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The Travel Tinker · Road trips

Road Trip Itineraries,
UK to New Zealand.

Day-by-day self-drive routes, from Welsh waterfalls to the Garden Route, with realistic driving times and the stops worth making. Windows down, playlist sorted.

Match me a route Search all 110 routes
110 Road trip guides on this page
37 Countries covered
6 Continents
1 to 10 Days per route
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The road trips people actually drive

Every route on this page is a full self-drive itinerary, broken down day by day, with realistic driving times and the stops worth pulling over for. There are 110 of them now, from a single day out in Cheshire to ten days round Ireland. Which is great, until you're trying to pick one.

So here's a shortcut. These six are the road trip guides readers open most, going by Search Console clicks from July to October 2026. Not my personal favourites, to be clear (that list is mostly Slovenia). Just the ones that keep getting used.

What's in a guide

Newer guides all follow this format. I'm working back through the older ones, so a few are still catching up.

  • A day-by-day route with realistic driving times
  • A Google Map you can open on your phone
  • Pit stops and side detours worth the extra miles
  • Local food worth chasing, and where to stay
  • A playlist and podcasts for the dull stretches
  • Road trip essentials for that route
Route matcher

Which drive actually suits you?

Over a hundred routes is a lot to wade through. Answer three questions and I'll point you at the three that fit. Every result links to a full guide with a map, not a teaser.

1. How many days have you actually got?
2. What do you want out of the window?
3. How far are you willing to travel to the start line?

Pick an answer to all three and the results land here.

Classic Routes

The legendary drives that live up to the hype. Perfect for when you want to plan an entire holiday around the journey itself.

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UK & Ireland Road Trips

From the rugged Scottish Highlands to the dramatic coastal routes of Ireland. World-class scenery right on the doorstep, and no ferry booking required for most of it.

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European Road Trips

The Amalfi Coast, the Romantic Road, and the high Alpine passes. Driving in Europe is an experience all of its own. Check the vignette rules further down before you set off.

Italy, Malta, Sicily

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Germany & Austria

Spain, Portugal, France...

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Switzerland

Scandinavia & Nordic

Central & Eastern Europe

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North American Road Trips

Route 66, the Pacific coast and the Canadian Rockies. Long distances, cheap fuel, and the kind of empty highway you cannot get anywhere in Europe.

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South America Road Trips

Thin on the ground for now, and that is honest rather than modest. Chile's Carretera Austral is the one to start with: gravel, glaciers and ferries, and a week that feels like a month.

Asia Road Trips

Driving in Asia asks more of you than driving in Europe does. Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia and the Indian Himalaya all reward it, as long as you build in far more time per kilometre than the map suggests.

Africa Road Trips

Two routes here, both genuinely doable in a hire car. South Africa's Garden Route is the gentle introduction. Morocco's High Atlas is the one that gets under your skin.

Oceania Road Trips

New Zealand's South Island and Australia's Great Ocean Road. Enormous scenery, easy driving on the left, and distances that look small until you drive them.

Route index

Every road trip on the site, A to Z

All 110 routes in one list, grouped by region. The sections above only show a handful each, so if you know roughly where you're heading, this is the quicker way in. Type a place or tap a region and the list shrinks as you go.

Showing all 110 routes

UK & Ireland 37 routes

Europe 52 routes

North America 11 routes

South America 1 routes

Asia 5 routes

Africa 2 routes

Oceania 2 routes

Right now

What's actually good to drive this month

Half of road tripping is turning up at the right time of year. This panel reads your device clock and updates itself, so it should never be telling you to chase the northern lights in June.

Loading the calendar

If this line never changes, your browser has blocked the script. The routes below are still worth a look either way.

Budget

What will the drive actually cost?

Fuel is the bit everyone budgets for and the bit that rarely surprises them. It's the road fees that catch people out. Tick the countries you're crossing and the vignette prices below drop straight in, taken from the verified table further down this page.

Your numbers

Nothing is stored or sent anywhere. Change a figure and the total updates as you type.

Round trip, including the detours you swear you won't take.
Loaded car on hills burns more than the brochure figure.
Prices correct as of September 2026. Sources are listed under Tolls and vignettes below.
These are indicative defaults, not live rates. Put your own in and the conversions follow.

