Driving to Bulgaria from the UK

Driving to Bulgaria by car can be a little bit challenging. Especially if, like we did, you are moving all your belongings at the same time.

We spent a lot of time planning the best route. Looking at websites, routeplanners, maps, forums, and talking to family, friends and complete strangers about it.

Coming from the UK there are a number of routes you can choose to get to Bulgaria. One leads through Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Romania, and then enters Bulgaria from the North. We did not take this route, because it takes you through the Carpathian mountains, which apparently are a nightmare to drive. Loads of really slow trucks, small, winding roads, high and steep mountain passes. With a fully loaded car and trailer we thought this would be asking for trouble.

A second route is essentially the same as the first, but instead of going through Romania, leads through Serbia and then enters Bulgaria from the West. From what we heard this is a very good route. And we probably would have chosen it if we could have got insurance for driving through Serbia. We phoned almost every insurance company in the UK, but for one reason or another no-one was able to offer insurance for driving through Serbia.

The third route goes through France or Germany, Switserland, Italy, Greece, and then enters Bulgaria from the South. This is the route we took and we found it a very good route indeed. The only disadvantage is that you have to take a ferry from Italy to Greece, which is quite expensive. It is a nice change from driving though.

But first… to the Netherlands!

Being from the Netherlands it was of course compulsary for us to go to Holland first to say goodbye to family and friends. So we took the ferry accross the channel at Dover and then drove North through France and Belgium into our country of birth. If you are going straight for Bulgaria from the UK, you could either drive through France and into Switserland (you would be paying some toll). Or you could go via Germany and avoid the toll roads.

It took us five days to drive from the Netherlands to Bulgaria. We drove roughly ten hours a day at a speed of around 50 miles an hour, changing seats every two hours. This is quite a leisurly pace and it would probably be possible to do it quicker. But we had a fully loaded car and trailer and just wanted to arrive safely and relatively fit.
Anyway, enough introduction now. It is time to fasten your seatbelts and read the story of our journey to Bulgaria.

from the Netherlands to South Germany

We woke up feeling quite anxious about whether we would make it there. After our good old Vauxhall passed away in the UK, we had to buy a new car in the Netherlands, and you never really know what you are going to get. Is it going to be strong enough to tow a fully loaded trailer over the Alps and into Greece and Bulgaria? Only time will tell…

We left for Bulgaria at 9AM on a sunny Wednesday morning. The first 100 kilometres or so were to the Dutch border at Venlo. Common knowledge says that the German "Autobahnen" are the best. So I always thought of them as some kind of Uber-roads: at least four lanes wide, with completely smooth asphalt, spotless road markings, and the clearest road-signs on the planet. So we were a bit miffed to find us driving on roads with only two lanes, different colours asphalt, and road-works going on almost every 50 miles. We found long stretches of road more resembling the ribbed sand you see on a beach at low tide, than the completely smooth surface you would expect. Especially the trailer did not like those humps, and we often had it hopping behind us like a kangaroo.

The road conditions did not seem to deter the Germans from driving with speeds nearing the sound-barrier. While we were hobbling along with our top-heavy car and trailer at 80 kilometres an hour (about 50 miles/hour), we were constantly being overtaken by everyone and everything.

Most of the Germans really seem to support their own economy by the way. About 90% of the car makes we saw were German; Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, Opel. Maybe we all should do the same (although that would mean everybody in England driving Landrovers and no-one in the Netherlands actually driving any car).

We arrived at our first stop at 7:30PM. Quite a few hours later than the route planner originally indicated. I do not know whether the route-planner allowed for sub-sonic German speeds or whether we just drove really slowly. The important thing was that we made it. Both car and trailer did really well, which made us really happy.

Found our room. There was only one non-smoking room in the Gasthof. We did not get it. Whoever was before us clearly did not get it either, because even though the windows were wide open when we entered, the room smelled like an English pub at 11PM before the smoking-ban. There were only two beds, so the people who were before us must have been "chain-smokers".

We left the room as quickly as possible to get some well-deserved German lager and apple-juice. Dave got attacked by a big scary white cat, the scars are now healing. When we went back to our room the smell of smoke had still not fully gone. We fell asleep really easily. I am unsure whether this had to do with the long journey or a near monoxide-poisoning.

