Road Trip from Copenhagen to Paris (incl. stops along way)?
 

I am hoping to rent a car in Copenhagen and drive to Paris over the course of 4 days stopping along the way at some cities to see some sites (perhaps Berlin, Prague, Munich, Zurich, for a few hours at each but being flexible). It appears possible based on Google Maps but wanted to get thoughts on how realistic this is and things I may not be considering (e.g. border logistics, car rental issues) - I could do without stopping in Switzerland, but figured it'd be a nice scenic addition. Appreciate any feedback or thoughts!

Not realistic at all. Cars are next to useless or totally useless in most of those cities, the one way drop off fees can be enormous, and your list of cities is VERY far flung so it would be a "Great Race" sort of thing where you jump out of the car, take a photo and jump back in the car.

that would be a two or three week itinerary, not 4 days.

Janis is right. Your plan is utterly unrealistic.

When you say cars are useless, is it possible to park cars in Hotel lot? I will look into the one way drop off fee I appreciate that heads up.

Assuming that's not an issue, we could take out zurich and do: Copenhagen to Berlin (7hrs drive) and spend the rest of day there. Leave Berlin next morning to Prague (5 hrs drive) and spend rest of day there. Leave Prague next morning to Munich (5 hrs drive) and spend rest of day there. Leave Munich and go to Paris(8 hrs drive). I have to end up in Paris and will be there for several days.

It will not be a thorough visit to each, but 8 - 12 hours (excluding sleep time) to see a major site, eat a meal, drink a beer and break up the driving time.

When you say cars are useless, is it possible to park cars in Hotel lot? I will look into the one way drop off fee I appreciate that heads up.

Assuming that's not an issue, we could take out zurich and do: Copenhagen to Berlin (7hrs drive) and spend the rest of day there. Leave Berlin next morning to Prague (5 hrs drive) and spend rest of day there. Leave Prague next morning to Munich (5 hrs drive) and spend rest of day there. Leave Munich and go to Paris(8 hrs drive). I have to end up in Paris and will be there for several days.

It will not be a thorough visit to each, but 8 - 12 hours (excluding sleep time) to see a major site, eat a meal, drink a beer and break up the driving time.

Have to agree with the others. Cars are useless in those big cities because they are BIG cities with crowded streets and no-drive zones and, even if you manage to get around all that, parking costs will be astronomical.

The one-way drop-off fee between countries can easily be as much as or up to twice as much as the cost of your actual car rental. Someone has to drive the car back, and we''re talking a loooong distance.

The only way you'll make those driving hours you're citing is if you stay on the autoroutes all the way with no stops and, one hopes, no deviations or back-upos - and how much fun is that? Have you looked at the costs of tolls and fuel?

Once you actually get to one of your destinations, "the rest of the day" is paltry. It's beyond an understatement to say "it will not be a thorough visit to each." Even if you find hotels that have parking (not easy), they will likely be on the outskirts of the city, so you won't be able to just pop around the corner for a look-see at a museum, a cold beer, and a bite to eat. You'll need to scramble around on public transportation to get in and back, thereby cutting down your already minimal time by a fair bit.

I just don't see the point, especially on a continent that has such excellent, inexpensive train service.

Thank you that was very helpful and useful information as to why car wouldn't be a good option! I will be in Copenhagen and have to be in Paris 4 days later so just trying to make the most of the time.

Have you figured in the cost of fuel?
Your timings are very optimistic and involve only motorway driving, and toll roads too. You will need a sticker for the Czech republic as well.
To drive in Berlin and Munich centre you will also need a green umwelt sticker.

It seems like a lot of driving, going way out of your way, and expensive too.

I think he understands, heti.

Skott, check out the Man in Seat 61 website for a wealth of information on trains in Europe. This could be a very pleasurable trip - just not on the tarmac!

Look into the drop-off fee first, and then decide if you still want to do this. Some hotels may have parking, but it will not be free, and could be expensive (I just paid 36 euros to park in Paris for 24 hours). Tools to plan your driving, like Mappy or ViaMichelin, seldom take into account city traffic and rush hour.

So, yes, it is physically possible to do that drive in 4 days. You'll have a few hours late afternoon and evening in each place.

Is this a one way rental? If so, I would check the one way drop off fees as the other posters have suggested as this might make the proposed trip too expensive.
Otherwise, your trip is not unfeasible although I might suggest dropping Zurich as you don't have much time.
I've done a long trip this year driving from the UK to Sweden & it took less than 24 hours. I used my own car. I can see how it is totally possible to do a long road trip. Check things like congestion charge, parking fees etc.
Driving from Copenhagen to Northern Germany is a breeze, you can take the ferry from Rodby to Puttgarden and then go to Berlin.

