So, how to travel from the UK to the Czech Republic by car?
We have done this trip a couple of times, and there are many ways. Since we were travelling with our dogs, it took some planning ahead.
We travelled exactly from Bristol ( UK ) to Šumperk (CZ), Tom’s hometown (Šumperk is a small town in the Czech Republic, about 240km east of Prague and one hour from the Polish border.)
How far is it?
According to Google Maps, travelling from the UK to the Czech Republic by car is 1680km, which would take us about 19 hours.
We decided to split it into 2 days to arrive on the third, and we planned 6 hours of driving per day.
If you are brave enough, you can do it in one go, but we like to stop and visit a few cities during our trip.
How to cross the channel
There are 2 ways to cross the channel by car. It is possible to do it by Ferry or using the Euro-tunnel shuttle. We prefer the Euro-tunnel because it’s fast and we can stay in the car with the dogs.
The Euro tunnel check-in
We started our journey from Bristol at about 07h in the morning and we headed to Folkestone to take the Euro tunnel. It was about 3 hours drive.
The Euro tunnel is very well signed, so there is no risk of getting lost (unless you are me). The first thing we did was self-check-in. We just needed our reservation number and to follow the instructions. The check-in was effortless. In the end, it printed out a paper tag.
Check-in your pet
Since we got pets, once we checked in, it instructed us to go straight to the pet centre and get the pet certificate checked (click here to check out how to get a pet certificate).
Remember to take the paper tag with you, the one you got with the check-in. We left ours in the car, so we had to return and get i
There was a small queue of people with their pets, but many counters were available. They will check the pet certificate and the microchips. It took us about 10 minutes to sort out 3 dogs.
Boarding
On the paper tag, you will be allocated a letter. Please keep checking the big screens outside because they will inform you when your group is open to board the shuttle.
Before boarding, there was a final check of the passports by the French security, and after that, finally, we only had to board the shuttle.
The shuttle is a big train where you can go in your car. They will advise you to stay inside during the trip, but if you need to, you can go to the toilet or get out of the car to stretch your legs. You can do whatever you want: eat, sleep and play with the dogs. Anyway, it was a short trip of precisely 29 minutes.
Our stops from Bristol to Šumperk
1- Belgium, Ostende
2- Germany, Gottingen
3- Czech Republic, Sumperk, and Prague
First stop in Ostend
Our first stop was in Belgium, Ostend. It’s a small town with a lovely walking promenade. To visit one of the famous towns, Bruges, is only about 40 minutes by car.
We decided to book our stay with Ibis budget. It wasn’t our first time with Ibis, so we already knew what to expect, and we have always been happy with their services. It was a nice room, small but enough for the two of us plus the dogs. In Ibis, the dogs are always welcome for a small charge. We paid about 10 euros per dog.
Ostend can be a vibrant town during summer, but it is cold and wet in the winter. We wanted to visit Bruges, but it was raining a lot, so we postponed and stopped on our way back to the UK.
That is the main problem with travelling during winter. The weather is very unpredictable.
So, instead of walking in the cold and rain, we returned to the hotel for a hot shower and some rest after a nice walk and a meal.
The next day, we had breakfast at the hotel because it was already included, but if you decide to eat out or to buy something there are many grocery shops with fresh bread and pastry. It’s only 5-10 minutes from the hotel on foot.
After a small walk with our dogs, we decided to get on the road because we had another 6 hours of driving ahead.
We crossed the border between Belgium and Germany (there were no checking points, so it was fast), and after 6 hours, we reached our destination in Germany for a break. Not to divert from our route, we decided to stay in a hotel right on the motorway.
I was apprehensive about staying on the motorway because when I heard it, the first thing that popped into my head was noise and a dirty hotel, but I was utterly wrong. I was surprised in a good way.
Our second stop in Germany
We stayed in a hotel called Hotel Gottingen West.
The Hotel Gottingen West is a part of the Serways Hotel group. It’s value for money, and it’s right on the road. There’s free parking and free internet, and the dogs stay for free. As a guest of the hotel you can shop, have drinks or eat at the station right next to it with a 25% discount. We paid about 79 euros for one night so we were amazed by the price.
We found a very nice-looking restaurant about 10 minutes by car from the hotel. It is very famous in Germany. It’s called ‘Timberjacks‘, and they serve the best burgers or steak ever.
We opted to try some spicy chicken wings and chicken fajitas with fries.
Fancy a ride on the bull? Well, it’s not a good idea after eating.
The next day, we left the hotel very early, and after 7 hours of driving, we arrived in Šumperk. It was New Year’s Eve, but nobody wanted to party. We had a ghostly walk in town and a nice, comfy bed.
On our way back from the Czech Republic (Šumperk) to Bristol, we decided to make a few stops and visit a few cities we hadn’t seen before.
Our stops from Šumperk to Bristol
1- Austria, Hallstatt, and Salzburg
4 – UK, Bristol
First stop in Austria
We stayed in a quirky farmhouse called Biohof Schwanser. It is about 4 km from Steinbach am Attersee and has the best views from the lake. It was a self-catering apartment with 2 bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen, so plenty of room. The location is just ideal to visit Salzburg
The second stop in Heidelberg
We opted for the Leonardo Hotel, just a few minutes from the town of Heidelberg. With free parking, it was just ideal for a night stay.
The third stop in Bruges
In Bruges, we decided to stay a bit closer to Calais. So we booked a night at the Ibis Budget Ostend Airport. Parking was cheaper than in the city centre and only one hour from the Calais Euro tunnel.
So this was our way of travelling from the UK to the Czech Republic by car, but there are many ways. You can stop in different cities or just for a few minutes to rest, but make sure you stop because safety comes first, right?