If you are driving abroad for your Christmas or New Year holiday you might like to check our chart of petrol and diesel prices throughout Europe, updated December 14th 2011.
Since our last survey in October the price of petrol has been static, or fallen slightly. The price of diesel has gone up, largely because of supply issues, and is now close to the price of petrol in most of Europe. In some countries it is now dearer, and whilst this has long been the norm in the UK, in Europe in general this is a new development.
Italy has seen the biggest price rises and fuel here is now the most expensive in Europe, with Britain close behind for diesel and in the top 5 for petrol. It's a long way to drive, but Hungary and Poland have the least expensive fuel, and nearer home Luxembourg is still a good place to fill up.
If you are heading to the Alps this winter Austria is relatively inexpensive both for fuel and the cost of living generally.
In many countries there are large variations in price so when you first arrive in a country drive for a while before you fill up, so you can get an idea of the prices on offer. This is particularly true in France where petrol prices can vary by as much as 20 cents a litre.
A full list of petrol and diesel prices in Europe
14 December 2011
1 December 2011
Snow chains or winter tyres when driving abroad?
One of the most frequently asked questions at Drive-Alive relates to the use of snow chains and winter tyres when driving abroad. Are they a legal requirement and if so where and when? Confusion also exists about the difference between winter tyres, all season tyres and studded tyres.
Studded tyres are designed to be used in more extreme conditions than normal winter tyres and should not be used when driving on clear roads. UK drivers will not normally need studded tyres and snow chains are a much better option should extreme conditions be encountered.
All season tyres are in effect the same as winter tyres. Like winter tyres in theory they can be used all year round, although they suffer from the same disadvantages in the warmer weather as do winter tyres. They also carry a symbol on their side wall similar to winter tyres.
Winter tyres will carry a snowflake, M&S or mountain symbol on the sidewall. They are manufactured from a different rubber compound to summer tyres (currently fitted as standard to British sold cars). This compound retains its grip in cool temperatures much better than summer tyres, and by cool we mean anything below about 7 degress centigrade. So they are safer not just in snow but in cold weather generally, especially if the road is wet or icy.
The disadvantage with winter tyres is that in the summer they tend to wear more quickly, have a higher rolling resistance so use more fuel, are a little noisier and do not grip as well as standard tyres in hot weather and cost a little more.
In certain European countries (currently Germany and Austria) there is now a legal requirement to use winter tyres during certain months of the year, when driving in wintery conditions. The problem is that on a lengthy journey such as from the UK to go skiing in the mountains it is impossible to be certain whether you will encounter wintery conditions. So if you want to go skiing with your car in those countries you really should purchase a set of winter tyres. Drivers resident in those countries normally have two sets of tyres as standard and they are sold on with the car.
We expect that more countries will make winter tyres mandatory in the future. In Switzerland the current position is that winter tyres are not compulsory but if you do not fit winter tyres and as a result you impede other traffic you could be fined. The tread depth on winter tyres must be at least 3mm (4mm in the Czech Republic).
Snow chains should be carried whether using winter or summer tyres if you are in a country with mountainous terrain. In some countries it is mandatory to use chains when conditions demand and if you do not do so the police can prevent you from continuing your journey. However, you must only use chains when the road surface is covered with snow and must remove the chains as soon as possible to avoid damaging the road.
For more on winter tyres and snow chains please visit the following pages:
Driving abroad
Winter driving in Europe
Winter tyres in Germany
Winter tyres in Austria
Studded tyres are designed to be used in more extreme conditions than normal winter tyres and should not be used when driving on clear roads. UK drivers will not normally need studded tyres and snow chains are a much better option should extreme conditions be encountered.
All season tyres are in effect the same as winter tyres. Like winter tyres in theory they can be used all year round, although they suffer from the same disadvantages in the warmer weather as do winter tyres. They also carry a symbol on their side wall similar to winter tyres.
Winter tyres will carry a snowflake, M&S or mountain symbol on the sidewall. They are manufactured from a different rubber compound to summer tyres (currently fitted as standard to British sold cars). This compound retains its grip in cool temperatures much better than summer tyres, and by cool we mean anything below about 7 degress centigrade. So they are safer not just in snow but in cold weather generally, especially if the road is wet or icy.
The disadvantage with winter tyres is that in the summer they tend to wear more quickly, have a higher rolling resistance so use more fuel, are a little noisier and do not grip as well as standard tyres in hot weather and cost a little more.
In certain European countries (currently Germany and Austria) there is now a legal requirement to use winter tyres during certain months of the year, when driving in wintery conditions. The problem is that on a lengthy journey such as from the UK to go skiing in the mountains it is impossible to be certain whether you will encounter wintery conditions. So if you want to go skiing with your car in those countries you really should purchase a set of winter tyres. Drivers resident in those countries normally have two sets of tyres as standard and they are sold on with the car.
We expect that more countries will make winter tyres mandatory in the future. In Switzerland the current position is that winter tyres are not compulsory but if you do not fit winter tyres and as a result you impede other traffic you could be fined. The tread depth on winter tyres must be at least 3mm (4mm in the Czech Republic).
Snow chains should be carried whether using winter or summer tyres if you are in a country with mountainous terrain. In some countries it is mandatory to use chains when conditions demand and if you do not do so the police can prevent you from continuing your journey. However, you must only use chains when the road surface is covered with snow and must remove the chains as soon as possible to avoid damaging the road.
For more on winter tyres and snow chains please visit the following pages:
Driving abroad
Winter driving in Europe
Winter tyres in Germany
Winter tyres in Austria
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