From South Germany to North Italy

Nice breakfast in the morning with German style knitted chicken egg-warmers. White cat came in to say hello to everyone. We ignored it and left the Japanese tourists to get their hands scratched.

Car and trailer still there! We left 9 AM. We were stopped at Swiss border by the border police and had to buy a second "vignette" for the trailer: 30 Euros. Explained we had household goods on trailer; no problem. Border police were very grumpy.

The drive through Switzerland was great. What stunning mountains! We took loads of photos mainly from a driving car so they are all crap The higher Alps had snow on them. For a Dutch person this is a really impressive country.

The weather was really nice until we drove through the Gotthard-tunnel: 17 kilometres through a mountain. Impressive piece of engineering. Confirming everything we have learnt during geography lessons in school, the weather was completely different when we came out of the tunnel. The Alps had been hiding a heap of really shit weather from us, it was pouring with rain. A nice Italian guy explained that the crap weather is normally located on the Swiss side of the Alps, but that was not comforting us very much as we had to shelter in the car for 3 hours until the Italian B&B was available to us.

The B&B we had booked proved to be extremely hard to find, so we phoned them up. And the owner very helpfully came down on his moped to guide us, but almost choked when he saw the size of the trailer. I had phoned him beforehand to say we had a trailer, but he said I had not told him it was 3 metres high (it was not). We followed him through the main road of the village, took a very sharp right turn, and had to go up a really steep hill with an extremely narrow single track road. For some reason this road was busier than the high street and cars kept coming down.

Luckily our Moped driving B&B guide managed to stop every single car that came down at a passing place so we could "safely" squeeze through. I would not have wanted to do a "hellingproef" (this is what it is called when you have to drive away when stopped uphill on a really steep hill, this is a special subject during your Dutch driving license test) on that hill with our very heavy old car and trailer. All a bit stressy and lots of sweaty hands, but we made it!

Arrived at the B&B, only to find out that our Moped driving B&B owner was not only a very good guide, but also a had an obsession with security. Every door had to be locked at all times immediately upon passing through it. We did not question it and just stayed in the B&B with the knowledge we were safe from any intruders.

Had a very good "Quattro fromagio" pizza with really nice wine at the local restaurant/bar. We wanted to leave early to have enough time to make it to the ferry in Ancona, to attach trailer to car (it was parked in garage for the night, but it required quite some logistic skills to re-attach it as that had to be done on the crest of two roads with both directions going down 25%) and to make sure we would not meet any moody Italians driving car and trailer through a zillion hairpin bends.

The weather stayed bad whole night with massive thunderstorms and power cut, so nothing else to do but sleep.

From North Italy to the ferry

Left early from North Italy, we got up at 4am and left 5am. Fixing trailer to car went well, apart from sounding horn accidentally and waking up the whole neighbourhood. A dog was walking in the street anyway.

Italian motorways best so far (Germany and Swiss were worse, although quite good). Had to pay toll several times. Fairly dull landscape. Italian drivers fine (they did flash their lights and sounded their horns when we were in the left lane with 60kms / hr but I think they had the right to do so). Signs somewhat confusing. Take some getting used to. The way they indicate an exit suggests the inside lane becomes the exit lane, so we naturally moved to the middle lane (with slow speed, which the Italians did not like), only to find out the sign makers meant there will be an exit but it will be a separate lane.

Arrived at boat. Got ticket. Were bossed around by a police (?)woman on the parking lot. Apparently we were in a bus lane and she thought it would be better for us to take up 3 normal parking spaces instead. We did not argue it.

Long wait at the ferry in Ancona. Quite interesting to see what happened and how the Italians behave. All the men act like cockerels. Very funny to see. Finally got onto Ferry (which is really MASSIVE). Bossed around by 3 Italians in charge of getting every car onto the ferry. Part of the "conversation": back, zuruck, turn, turn, left, right, go, go , arrivadechi, go, turn left, zuruck, si, asshole, (many heated gestures), go, go. Right… STOP! Walks away immediately without looking.

An old man in his car almost got a heart attack because the Italian "logistics managers" almost pulled his steering wheel out of his car when he did not act quickly enough. We almost got an heart attack too because they ordered us to turn the trailer and car around in a space so small any car driver in his right frame of mind would not even dare a parallel park. But we did it. It was unbelievable how many trucks they fitted on the ship! We had a nice meal and the cabin was good.