Rough total

£0

€0 / $0

£0 each

  • Fuel£0
  • Beds£0
  • Food£0
  • Road fees£0
  • Extras£0

Excludes flights, car hire and insurance. It's a planning figure, not a quote. Shift your dates into May or September and the bed line typically drops 20 to 30 percent, which is usually the biggest single saving on this list.

The boring bit that saves you money

Tolls, vignettes and stickers

Nobody plans a road trip around paperwork. Then you hit a border, realise the motorway you're already on needed a sticker you don't have, and spend the next hour feeling clever about nothing.

Europe has two systems running side by side. Some countries charge you per kilometre at a barrier, which is annoying but obvious. Others sell you a flat-rate permit called a vignette, valid for a set number of days, and the only sign you've got it wrong is a camera you never saw. Guess which one catches people out.

The four below are the ones I get asked about most, and the four most likely to bite a UK driver doing a loop through the Alps. I checked all of these against the official operator sites in September 2026.

← Swipe to scroll on mobile

Country What you need Cost Buy it from
Austria Motorway vignette, sticker or digital. Alpine sections like the Brenner charge extra on top. 1 day €9.60
10 days €12.80
2 months €32.00
Year €106.80		 ASFINAG toll shop
Switzerland Motorway vignette. Annual only, so a single afternoon costs the same as fourteen months. CHF 40
Valid 1 Dec 2025 to 31 Jan 2027		 Border posts, post offices, petrol stations, or online
Slovenia E-vignette tied to your number plate. No sticker exists any more. Cameras do the checking. 7 days €16.00
1 month €32.00
Year €117.50
Car class 2A, up to 1.3m above the front axle		 evinjeta.dars.si
France No vignette, but you need a Crit'Air air quality sticker for low emission zones, including Paris and Lyon. Motorway tolls are paid per journey at barriers. €3.11 plus postage
Lasts the life of the car		 certificat-air.gouv.fr only

Money saver: The Crit'Air sticker costs €3.11 from the government site. Resellers advertise the identical sticker at £15 to £35 and rank well on search, which is the entire business model. Order from certificat-air.gouv.fr and nowhere else, at least three weeks before you go, because it arrives by post.

The four questions I get asked every summer

Do I need an international driving permit for Europe?

Not with a UK photocard licence. GOV.UK is clear that you do not need an IDP to visit and drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You just carry the licence itself.

Two exceptions catch people. Paper-only licences, and licences issued in Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar, can still need one. And outside Europe an IDP is often mandatory, including in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, so check before a long-haul hire.

What do I need stuck to the car itself?

A UK identifier. If your number plate already shows UK with the Union flag, you're done for most countries. If it shows anything else, a Euro symbol, a Scottish or Welsh flag, the old GB, or no flag at all, you need a UK sticker on the back.

Spain, Malta and Cyprus want the sticker regardless of what's on the plate. Old GB stickers stopped being valid in September 2021, so dig that one off before you go. Carry your V5C log book too, and a VE103 if the car is hired or leased.

Can I just avoid the motorways and dodge the lot?

Sometimes, and it's often the nicer drive anyway. Setting your map app to avoid tolls usually adds time and takes you through villages you'd never otherwise see. That's half the appeal of a road trip.

The trap is Slovenia. The Ljubljana ring road is expressway, so people join it without thinking and get caught by a camera on a road they assumed was ordinary. Same in Austria, where short border stretches are exempt but the road you actually want usually isn't. If in doubt, buy the short vignette. Sixteen euros is cheaper than the alternative.

What happens if I'm caught without one?

Switzerland is the simplest to describe and the most painful. Drive a Swiss motorway without a vignette and it's a CHF 200 fine plus the CHF 40 you were trying to avoid. Buying one afterwards doesn't help.

In France, entering a low emission zone without a valid Crit'Air sticker is a €68 fine for a car. Austria charges a substitute toll on the spot, with an administrative fine if it goes unpaid, and hire companies will happily pass any camera penalty back to you months later with an admin fee bolted on.

Good to know: 2026 is the last year Austria sells the physical windscreen sticker. From 2027 the vignette is digital only, tied to your plate. If you've been buying one at a petrol station on the way down every summer, that habit has an expiry date.

