It’s great driving in Europe ain’t it? 
bigvern1:
It’s great driving in Europe ain’t it?
No it’s awful, bandits, gassing, bent police, huge fines. What if a UK driver stumbles in here? You’ll blow our big hard man image!
No it’s awful, bandits, gassing, bent police, huge fines. What if a UK driver stumbles in here? You’ll blow
Yeah thats what I meant to say dont know what I was thinking about! No places to park or eat toilets and showers non existant. Food a disgusting concoction kept under hot lamps all day. Oh hold on just a minute
I might have got this the wrong way round!!!
Ok, here goes, gonna need a bit of advice please people, pitfalls and general stuff I need to know. Upshot of it is im off to Milan on Sunday evening, Dover-Dunkirk and then Belgium, Lux and Germany for a Monday evening train from Frieburg to Novara, Tip Milan Tuesday morning then reload Brescia. Back on the train Tuesday evening. Heres the rub, this was our very first Italian job which I only took on because it was a good rate and 2 of the lads have done it all in other jobs. One of them cant go but the one that was has had a massive row with me this morning and has decided he is quitting! Its now left to me to go and I have never been further than Southern Ireland in a truck! Hellpppppp!
lakesidelee:
Ok, here goes, gonna need a bit of advice please people, pitfalls and general stuff I need to know. Upshot of it is im off to Milan on Sunday evening, Dover-Dunkirk and then Belgium, Lux and Germany for a Monday evening train from Frieburg to Novara, Tip Milan Tuesday morning then reload Brescia. Back on the train Tuesday evening. Heres the rub, this was our very first Italian job which I only took on because it was a good rate and 2 of the lads have done it all in other jobs. One of them cant go but the one that was has had a massive row with me this morning and has decided he is quitting! Its now left to me to go and I have never been further than Southern Ireland in a truck! Hellpppppp!
Firstly will need to buy a ‘Vignette’ for belgium and lux can get that online or from norfolkline ferry , then you will need to purchase german ‘Maut’ , various ways to do this but easiest will be when you cross over into germany at the first services you come to , search on this forum for both vignette and maut for any further advice , and most importantly is your vehicle height 4metres as you wont fit on the train if its not 
And italian tolls you can pay cash or with a standard credit card.
young trucker:
lakesidelee:
Ok, here goes, gonna need a bit of advice please people, pitfalls and general stuff I need to know. Upshot of it is im off to Milan on Sunday evening, Dover-Dunkirk and then Belgium, Lux and Germany for a Monday evening train from Frieburg to Novara, Tip Milan Tuesday morning then reload Brescia. Back on the train Tuesday evening. Heres the rub, this was our very first Italian job which I only took on because it was a good rate and 2 of the lads have done it all in other jobs. One of them cant go but the one that was has had a massive row with me this morning and has decided he is quitting! Its now left to me to go and I have never been further than Southern Ireland in a truck! Hellpppppp!Firstly will need to buy a ‘Vignette’ for belgium and lux can get that online or from norfolkline ferry , then you will need to purchase german ‘Maut’ , various ways to do this but easiest will be when you cross over into germany at the first services you come to , search on this forum for both vignette and maut for any further advice , and most importantly is your vehicle height 4metres as you wont fit on the train if its not
And italian tolls you can pay cash or with a standard credit card.
Super stuff, really appreciate the advice, is a flatbed load (about 4ft off the deck on the way down and the pods im collecting are 7ft high so no probs there), just one thing, can I run the little jaunt into Belgium on Sunday evening or do I have to wait until a certain time (I have heard of “the corridor” but not sure what it is or means. Sorry to be sooooo green but we all gotta start somewhere eh?http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/posting.php?mode=quote&f=3&p=944817#
lakesidelee:
young trucker:
lakesidelee:
Ok, here goes, gonna need a bit of advice please people, pitfalls and general stuff I need to know. Upshot of it is im off to Milan on Sunday evening, Dover-Dunkirk and then Belgium, Lux and Germany for a Monday evening train from Frieburg to Novara, Tip Milan Tuesday morning then reload Brescia. Back on the train Tuesday evening. Heres the rub, this was our very first Italian job which I only took on because it was a good rate and 2 of the lads have done it all in other jobs. One of them cant go but the one that was has had a massive row with me this morning and has decided he is quitting! Its now left to me to go and I have never been further than Southern Ireland in a truck! Hellpppppp!Firstly will need to buy a ‘Vignette’ for belgium and lux can get that online or from norfolkline ferry , then you will need to purchase german ‘Maut’ , various ways to do this but easiest will be when you cross over into germany at the first services you come to , search on this forum for both vignette and maut for any further advice , and most importantly is your vehicle height 4metres as you wont fit on the train if its not
And italian tolls you can pay cash or with a standard credit card.
Super stuff, really appreciate the advice, is a flatbed load (about 4ft off the deck on the way down and the pods im collecting are 7ft high so no probs there), just one thing, can I run the little jaunt into Belgium on Sunday evening or do I have to wait until a certain time (I have heard of “the corridor” but not sure what it is or means. Sorry to be sooooo green but we all gotta start somewhere eh?http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/posting.php?mode=quote&f=3&p=944817#
Yes you can run through belgium as they dont have a driving ban in place unlike germany , france etc , also make sure you have all relevant documents , cmr , insurance , community authorisation permit , v5 (original) and if you havent driven in the last month or so an ‘attestation form’ just to be sure , and both parts of your drivers licence and a passport 
Super, only done a few days driving in past month but will take relevant tachos. The one im going in is digi card but I think ive only used my digi card once in the past month. Thanks ever so for the info, a big help 
lakesidelee:
Super, only done a few days driving in past month but will take relevant tachos. The one im going in is digi card but I think ive only used my digi card once in the past month. Thanks ever so for the info, a big help
No problems , enjoy the trip , amazing how you cope when you cross the channel , any queries just ask , and make sure you take some pics and post a diary , always well received on here , the train is always mentioned but rarely used.