From Igoumenitsa to East Greece

Woke up in cabin at boat. Inside cabin with no window so no idea of time. Luckily we remembered to charge the mobile phone the night before, so we could see it was a quarter to seven. Went outside for fresh air and day light. Living on a submarine must be really weird. Could already see Greek coast, very pretty. Had amazingly expensive breakfast with stale soggy bread rolls.

We got ready to disembark. In car on car deck. The guys with the whistles were there again going mental. Luckily our car and trailer had already been turned around the day before, we are still in therapy for that. But we could drive off smoothly feeling sorry for our fellow unlucky passengers.

We were worried about being stopped by customs or police because we read the night before we left that any trailer in Greece needs an "oplooprem" (brake on the trailer). And ours did not have that. Luckily there was no customs or police. We did not question it and just drove on swiftly.

Onto the new motorway through the mountains. Very pretty especially near the coast, see pictures! But one part unfinished, with no suggestions how to drive that small bit of 100 km on alternative roads. We had to search for the correct route. No-one seemed to know how to get back onto the motorway. All Greek people very helpful and friendly, but did not know a thing. Playing triktrak (backgammon) in cafes.

After going up a really steep mountain on a really small and really windy road (the car did very well on this ultimate test), and seeing less and less traffic (especially no trucks at all), we realised we were on the wrong route. Of course there was nowhere to turn the car-trailer-combo. We attempted to turn the trailer on a semi-level part of the road by disengaging it and turning it by hand, but were afraid we would push it off the hill and lose it forever. In desperation we decided to drive on and then found a place we could turn 200 metres up the road after the next bend (typical). Turned, went down the road. Backtracked 20 miles up and down a mountain. Found the main route again. Questioned more locals. Studied 2 maps. No-one knew what the best route was. Decided on what seemed reasonable by looking at the map. Soon found out it was, because all the trucks were following it.

Trucks were a mixed blessing. On the one hand we knew that, as long as we saw trucks, we were on the right route. On the other hand some of them were really really slow, especially a Bulgarian trailer with cars on it. It crept up the mountain so slowly that even in first gear we had to work really hard to stop the engine from stalling. At one point we were almost overtaken by a snail. The engine got quite warm, so we had to put the heating on full blast and the windows open. Luckily we were almost above the tree-line in a skiing resort (!), so it was quite cold already. Imagine doing this in July or August. Nightmare. Managed to overtake the car-loaded-trailer-monster on one of the extremely rare parts of that road where there was a straight stretch of road longer than 50 metres. There was a really long queue of cars behind us that did not manage to overtake. We never saw them again.

Found the motorway back after what felt like a lifetime. We consider ourselves environmentalists, so it was quite a weird sensation to feel such euphoria over 60,000 tonnes of asphalt.

Signs all the way on-route about how many hundred million Euros this stretch of motorway or that tunnel had cost. At least we now know where our EU money goes, thank you everyone!!

Lost lots of time and Greece really quite big so had to drive on fast into darkness. We finally arrived at what we thought was the eco-centre where we had booked our overnight stay, only to find it completely deserted.

Walked round with torch, found no-one. Went back to car and onto the road. Drove to village, where all the locals were preparing to go to church, carrying candles (it was Easter evening). In Greece and also in Bulgaria, they take candles, and light it in church from the Easter candles, and take the "light" back home. Quite a nice tradition.

We asked for hotel and miraculously found the real eco-centre. It was about to close, but one person was left and showed us the room, after which he huddled off to church with a candle. We were VERY happy because we were already preparing for a night sleeping in the car.

Room was really hot for no apparent reason. Main source of heat seemed to come from a cupboard. At least our clothes did not get cold.

Quite interesting eco centre. No light saving bulbs. Radiators on full blast with 21°C outside. No water saving shower. Massive floodlight outside on all night (1000Watts) attracting suicidal moths and hundreds of May-bugs (Melolontha melolontha) from 10 km around, including a massive moth which we think is a Great Peacock Moth Saturnia pyri. We slept well though.

From Greece to Bulgaria

On the morning of the last travel day, we woke up feeling rather like the May-bugs that had spend all night trying to crash into the 1000 watts lamp. Had a quick breakfast, where Dave mistook the local cream cheese for yoghurt, so he had a rather hearty bowl of diary.