>>I've done a long trip this year driving from the UK to Sweden & it took less than 24 hours<<

But Odin -- you weren't sightseeing. The OP wants to SEE things along the way.

skott2112: >> have to be in Paris 4 days later so just trying to make the most of the time.<<

The way to make the most of your time is take a train to say Amsterdam and stay 2 nights, then maybe a train(s) to Ghent or Brussels or Bruges and stay another night. Or you could go to Berlin for a couple of days, then Amsterdam and on to Paris. But NOT in a car . . .

Train links from Copenhagen are pretty bad, there aren't even good night trains - just a night bus (!) to Berlin. Copenhagen to Amsterdam takes all day. I'd spend longer in Copenhagen and Paris and fly between them. (And I am a big fan of train travel.)

Or fly. I did Copenhagen Brussels some time ago not costly.

Check on kayak.com if you find book on actual airline site.

Air Berlin to Berlin I suppose. Easy jet to Paris.

>>Train links from Copenhagen are pretty bad,<<

I thought of that <i>after</i> I posted :( -- I'd fly to some city (tons of options depending on which one seems to interest you most) then take trains or fly from there to a 2nd city. Like fly to Amsterdam, trains to Ghent or Bruges then train to Paris. Or fly to Berlin and train or fly to another city then on to Paris.

Of course I think it is possible, but you'd have to find hotels on the outskirts of cities, preferably near a bus or metro stop so you could go into the center to sightsee. So a lot of research would be required, but it is possible. ALl cities have some modern business hotels or other types on the edges which will have parking facilities most of the time, some with fees and they are not usually 30 euro or more if on the outskirts. You just can't be driving into the center of cities very well.

For example, in Prague, you'd be coming down from the north from Berlin. I'd look for a hotel on Strelnicna near Ladvi metro stop or near Strizkov metro stop, like Hotel Duo http://duo-praha-hotel.pragueshotel.net/en/

But that plan would only be if you decide to go ahead with this based on the drop off fees for the car.

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Of course I think it is possible, but you'd have to find hotels on the outskirts of cities, preferably near a bus or metro stop so you could go into the center to sightsee. So a lot of research would be required, but it is possible.</i><<

Okaaaay? Copenhagen > Berlin > Prague > Munich > Zurich > Paris is nearly 1500 miles and the drive time would be about 25 hours if there was no traffic and <u>without a single stop</u> for rest/ a meal or sightseeing. 4 days - 8 hours a day driving. So in 'real life about 10 hours a day in the car, on motorways not on any scenic roads. If scenic was wanted then you are talking maybe 12 hours a day in the car - for 4 straight days . . . Just what would one <i>see</i>?

And arriving at these 'modern business hotels on the edges of the cities' at 6 or 7 PM or later will leave just loads of time - not.

Unrealistic and quite MAD. Quite silly.

In Europe most city hotels do not have parking lots. (Have you ever been in a city - and seen hotels with parking lots - they're not roadside motels.) More upscale places may have garages (at $35 or $40 per night) or you might have to park in a public garage. You cannot drive cars in the most central parts of several of these cities since they are pedestrianized.

And your itinerary is a complete nonsense. You could do it only with multiple drivers taking turns, making brief stops for meals and gas and short photo ops - and probably driving through most of the night.

All you would do is sit in the car the whole time.

If you really want to see anything in any of these cities you would have to be on the road very early - 5 am or so - to get to the next city at a time when most of the things you would want to see are still open. Have a couple of hours to sightsee, grab a quick dinner and get to bed for another 5 am start. (Your total driving time is about 35 hours, plus stops for gas and food and probably another hour getting in and out of the start and end city - so an average of 9 hours a day on the road. Starting at 5 am would get you to the next city at 2 pm - or 4 pm if you leave at 7 am.

Plus the drop off charge for such a trip would probably be in the range of $500.

For perspective, we have done numerous road trips in many parts of europe and loved them. However, there are a couple of rules:

Road trips are good for the countryside or smaller towns - having a car makes no sense in large cities

We never drive more than 4 hours or so per day - so we have time for a lunch stop and afternoon sightseeing

We NEVER do one night stops, do 2 or 3 nights for smaller towns and for cities at least 4 nights (so you can see more than the single top sight and also the countryside around)

Cost of gas is very expensive, tolls can be high, for parking we assume $40 per night, and drop off charges enormous depending on the countries, car model and rental agencies. We don;t care about the cost but for anyone with a limited budget trains with discount tickets bought in advance are usually cheaper.

And to actually see anything of any of these places you need to allow at a minimum 2 nights (one full day), preferably 3 nights - for 2 full days.