Here is a link to the attestation from best to carry it
ec.europa.eu/transport/road/soci … ies_en.htm
Bon route 
Thanks for all the help re the Italian trip, went very well apart from 2 sleepness nights on the train (Frieburg-Novara) but I guess thats just something you would get used to? Arrived Dunkirk about 6pm and cracked on as far as Belgium/Luxemburg border on Sunday night. Very leisurely drive to Frieburg on the Monday but missed my turning at Strasburg but not a problem as found a turn off the E25 which took me through some fab roads and over a dam/power station on the Rhiene which was interesting! Best bit was I didnt use the motorway in Germany so avoided the toll collect system! On the train at 6pm and arrived in Novara @ 05.00 next morning (after a sleepness night!). I will go on if anyone finds this in the least bit interesting but really enjoyed the trip and can now see why you guys do it! Is not for me unfortunately, I am probably a bit too young with 5 kids all under 9! Besides which I dont think it pays well enough. Everyone I met on the trip was helpful and had a few comments on the tidyness of my roping and sheeting although be warned if you go on the train with this type of load, the train goes backwards for the first hour or so and 2 sheets on a flatbed dont work too well going the wrong way at 70mph! Mind you I sit here in the office today wishing I was going again this weekend!
Nice one Lee , i know what you mean stuck indoors myself , got 2 of ours on way back from Italy wishing i was out there rather than here 
A diary is always well received on trucknet so get writing and if you have any pics especially of your roping and sheeting get them on.
lakesidelee:
…I will go on if anyone finds this in the least bit interesting …!
Absolutely! While a lot of people are running down to Italy on a regular basis, they usually use the tunnels or transit Swiss, its not often we hear of anyone using the Freiburg - Novarra train.
Did you take a camera? Fill us in with the details, its always interesting to hear of other peoples` Euro exploits.
Anyway, with 5 kids all aged under 9, what else have you got to do with your spare time!!! 
Ha Ha, like it, I did take a couple of pics on the i phone, will try and work out how to put them on.
Tuesday morning and I get off the train at Novara 05.15, I was the only Englishman on there but a couple of drivers from Swains of Stretton where on the next train and a big thanks to them for showing me the ropes at Frieburg, would have been a bit lost without their kind help to be honest, 06.00 and my first taste of the narrow Italian Motorway! Straight to the tip at Milanasse by 08.00 then spent an hour in the sun taking the sheets off and folding them up on my own! My old Grandad would have been proud! (the sheets I had are 11 metres x 9!), tipped and on my way to Brescia by 10.00. Only one problem my customer had given me a wrong postcode Two hours of looking in a town 5 miles from collection point and I finally gave in and rung them At the reload point by 14.00 and all sheeted and tied down by 17.00, think by now I was suffering a bit of dehydration sheeting up in 40 degrees. Trouble is the train I was booked on leaves at 19.15 and it would have taken me that to get there. Sod it, plenty of other trains going that night and the girls in my office booked me on the 21.00, had a well earned shower in a tidy service station and something warm to eat (by now I know that the “meal” on the train is 2 rolls and a bottle of water!) and arrived back at Novara dead on my 15 hours. This is where the fun starts! I roll onto the weighbridge to board the train at 22.45 to be told that I need plastic behind the straps where they sit on the side raves of the trailer! Worked fine for the Germans but rules is rules and spent half an hour cutting up an old 25 litre plastic drum I found! It worked a treat and boarded the train at 23.15, last man on!
Off the train again Novara at 11.00 on the Wednesday morning, am now suffering the effects of 2 sleepness nights and probably not enough to eat or drink, got as far as the first services in Germany and had to eat! Finally sussed out the toll collect system (with a bit of help from a German guy that was patiently waiting to use the machine!) and headed off again, crossed back over into France and just made the first services by 14.00, unable to carry on with a banging headache and very blurry vision. Woke up at 17.00 with the phone ringing! Something to eat and a shower seemed to sort me out and cracked off again by 18.00 and made Gent by midnight Another well earned kip and was on the boat for 12.00 and back in the yard in Grays for 15.30, job done!
Off the train again Novara at 11.00 on the Wednesday morning, am now suffering the effects of 2 sleepness nights and probably not enough to eat or drink, got as far as the first services in Germany and had to eat! Finally sussed out the toll collect system (with a bit of help from a German guy that was patiently waiting to use the machine!) and headed off again, crossed back over into France and just made the first services by 14.00, unable to carry on with a banging headache and very blurry vision. Woke up at 17.00 with the phone ringing! Something to eat and a shower seemed to sort me out and cracked off again by 18.00 and made Gent by midnight Another well earned kip and was on the boat for 12.00 and back in the yard in Grays for 15.30, job done!
bring back plent of ■■■■ and booozzze
especialy vin du plop
I am still trying to get the photos off my I phone onto this post from the last trip, have managed to e mail them to myself but dont seem to be able to copy and paste!?
Anyway, next trip looks like 2x11 ton crates to just north of Rome with a reload from Brescia again, load and tip Birmingham, would 5k seem a fair rate (it does to me but as ive said not done a lot of this stuff!).
Sent from my iPhone
lakesidelee:
Sent from my iPhone
Are you using tapatalk to view the forum cause it’s easy to put pics on direct from your album