Home/Advice/Travel advice
Planning guides

Motorhome travel advice for Europe.

Practical guides written for UK motorhomers heading to Europe. Schengen timing, pet paperwork, payload and weight, tolls and vignettes, low emission zones, LPG refills, hook-up kit, ferry and tunnel crossings, aires, wild camping rules, and the insurance detail that actually matters on the road. If something catches people out, it is in here.

17 practical guides for UK motorhomers heading to Europe
Planning guide

Eurotunnel guide

Everything you need to know about taking your motorhome through the Channel Tunnel: booking, check-in, the crossing itself, and arriving in France.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Ferry crossings

A complete guide to every UK-Europe ferry route for motorhomes, with booking links, terminal postcodes, crossing times and operator comparisons.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Schengen 90-day rule

The 90/180-day rule is simpler than it sounds once you know how to count the days. How to plan your trip without accidentally overstaying.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Travelling with your dog

Animal Health Certificates, tapeworm treatment rules, keeping your dog safe in the heat, and what campsites expect before you set off.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Weight and payload

An overloaded motorhome can mean invalid insurance and a roadside fine. How to calculate your payload correctly, step by step.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Tolls and vignettes

French peage, Swiss vignette, Italian autostrada: country-by-country costs, the 3.5t threshold, and how to pay without fines.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Low emission zones

France, Germany and Belgium all have low emission zones with different sticker requirements. Find out which ones apply to your vehicle.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Electric hook-up

European campsite hook-ups are not the same as home. The right adapters, what amperage to expect, and avoiding the tripped bollard.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

LPG and gas

Gas bottles and adapters work differently across Europe. Which adapters you need, where to refill, and how to use LPG safely away from home.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Mobile data

Roaming charges can creep up quickly on a long trip. Which SIM cards give you the best coverage and value across Europe without bill surprises.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Breakdown and insurance

Standard car breakdown policies often fall short for motorhomes abroad. What to check in your cover, and what your Green Card and GHIC actually do.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Security and safety

Practical security advice for motorhomers in Europe. Locks worth having, higher-risk areas, fire safety by country, and the gas attack stories.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Rental motorhomes

First time hiring a motorhome for Europe? What your rental insurance actually includes, the permits you might need, and the rules for hired vehicles.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Aires and overnight stops

Aires de Camping-Cars, German Stellplatze and the rest. How they work country by country, how to find them, and the rules that keep them open.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Water refill points

Where to fill up across Europe: aires, campsites, fountains, marinas. Country-by-country drinking water notes and the kit you actually need.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Chemical toilet disposal

Where to empty the cassette, what fluid to use, and the etiquette that keeps the disposal points open. Country-by-country fluid availability.

Read the guide →
Planning guide

Wild camping rules

Where it is legal, where it is fined, and the etiquette that keeps it tolerated. Country by country for France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest.

Read the guide →
More planning topics are on the way. If you already have a Tripgen trip plan, it includes a version of these guides tailored to the countries on your route, so the information you need is already in one place.

Plan the whole trip.

These guides cover the admin. Tripgen turns it into a route: campsites, driving times and local notes for every stage, with the planning detail tailored to the countries you are visiting.

Plan my European trip
About two minutes · Free during beta · No card needed