[Closed] Driving from the UK to Croatia in January

Austria has winter tyres regulations. They are compulsory from 1st November to 15 April in wintery conditions.
I live in Austria. The police here check most foreign cars to ensure that’s the case. It’s your call but I would suggest you get some winter tyres.

BF Goodrich Activan winter. Use them all year round on my T5. Mileage is good, performance seems ok but it’s a van so hard to really tell much difference...

The most direct route suggested by Google is via Austria and Slovenia so does anyone know what the regulations are there for winter tyres?

Rules are different from having some common sense.

Decent all season tyres that not only meet the regs but get you there but make it safer for 3 months of your stay , keep your summer tyres here somewhere.

Because it has to appear in every thread. In the event of a no deal Brexit you will only be allowed to stay for 90days. Beyond that you will need a visa, assuming you are a UK national, note that is 90days from Calais and not from your arrival point.

More helpfully, depending on how you want to get to Italy, to use the Swiss motorways you will need a vignette, and that is c40 CHF, for some reason I think Austria is the similar but I might be wrong???? Just check the predicted route is actually viable in winter, a fair few higher roads do get closed.

Also check on the compulsory snow chain rules.

I think Austria is the similar

You're right. Here

Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland all have rules on winter tyres. I’d just get some and use them all the time. Many standard van tyres are winter compliant.

Cheers for the replies.

Let's add another layer of complexity. I live in Norway but will be heading to the UK to visit family for Christmas and New Year. That means we already own a full set of winter (studded) tyres fitted to a 2nd set of wheels up here. I won't be driving far with those! So we'll be driving to the UK with the summer tyres of course.

To change tyres in the UK would mean leaving behind a fairly new set of summer tyres and I don't especially want to buy another set of winters because we already have some. Plus if I can avoid spending a load of cash moneys on a new set of tyres that would be great.

I was wondering if it might be the case that you can travel on normal tyres but must carry snow chains/socks or something similar that would allow us to get through the alps?

I know about the vingette in Austria and Switzerland and about the 90 day thing, that is the case now anyway, any longer and you must register to say you're living there.

I live in Croatia..... Winter or M+S tyres are compulsory here to November to April, or summer tyres with 4mm tread but I wouldn't risk them.... You also are required to have your headlights on at all times.

Not only for your own safety and others on the road but also for your wallet I'd suggest getting the correct tyres. The police here love the foreigners and will have your pants down with fines if you get caught.

Is that the case across the whole of the country?

I know what it is like with fines, I used to live in Slovenia, same things there! Police stopped us once and tried to claim we were all not wearing our seatbelts. It was pitch black and they were driving about 30m behind, how the flip they could see that I don't know, wanted us to hand over our passports and go pay a fine the next day. Much arguing later they gave up on trying to find something to fine us on.

Anyway, where in Croatia do you live?

There are some exclusions around Dubrovnik and up the coast but then you are relying on the fuzz not trying it on.....

Your story sounds about right for the Balkans. They are not all bad but they can and will try it on knowing very well that most 'stranci' will just pay. I've lived here long enough (7 years, 40km east of Zagreb) to speak the language and know the ways.... Most of the time I can get away with it by blagging or buying them a drink.

My mate here was an ex Met copper. Used to whip out his warrant card when he got stopped and never got a single fine, most of the time they'd take him for a drink. He even got some official Croatian police motor cycle leathers as a gift (he was a biker)..... Irrelevant story but, ya know.

Just fit winter tyres.

I'd probably head south and then either go through the frejus and across italy, or head down to the adriatic and take the ferry direct to split. Distance added probably a couple of hundred miles max so considerably less than a set of tyres. Virtually zero chance of needing them and afaik there will be no legal requirement ie chains would be sensible.

I spend every winter in the southern alps/northern italy, I have seen mahoosive snow fall on the Italian plain but it's very much the exception. Out of the mountains nobody is on winters. Only time I have seen an issue with the gendarmerie is on the col de lauteret - plod was stopping everybody to check winter tyres or ensure chains were fitted - you very much needed them.

In crotia I have no idea what the law is, soz

The power of google.

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/croatia/other_en.htm

It seems if your summer tures have 4mm of tread their ok for winter use, and you'll need to have snow chains with you.
P.s what stompy said.

Snow chains in snow are fine. Winter conditions means 0 degrees or colder. You don’t want to drive on a snow free road at minus 2 with snow chains. The driving handling will be Interesting.
It’s your decision but the only sensible solution is winter tyres.