Self-drive Ski Holidays to Austria

Driving to Austrian ski resorts

Driving to Austria’s ski resorts doesn’t take as long as you might think – set off from Calais early morning and you can be in your chalet or hotel by suppertime, or stop off somewhere mid-way and arrive the next day for lunchtime.

Departing from Folkestone, the Euro Tunnel whisks you across the channel to Calais in France in 35 minutes, and on busy weeks, the trains run four times each hour.

Another option is the Dover to Calais ferry which usually takes about 90 minutes – a nice amount of break time if you’ve already been driving for a few hours, and a chance to stretch your legs and have a change of scene.

Once you’re in Calais, our favourite Austrian self-drive ski resorts take about 10-12 hours to get to (not including stops). Routes usually lead through northeast France, then either southeast through Germany or south to Basel and east through Switzerland.

Approx. toll costs for driving to the Austrian Alps from Calais:

50-60€ (as of 2021)

Approx. fuel costs for driving to the Austrian Alps from Calais:

80-100€ (as of 2021)

Austria road rules

Legal driving age: 18

Drive on the right

Seat belts must be fastened

Items required for driving in Austria (as of 2021):

• Driving licence
• Proof of insurance
• European breakdown cover
• ID/passport
• Motorway Vignette (toll sticker) on windshield
• V5C Certificate
• Headlamp deflectors
• Reflective jacket
• Warning triangle
• First aid kit
• Winter tyres (recommended)
• Special seatbelts / restraints for children under 14 or 150cm tall

Also needed for driving through France:

• Breathalyser
• GB sticker
• Spare bulbs
• Crit'Air vignette if driving through Paris, Lyon or Grenoble

Also needed if driving through Switzerland:

• Motorway/autobahn vignette
• Snow chains
• Headlights on at all times
• Seatbelts fastened at all times
• Spare pair of glasses/contact lenses if you wear them
• Winter tyres (recommended)

Good overnight stops on a drive to the Austrian Alps:

Some drivers like to do the whole trip in one day, while others prefer to add an extra day to the holiday with a stop en-route. The drives to most Austrian ski resorts pass some fabulous cities in France, Switzerland and Germany.

Reims – France’s Champagne region

Strasbourg – the capital of Grand Est (aka Alsace) in NE France

Basel – the Swiss city on the Rhine River (for drives to the Arlberg region or Ischgl)

Zurich – Switzerland’s biggest city (for drives to the Innsbruck region)

Munich – Germany’s capital of Bavaria (for drives to the Salzburg region or Kitzbüheler Alps)

Best Austrian Ski Resorts for Self-drive:

With distance and approximate non-stop driving time from Calais

St Anton

602 miles, 10.5 hours

St Christoph

647 miles, 10.5 hours

Zurs

647 miles, 10.5 hours

Lech

650 miles, 10.5 hours

Seefeld

650 miles, 10 hrs 50 mins

Ischgl

623 miles, 11 hours

Kuhtai

651 miles, 11 hours

Solden

660 miles, 11 hours

Igls

661 miles, 11 hours

Neustift

670 miles, 11 hours

Ellmau

676 miles, 11 hours

Niederau

677 miles, 11 hours

Soll

678 miles, 11 hrs

Oberau

680 miles, 11 hours

Westendorf

682 miles, 11 hours

The above information was accurate for the 2017/18 ski season, but we always recommend checking the latest laws and journey details through the likes of RAC and ViaMichelin. Find more driving tips and information from SNO here or browse our self-drive holidays in France, Switzerland, Italy or Europe.