As you will be aware I already have a thread going about Italy, however tomorrow (tuesday) I am flying out to Frankfurt to pick up our company Arctic and then drive to Calais where I will be met by another driver and do a trailer swap before we go to Italy. We was going via zebrugge however all change. My question is can someone tell me easiest route from Frankfurt to Calais. Early flight so sorry for late notice.
I’m under the impression you want directions from Frankfurt to Calais 
Firstly I don’t consider myself any sort of expert euro trucker, but I’ll give the route that looks ok to me.
From Frankfurt on the A3 to Koln (Cologne) then A4 to Aachen, then south on A44 to liege in Belgium, pick up the E42 to Charleroi and stay on it past mons, Lille, to Dunkirk, then E40 (A16) to Calais.
Don’t forget to pay for the maut on a toll collect terminal if you don’t have a box in the truck, that will also give you a route to follow. I normally check it and put it on my sat nav.
Also you’ll need a vignette for Belgium, can be done on line at ages.de or at certain services maybe even at the border. I’m sure somebody will be able to give a place on your route for that or your company can do it for you.
Found a video showing how to use the toll collect machine, seems to be done by somebody on here, but no idea who.
The bits I have problems are finding my start and end points, I normally take my own map with me as it make more sense.
However unlike the main screen which you select your language, the pin pad is in German.
But if you remember Karte entnehmen means remove card, and bitte besttang (probably wrong spelling) means press the green besttang button, I think it’s the confirm button.
You should be ok.
I have found other drivers will help a drivers who look like they’re struggling with it.
muckles:
I’m under the impression you want directions from Frankfurt to CalaisFirstly I don’t consider myself any sort of expert euro trucker, but I’ll give the route that looks ok to me.
From Frankfurt on the A3 to Koln (Cologne) then A4 to Aachen, then south on A44 to liege in Belgium, pick up the E42 to Charleroi and stay on it past mons, Lille, to Dunkirk, then E40 (A16) to Calais.
Don’t forget to pay for the maut on a toll collect terminal if you don’t have a box in the truck, that will also give you a route to follow. I normally check it and put it on my sat nav.
Also you’ll need a vignette for Belgium, can be done on line at ages.de or at certain services maybe even at the border. I’m sure somebody will be able to give a place on your route for that or your company can do it for you.
That is the best way to go. If you want to skip lille go bruxelles but both szme.
Liege always seemed to be a long and boring route when I was doing a regular run to Frankfurt.
I always went via Heerlen (E314) from Aachen, then either onto the Brussels ring from Leuven, or up to Antwerp (E313) and onto the E17 (was as long as it was broad)
Liege is the furthest route and as you are entering Germany earlier more expensive on the maut.
I go to Frankfurt regularly and on the way back to Calais I go Frankfurt-cologne-achen-antwerp-Ghent-jabbeke and straight down “the corridor” to Calais. Or instead you could go via Brussels from achen but the traffic can be very heavy in Brussels depending on the time of day.
We used to use the A61 instead of the A3 & miss out kolne and iirc there’s more overtaking on the A61
And if you have the time go via luxembourg A48 kolenz - trier it used to take us around 1 hr longer a bit longer if you count time stopped fueling up ect
I cut across the A48 to Koblenz and up A61 to the A4 cuts out koln. Then depends on time of day wether I go via Aachen or Lichtenbusch (A44) . Going via the A48 adds 4 miles and the price difference between Aachen and Lichtenbusch is a few cents . but from then on out of preference I go via Namur and lille and again not a lot in it mileage wise than if you went Brussells plus very few bits of no overtaking and not so many of the 80 kph merchants
Well as my first time driving abroad I loved it apart from the toll system, no idea how to use it. Found the wagon and loaded up no problem. On with sat nav and Calais programmed into it. Joined the motorway and stopped at the first services. Began using the machine and not a clue where I joined the motorway or where i would be leaving it, or which emission zones it falls into. I joined the motorway in Frankfurt and headed to Koln. The toll system really worried me as did get a toll ticket but not a clue if it was the right one but at least if stopped could try and explain that I had a go. Does anyone know if you can get a tag for your truck for Germany?, anyone have a easy guide to using the machine as I just followed sat nav. I noted the roads down and tried to find these on the map system on the machine with no joy. Having never done anything like this and thrown in at the deep end I know I did it all wrong and should have paid in other countries but did not and got away with it.
Driving on the roads fine loved it just hated the tolls. Advice and help required here as I know this will not be my last journey to Germany.
