In about 10 days we will drive from the UK towards Salzburg - for us a well worn trail. I'd appreciate an up-date on my favourite stau Autobahn - the A8. I take it that the innumerable construction areas and contraflows, and their inevitable stau are still there? Is there a decent alternative? Don't mind a slower drive but would like some of the drive to be near road speed so we get to our destinations. Is the A6 any better at the moment? Related questions: feedback on Ulm, Tuebingen, the towns along the Oberschwaebische Barockstrasse, please. These are all places I haven't yet visited. Is there somewhere I've missed that is close to your heart?
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Last time I drove it in early April... same horror story, as usual. The stretch to the east of Stuttgart as you enter the Swäbische Alb is as painful as ever. I've found that taking A6 to A7 is less Stau-prone, although I don't think the faster flow of traffic can compensate for the longer distance. A6 to A8 via A81 helps bypass some of the nastier sections between Karlsruhe and Stuttgart, but it doesn't help you avoid the worst of Stuttgart traffic.
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
This site is very accurate for traffic. They have an app also http://www.antenne1.de/views/service-navigation/service/staus-blitzer.html There's new construction A8 from Stuttgart Kreuz to the STR airport. It's awful almost all the time right now.
Posted by
Missouri City
252 posts
We last visited Tuebingen in September. One of our favorite old towns. The famous Rathaus and adjoining square, the Neckar River bridge with it's lovely views across the river and the park below with all the many plane trees. Do eat at the Weinstube Forelle if you get a chance. Very good! http://www.weinstubeforelle.de/Forelle/index.html
Posted by
washington
837 posts
Ulm interesting for a couple of hours at least. As I recall, the cathedral is the tallest in Europe.
Posted by
OP
Northamptonshire, England
33842 posts
Thanks very much for hints. Is there a reasonable "surface street" - to use a LA expression - alternative to the A8? I see the Autobahn alternative, but like you it looks to me like the mileage would take as long as the Stau. I don't mind driving through the countryside if its moving. There are some things I'd really like see along the A8 or I'd pop up to the A6 for the whole journey. Hmmm. Is it worse eastbound or westbound, or are they about a wash? Of course I would take rush hour into account.
Posted by
Lake Forest, CA, USA
1633 posts
This probably doesn't help much, but I just checked google maps and they showed the A3 being the same distance and time to Salzburg. Probably isn't the scenery you want. Just a thought...
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
"Is it worse eastbound or westbound, or are they about a wash?" In my experience, eastbound is usually worse. The big caveat is that I'm usually driving eastbound during rush hour on a Friday, and driving westbound on a Sunday.