't go far wrong. In France look for the 'Logis' sign for your (cheap) accommodation.

It's a great trip whichever route you take (avoid Paris though!) and you'll enjoy your adventure!

[SunnySpain]

IF you are serious about doing the coast of Galicia and want to see something worth seeing and by that I mean something quite special, then you should avoid drive straight down the coast motorway / national road from San Sebastian to La Coruna and then drive down to Vigo before taking the real motorway to Salamanca, not forgetting to stop off at Tally's mansion for a cup o tea -

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by SunnySpain

IF you are serious about doing the coast of Galicia and want to see something worth seeing and by that I mean something quite special, then you should avoid drive straight down the coast motorway / national road from San Sebastian to La Coruna and then drive down to Vigo before taking the real motorway to Salamanca, not forgetting to stop off at Tally's mansion for a cup o tea -

Based on the number of visitors we get, it's now listed as POI on all GPS systems. You nutter!!