Driving in the Alps in Winter: A Guide

The Alps cover eight different countries, which means eight different sets of driving rules! Many rules are the same across Europe, but each country has its own driving and road laws which you need to be aware of, as you may well pass through more than one country on your Alps road trip.

With this in mind, and with winter holiday planning set to kick into gear soon, we’ve put together a detailed driving guide on everything you need to know about driving in the Alps in winter.

Preparation: Before You Head Off

Make sure your passport is up to date and with you at all times, likewise with your driver’s license. For the countries the Alps spans you do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP).

When booking your vehicle with Indigo, you will need to decide between manual or automatic transmission. Although automatic vehicles have the advantage of not having to manually change gear they are more expensive and use more fuel and have less horsepower.

Think carefully about your pick-up and drop-off points as this will dictate your itinerary and your budget too. With Indigo it is not necessary to fly back from your pick-up point and you can leave the vehicle at your drop-off point and you can take your car across borders but check the cost of doing so.

What Do I Need to Check Before I Drive in the Alps?

For a more in depth look at what to consider when heading out to drive in the winter, take a look at our winter car hire guide. When it comes to driving in the Alps, we’ve put together a quick-fire guide of what you need to check before you head off:

BRAKES – Take your Indigo car for a spin and see if the brakes work well for a swift stop.
BATTERY -Have the confidence of a fully charged battery backed up with jump leads if it runs out given the hilly terrain you will be covering.
LIQUIDS – A full tank of fuel and water and oil topped up. Plus bring along antifreeze and windscreen washer solution for perfect clarity front, sides and back with the help of a scraper those tough bits of solid ice.
PAPERWORK – Make sure and doubly-sure you have your passport, driver’s licence, car registration documents and insurance certificate, the latter valid for your destination(s). Make sure that your insurance is valid in the country that you’re traveling to!

What Do I Need to Drive in the Alps?

Aside from carrying out a series of checks on the car itself, make sure you’re carrying the following:

FIRST AID KIT – a legal obligation in many of the countries that the Alps cover.
SNOW CHAINS – Firstly, try these at home rather than when it is in the midst of a crisis. Again, you are legally obliged to have these when driving in the mountains
LIGHT BULBS – check they are all in working order and bring a spare set of bulbs.
EMERGENCY KIT – including a warning triangle, flares and hi-vis jacket – many accidents take place by the vehicle in trouble not being visible to other drivers.
TORCH – ideally with spare batteries just in case.
SHOVEL – these can be picked up cheaply at any hardware store and help you literally dig your way out of a fix. Plus, a bag of abrasive material (sand, salt or cat litter), tow rope and traction mats.

What About Ski Equipment?

Indigo recommends renting your ski equipment from the resort itself to save on space in the vehicle as well as wear and tear on the equipment itself.

General Driving Tips When Setting Off in the Alps

SEAT LEFT! DRIVE RIGHT! It may seem obvious if you travel a lot for those rookies out there get on the RIGHT side of the road or it will end in tears. Make sure you allow extra time to take into account the heavy traffic on the Alps routes in the winter. Plus you will be driving slower in the snow too.

When it is actually snowing when you are in transit keep clear of the car in front, drive slowly and don’t accelerate too quickly to prevent skidding. Also, it is imperative to have your headlights on.

Make sure mountain passes are open to vehicles and plan your route for daytime driving only, winter nights are simply too dangerous.

Although the internet is a godsend for planning routes and knowing weather and traffic conditions from a sat nav, have a paper backup too in case the signal drops (a good driving in Europe guide will suffice).

Use TollGuru to check if your journey encounters any tolls to pay for and how to do this.

You will need a “vignette” toll sticker to travel on Austrian and Swiss motorways and expressways.

What Are Some of the Top Spots to Check Out When Driving in the Alps?

Find interesting road trips such as the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria which is a scenic drive that leads up to the summit of Grossglockner.

The top ski resorts in the Alps include Zermatt, Switzerland, Davos Klosters, Switzerland, Gstaad, Switzerland, Kitzbühel, Austria, Verbier, Switzerland, Chamonix, France, and St. Anton, Austria.

Crossing the Alps is definitely one of the best road trip experiences in Europe. Some of the most beautiful alpine passes in the Alps are: Great St Bernard Pass – Switzerland to Italy, Giau Pass and Falzarego Pass – Italian Dolomites, Col de la Bonette – France, Nockalm Road – Austria, Grossglockner High Alpine Road.

So select your itinerary as carefully and make the most of each moment. And before you go, book with Indigo for a car to go!

Check out these further guides and road trip insights for further inspiration:

Rich Jevons was first published in the Yorkshire Post at the tender age of fifteen. After graduating at University of Humberside, Rich covered the visual and performing arts for a wide range of regional, national and international magazines, journals and newspapers. He has interviewed the likes of Patrick Stewart, Colin Baker and Christopher Eccleston. Currently, he is writing copy on road trips around the world, all from his office in Wortley, Leeds