melstravel

I could really use some driving advice - the current plan is to take 4 - 6 days and drive from Munich, Germany down to Lyon, France - stopping in Bern, Switzerland and anywhere else along the way we feel like. I have gotten directions and travel times from Mapquest, etc, but I can't really tell what kind of conditions I will be running into since I am traveling in late October. Do I have to worry about snow in October? From some of the maps I've seen, it looks like we will be on the edge of the mountains - is that right? I was planning on renting a small compact or intermediate car - would that be advisable with the terrain I am driving in??
I have gotten so many tips from this forum and website - any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

nytraveler

In October you are unlikely to run into snow unless you go to the mountaintops or try to drive over the highest mountain passes. It's too early for snow in the areas around the mountains - and if you do run into any - they simply clear the roads just as they do here.

That said - I would not rent the smallest model car to travel through the mountains - not that it's unsafe - but I'm sure it can be very frustrating to take forever to get up a hill.

melstravel

thanks nytraveler - i was worried about the compact cars and the mountains - i'll definatly look bigger

tomboy

Beware of falling leaves!

treplow

You should not have any problems, since you will be travelling essentially in the "foothills" between Munich and Bern, and the roads between Bern and Lyon are all major traffic routes.

However, (1) one of the road tunnels crossing underneath the alps on the way to Lyon has just been closed for apparently quite some time. (Accident, with damage to the tunnel)You better check that out. Was in the newspapers about a week ago.
(2) If you pick up a car in Munich and drop it off in Lyon, there will be a fairly steep drop-off charge. You better check with AutoEurope how much that will be. There's no charge if you pick up and drop off a car in the same country.