Tinker's Tip: Buying a digital vignette means typing your registration into a form on a phone at a service station. I got one character wrong in Slovenia once and technically drove ninety minutes uncovered. Take the photo of your plate before you start typing and check it against the confirmation email.

Sources checked

10 Ways to Cut Your Road Trip Costs

Fuel prices might be out of your control, but there are plenty of other ways to keep the budget tight without ruining the trip.

1

Avoid toll roads. Tell your map app to 'avoid tolls'. It usually adds a bit of time but takes you on much nicer, completely free scenic routes. Check the vignette rules first, because in Slovenia and Austria the trap is joining an expressway without realising.

2

Pack a proper cool bag. Supermarket lunches save a fortune compared to buying sandwiches and snacks at motorway service stations.

3

Check your tyre pressure. Driving on under-inflated tyres drastically reduces your fuel efficiency. Check them before you load the boot.

4

Use a fuel comparison app. Prices fluctuate wildly depending on the region. Apps like Waze or local fuel trackers show you the cheapest petrol stations nearby.

5

Don't hire a sat nav. Hire companies charge a premium for GPS. A phone mount and offline Google Maps work perfectly.

6

Travel in shoulder season. Accommodation along popular routes is 20 to 30% cheaper in May or September compared to July and August. Put both sets of dates through the cost calculator and the gap is usually the biggest saving on this list.

7

Get a national park pass. If you are hitting multiple parks in the USA or Canada, an annual pass pays for itself after the third visit.

8

Book campsites early. If you are camping or taking a van, the cheapest and best pitches go first. Turn up on the day and you will pay premium rates.

9

Drive smoothly. Harsh braking and aggressive acceleration burn fuel fast. Stick to the speed limit and use cruise control on the long stretches.

10

Bring reusable cups. Many independent coffee shops and chains offer a discount if you hand over your own travel mug.

Quick Tips

Before you even put the keys in the ignition, run through these essentials.

Tinker's Tip: Navigation

Always download offline maps on Google Maps before you set off. Phone signal drops exactly when you need to make a crucial turn.

Good to know: Tolls

Several European countries want a vignette before you join the motorway, not after. Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia are the usual culprits. Current prices and where to buy them are in the tolls section.

Fact: Fatigue

Driving tired is just as dangerous as driving over the limit. Swap drivers every two hours or pull over for a proper break.

Road Trip Playlists

Because handing over the auxiliary cord is a huge responsibility. Soundtracks engineered for the open road.

🔥

Nick's Playlist

"The editor's picks. Yes, it's all bangers."

Best for: Any drive, any country, any time you need the mood lifted immediately.

🎸

Classic Anthems

"The ones that were built for this"

Best for: Long motorway stretches, US highway drives, anyone who wants zero arguments.

🌊

Coastal Vibes

"Sun, salt, and something with a decent bassline"

Best for: Amalfi Coast, PCH California, South Africa Garden Route, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

⛰️

Mountain & Epic Scenery

"Big landscapes need big music"

Best for: Austrian Alps, Norway fjords, Swiss mountain passes, Transylvania.

🎺

Country & Region-Specific

"When the music should match the map"

Best for: Any European road trip where immersion matters.

🎙️

Podcasts & Audiobooks

"Not everyone wants music for 8 hours straight"

Best for: Solo drivers, long motorway sections, overnight hauls.

Before you turn the key

The departure checklist

Eighteen things, split into four piles. I've forgotten items from every one of these piles at some point, and the warning triangle one cost me forty euros on a French hard shoulder. Tick as you go.

0 of 18 done

Start anywhere. The car section is the one people skip.

Paperwork

The stuff that turns a roadside chat into a fine.

The car

Twenty minutes on the drive beats two hours on a hard shoulder.

In the boot

Several of these are legally required in parts of Europe.

The night before

Five minutes each, and they all save an argument.

Related Resources

When the Trip Doesn't Go to Plan

Even the best-planned trips can go sideways. Here is what to do when they do.

Travel Problems

Read the guide

Theft & Scams

Read the guide

Travel Compensation

Read the guide
FAQ

Road Trip Planning Answers

Practical tips to keep you on the road and out of the mechanic's garage.