Best advice for driving in Germany is to buy a German map in Germany. As you would have seen when you buy your maut you need to know the name of the junction where you are going. These junctions are obviously spelt in German hence the German map.
Also when you get your tax just check the route - Aachen to Frankfurt is a good example. The maut will not send you A4 straight onto the A3 at Koln which is the way you would drive it. It tries to cut the corner between these roads SE of Koln. You simply go into the route and change it to the way that you want to go. This may seems like a total ball ache but if you go off route and get caught the fines are high.
Its just one of those things, the more you do it the easier it becomes
A bloke wot is on here did this: youtube.com/watch?v=VpJJ6ViTuxM. Study it.
Use this to find toll stations: toll-collect.de/en/toll_col … inden.html
Get a good German map as suggested to sort out your next trip before you go.
Toll must be purchased BEFORE you enter the motorway system, not at the first services. Entering the motorway system without a ticket will leave a big hole in your wallet if you get collared. NO EXCUSES. Ignorance or “having a go” is no defence.
You will face a hefty fine if your toll ticket has any discrepancies (route, emission class, etc). Same as if you get caught without a Eurovignette in Benelux
Frankfurt A3 towards Koln. Then A4 towards Aachen. Signs for Leige. Then Brussels around Brussels ring road. If you follow E40 this will take you to Calais
If you haven’t done so yet there’s a good map you can buy the next time your at the German border. It’s made by “FALK” and it covers Germany, Austria, & Swiss.
All of the junction names are in red writing.
It’s also more detailed for B roads, and remember a lot of these are tolled now also.
A little tip I was though early on was once I reached the German border I then had a look at my satnav to see what route it was going to take me, then when doing my tax I adjusted the route it gave me, to coincide with the satnav.
Hope this helps.
I would get a toll collect book to.They are free of the website.This shows you where all the machines are.So you can get your tax before entering the motorway network.Did you not get your vignette for the benelux countries either then?.If not.You were lucky to get away with that lot.
Maybe a bit out of date from the original question. I have just come back from a run out that way to Frankfurt then Nurnburg finaly Boxberg then back home.Going out went Calais A16/E40 Dunkirk/Brugge then A10/E40 towards Brussels. Once at Brussels took A2/E314 to Aachen. Overnighted just passed Genk about 20 k’s from borde due to bank holiday driving ban. Up and away at 5.45 next morning and about 3 hours later I was at Frankfurt traffic incredably light no hold ups if traffic heavy add at least 1 to 1/12 hours on top. From the border at Aachen took the A4/E40 to Koln (cologne) then picked up A3/E35 all the way to Frankfurt all these roads more or less lead in to each other so should not get lost. Coming back because it was Saturday and traffic very light I staid on the A3/E40 all the way rather than use 314 this route goes via Liege to Brussels bit longer but less overtaking restrictions so similar in time. You also need to check which route the toll will send you and amend it if need be as the route from Boxberg to Aachen they proposed to send me was via Karlsruhe and Mannheim, which like going from Birmingham to London via Bristol (maybe not that full mileage but certainly not the most direct route, but you get the picture) so I had to amend the route the difference was about 6 euros which is nothing £4.00 , but if you get pulled for not using the correct route the fine could 100 times that.
zulu1512:
Maybe a bit out of date from the original question. I have just come back from a run out that way to Frankfurt then Nurnburg finaly Boxberg then back home.Going out went Calais A16/E40 Dunkirk/Brugge then A10/E40 towards Brussels. Once at Brussels took A2/E314 to Aachen. Overnighted just passed Genk about 20 k’s from borde due to bank holiday driving ban. Up and away at 5.45 next morning and about 3 hours later I was at Frankfurt traffic incredably light no hold ups if traffic heavy add at least 1 to 1/12 hours on top. From the border at Aachen took the A4/E40 to Koln (cologne) then picked up A3/E35 all the way to Frankfurt all these roads more or less lead in to each other so should not get lost. Coming back because it was Saturday and traffic very light I staid on the A3/E40 all the way rather than use 314 this route goes via Liege to Brussels bit longer but less overtaking restrictions so similar in time. You also need to check which route the toll will send you and amend it if need be as the route from Boxberg to Aachen they proposed to send me was via Karlsruhe and Mannheim, which like going from Birmingham to London via Bristol (maybe not that full mileage but certainly not the most direct route, but you get the picture) so I had to amend the route the difference was about 6 euros which is nothing £4.00 , but if you get pulled for not using the correct route the fine could 100 times that.
Need to watch your tax when going past koln to go via A3 as unless you do it as a via point as the shortest route on the machine gives you iirc Is via the 559 more so coming back