Brussels to Stuttgart - which route?

[IJP1]

Which route would you take (have you taken) from Brussels to Stuttgart?

Last year I went a deliberately scenic route via Metz and Rastatt. This year, however, I want basically the faster route.

Via Michelin takes me through Luxembourg, the AA take me towards Cologne and down the A61 past Koblenz.

Thoughts?
Ian P.

[wibble]

Which route would you take (have you taken) from Brussels to Stuttgart?

Last year I went a deliberately scenic route via Metz and Rastatt. This year, however, I want basically the faster route.

Via Michelin takes me through Luxembourg, the AA take me towards Cologne and down the A61 past Koblenz.

Thoughts?
Ian P.

I've quite some experience of the Stuttgart -> Saarland route, and also drove the following (return) on my trip from Munich to the UK last year, so here is a route I'd suggest....

Brussels A4/E411/E25 -> Luxemburg A6/E25, A3/E25, A13/E29 -> Germany A8/E29 (caution TOTSO at Dillingen/Saarlouis).

(You could take A8-> A620 via Saarbrücken -> A6 -> A8 but you run the risk of hitting bad traffic in Saarbrücken, as the A620 runs along the river straight through the city - or the road could be flooded if the river is running high!)

Traveling via Lux allows a cheap fillup at a petrol station! The A8 just into Germany is S2 or S2+1 for a very few km (~5km, definitely less than 10km) but is otherwise fully open.

At the end of the A8 at Pirmasens take the B10 to the A65 Landau. The B10 is a mix of HQ S2 ("Happy car road") , or S2+1, some D2 and some normal S2, it is a good way of cutting off the corner, rather than going up to Mannheim.

From Landau take the A65 -> B10 (HQ D3) through Karlsruhe.
At the A5 junction, keep right, and you reach the A8 juncition without entering the mainline of the A5. Keep on the A8 until Stuttgart.

Alternatively, on a busy traffic day (e.g. Friday evening), an alternative to going through Karlsruhe and the A8 to Stuttgart could be:

A8 to the A6 north of Saarbrücken, then A61 at Frankenthal, then A6 once again at Hockenheim (stop to visit GP track if you want , until A81 at Heilbronn south to Stuttgart. (but the A6 can also be busy, so it is not a clear alternative choice )

[pjkh]

I did this journey a couple of years ago (as part of a larger journey). Went the way mentioned above to Luxembourg, then crossed the border into Germany at Trier (A1 L - A48 D). Saw the biggest petrol station I've ever seen.
Went up the Mosel valley, which was very nice, and cut the corner to the A61. Did a bit of the Rhein then A61 A6 A5.

Germany's definitely the way to go. Remember that older routes can have speed restrictions if they're not well maintained, but often the same routes are less busy and therefore unrestricted. Costs a fortune in fuel.

[JosephA22]

Bear in mind that most if not all of the A61 is speed limited to 120kmh, D2, and tends to get a large amount of HGVs.

Last autumn I had to make the journey from London to Pforzheim (near Stuttgart) and back several times, and after trying a couple of routes, I settled for the following: A4 towards Koln, then A3 towards Frankfurt, A67, A5 and A8. It is mostly free of speed limits, a lot of it is D3 and was ok whenever I drove it (admittedly never during rush hour though). I recommend it if you enjoy high speed autobahn driving, and it's not really much longer than the A61 route.

Plus, the A67 between Darmstadt and Mannheim (if you choose this route rather than the A5 past Heidelberg) is unrestricted, straight as an arrow and fun to blast down.

[Octaviadriver]

Last year, I went via Luxemburg on a journey from Munich to Calais as the petrol is much cheaper and its worth arriving there with an empty tank! I was not alone, judging by the size of the petrol station and the queues of German and Belgian registered cars!

[IJP1]

Many thanks for all these suggestions.

Firstly, I'm glad there's no obvious answer - it's not just me being daft!

As I say, I did do it last year, but deliberately lengthened it via Metz. I have also done the reverse, going from near Strasbourg to Calais via Saarbruecken (must confess I did not enjoy the 2x1 B10).

I'll add, for now, that I am going on Sunday 9th (day of the World Cup Final) - does that change your views?

[Dadge]

I tried the Metz route once for a change but had to pay a toll. My normal route is up the long climb via Arlon, Luxemburg and Trier, though I haven't been for a couple of years - have they plugged that short gap in the motorway yet? It helps that you can fill your tank cheaply in Luxemburg on the way.

The motorways from Trier down to the Rhine are scenic and not too busy - the only slight difficulty is turning the right way at the junctions. A

[wibble]

Many thanks for all these suggestions.

Firstly, I'm glad there's no obvious answer - it's not just me being daft!

As I say, I did do it last year, but deliberately lengthened it via Metz. I have also done the reverse, going from near Strasbourg to Calais via Saarbruecken (must confess I did not enjoy the 2x1 B10).

I'll add, for now, that I am going on Sunday 9th (day of the World Cup Final) - does that change your views?

In that case, plan your drive through any busy sections at the time the match is on - everyone will be watching the match on TV.

Then make sure your car is off road by the time the match is finished - if Germany win, expect huge numbers of cars cruising up and down city centre roads with horns blaring, and people hanging out of windows waving flags. (*)

In fact, it probably doesn't really matter who wins; in Stuttgart, there'll be enough people supporting any team to cause havoc!

(*) I always think this must be a prime case of many people drink-driving. The average football supporter will have supped a beer or three during the match, and then they climb into the car, and go "cruising".....

[IJP1]

Wibble,

Don't get me wrong, I will DEFINITELY be watching the match!

Leaving Brussels 9am!

Ian P.