How many hours should I drive per day?
Keep it under 4 to 5 hours of actual driving time. Anything over that turns a holiday into a chore. Factor in stops for food, viewpoints, and stretching your legs, and a 4-hour drive easily takes up most of your day. Leave room for the unexpected detours.
Should I hire a car or take my own?
If your car is reliable, recently serviced, and has enough boot space for your gear, take it. You save the hire fees and you know exactly how it handles. If you are flying in, or your current car is struggling, hire one. Just read the fine print on cross-border travel if you plan to switch countries, because plenty of hire agreements either ban it outright or charge a fee for it.
What are the essentials for a road trip?
A warning triangle and a reflective jacket for every seat, a first aid kit, a torch, plenty of water, a phone mount and a power bank. Several of those are legally required in parts of Europe rather than just sensible. Check tyre pressures and oil before you set off, and download offline maps for the whole route, because signal drops exactly when you need a turning. Do not forget snacks. Hunger ruins a scenic drive faster than a flat tyre.
Do I need a vignette to drive in Europe?
It depends on the country. Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia all use a flat-rate vignette instead of barrier tolls, and you need it before you join the motorway rather than after. As of September 2026, Austria sells a 10-day vignette for 12.80 euros, Slovenia a 7-day e-vignette for 16.00 euros, and Switzerland only sells an annual one at CHF 40 no matter how briefly you visit. France has no vignette but does require a Crit'Air air quality sticker for its low emission zones, which costs 3.11 euros plus postage from certificat-air.gouv.fr. Prices correct as of September 2026.
Do UK drivers need an international driving permit in Europe?
No, not with a UK photocard licence. GOV.UK confirms you do not need an international driving permit to visit and drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You do need to carry the licence itself, and you must display the UK identifier, either built into your number plate with the Union flag or as a UK sticker on the rear. Spain, Malta and Cyprus want the sticker regardless of what the plate shows. Paper-only licences and licences issued in Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar can still need a permit, and many countries outside Europe require one.
What does a European road trip actually cost?
Work it out in five lines rather than guessing. Fuel is your distance divided by 100, times your litres per 100km, times the pump price. Beds are nights times nightly rate. Food is days times a daily figure for the whole car. Road fees are the vignettes and stickers for each country you cross. Everything else, ferries and parking and the odd toll barrier, goes in a single extras line. The calculator on this page runs those five lines for you and converts the total into pounds, euros and dollars. Accommodation is almost always the biggest number, which is why shifting your dates into May or September matters more than any fuel-saving trick.
When is the best time of year for a road trip?
May and September, for most of Europe. Roads are open, the weather behaves, and accommodation costs noticeably less than it does in July and August. June gives you the longest daylight in the north, which is worth a lot on a Scottish or Icelandic route. October is the one month worth planning a whole trip around if you want autumn colour. Winter is not off limits, but it changes the trip: shorter driving days, winter tyres that are a legal requirement in several countries, and mountain passes that close without much warning.
What is the best road trip in the UK?
Honestly, it depends how many days you've got. For a weekend, the Peak District Snake Pass loop from Manchester or two days in the Yorkshire Dales. For a week, the Welsh Coast 400, which is the most-used UK route on this site and a lot quieter than the North Coast 500 in August. If you've got a week or more and want the big Scottish one anyway, do the NC500, but book every night before you set off.
What is the best road trip in Europe for a first timer?
Germany's Romantic Road. The roads are excellent, the towns are close together, and you're never far from somewhere with a decent lunch. It's also the most-read European route on this site. If you'd rather have mountains, Slovenia in 5 days gives you lakes, high passes and the Soča Valley without Swiss prices. Just buy the e-vignette before you join the motorway.
Which road trips work best in winter?
The ones that lean into the cold rather than fight it. Finnish Lapland, Tromsø and Lofoten are built around the northern lights. Bavaria and the Alpine winter loop give you snowy villages and lakes across Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Closer to home, the Cairngorms loop from Aviemore has reindeer, ski slopes and the highest roads in Britain. The Belgium and Netherlands route is the low, flat option, all canals and Christmas lights, if you'd rather not drive a mountain pass in snow. Tap Winter routes in the route index to see all 13, and check the winter tyre rules before you go, because in several countries they're a legal requirement rather than a suggestion.
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