Hit the road again in the direction of Bulgaria, ominously, the roads started to become worse, to prepare us for what was to come in Bulgaria. We had been having nightmares about the Greece-Bulgarian border crossing for months; it had taken at least one and a half day to load the trailer, if they would ask us to offload to check, it would be a disaster. Luckily they were all in a good mood, after explaining that I had my bed in the trailer (legloto mi), we were allowed to drive on, even with a smile!!

After a few minutes of driving we hit some typical Bulgarian driving conditions; a very new asphalt road in places, but in each village we were diverted along a potholed track along the donkey sheds of the village. Knowing this country a bit, we have to sympathise with the villagers who will probably have to wait five years before the roads in their village are fixed. To wet our appetite a bit for what was to come in Bulgaria, a Black stork (Ciconia nigra) showed itself off flying over a field close to the car. We have already seen this fantastic bird before when we were in Bulgaria.

Not once during the whole journey have we been stopped by the police. Only at the Swiss and Bulgaria border we were asked about the contents of trailer. With only five more minutes to go to our final destination in Strandja, we thought we had made it, only to find the Bulgarian police around the corner waving at us with a stop sign. After inspection of my driving licence, we were allowed to drive the last five minutes. Our friends were waiting for us with Rakia (local schnapps) and a good meal. After drinking and talking for a few hours, we un-packed the trailer and collapsed in a heap.

Our route to Bulgaria

In the Netherlands we took the A16, A58 and A67 to get to the Dutch German border at Venlo. And then into Germany taking the A61 (E31) South to Koblenz and Mannheim. Near Mannheim we took the A5 (E35) South to Karlsruhe and our destination for the day Freiburg in Breisgai.

The next morning we continued to the Swiss border and took the A2 (E35) passing along Luzerne and the beautiful Vierwaltstätter See. Then further South through the impressive 17 kilometres long St Gottart tunnel. Great if you are claustrophobic. On to the Swiss Italian border where we spent the night in Como. To drive through Switserland you need a vignette. We bought one in a Dutch AA shop for the car in advance, but found out we also needed a vignette for the trailer. A grumpy border policeman very kindly sold us one for 35 Euros. Problem solved.

Next day we left very early (at 5AM) to avoid the rushhour traffic around Milan. We took the A9 (E35) and later on the A1 (still E35) South to Bologna. Then the A14 (E55) to Rimini and our destination for the day Ancona. There was some toll to pay so cash Euros were very useful to have to hand.

On to the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa. After a wait of several hours the ferry left early in the evening. We disembarked the next morning in Greece at 10AM. The new A2 (E90) Egnetsia Odos motorway was a joy to drive. If only it would have been finished… Roughly between Metsovo and Grevena there was a whole section of motorway incomplete and no clear directions of where to go instead. After a few hours of going the wrong way we found out that the thing to do is to drive South East in the direction of Trikala (road number 6) for about 30 kilometres, and then take the first road that heads back North (road number 15) towards Agiofyllo and Agioi Theodoroi. This road heads towards Grevena where you can join the new motorway again. A good trick also is to follow the big trucks. As long as you see these long distance trucks you are fine.

We then simply continued on the A2 towards Tessaloniki where we paid some toll. On and on and on to the East passing Alexandroupoli we got close to the Turkish border. Here we took road 51 (E85). We spent the night in a small village a few kilometres away from this road.

Then the final stretch. We continued on road 51 further North passing along Orestiada onto the Greek Bulgarian border at Svilengrad. Once in Bulgaria we continued on smaller roads, but we checked with friends beforehand these were driveable. This is important, as some of the roads marked yellow on the roadmaps are almost non-existent or very difficult to drive. We took the 55 in the direction of Nova Zagora, but turned right in the direction of Topolovrad on road number 76. Here we continued on to Elhovo, Sredets, finally reaching Burgas (over road 79). From Burgas we drove along the Black Sea coast road towards Tsarevo and into Strandja!

Some statistics

• Total distance from the Netherlands to Bulgaria by car 1600 miles.
• About 300 litres petrol used.
• Avarage consumption roughly 25 miles per gallon (stationwagon fully loaded with small trailer fully loaded as well).
• Fuel consumption on flat terrain roughly 30 miles per gallon.
• Fuel consumption in mountains about 21 miles to the gallon.