🇬🇧 Cross-border drive · United Kingdom → Austria 🇦🇹
Driving from London to Linz
Plan your London to Linz road trip. Navigate A20, E40, A44. Discover border specifics, tolls, and driving tips for your journey.
- Drive time
- 13h 53m
- Distance
- 1,314 km
- Same day?
- Split it
- 12 h+, plan a stop
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €190
- petrol · diesel ≈ €160
- Tolls
- ≈ €28
- mixed
- EV charging
- Unknown
- not yet surveyed
On this page
Route map
Route options
Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.
Avoids motorways
+7h 13m- Distance:
- 1,363 km (+49 km)
- Duration:
- 21h 7m
Via: B 16 · B 10 · B 8 · B 29
How else can you make this trip?
Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.
13h 53m
1.314 km · €190 fuel
See details ↓
Not realistic
1.314 km is far beyond a typical multi-day cycle tour. Try a shorter pair like a day or weekend stage.
No direct service
Our coach data (FlixBus + BlaBlaCar) doesn't list a direct service for this pair. National operators (e.g., National Express in the UK, Eurolines feeders) may still cover it — check their site directly.
2h 46m
from €40
See details ↓
14h 42m
Eurostar · SNCF VOYAGEURS
See details ↓
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on April 24, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
Leaving London, you'll join the M20 motorway heading towards the Channel Tunnel, a key step before boarding the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. Upon arrival in France, you'll pick up the A16 autoroute, which will guide you east towards Belgium. As you transition into Belgium, the A16 becomes the E40, a major European artery that will carry you through the country. Keep an eye on speed limit changes as you cross borders; Belgium's limits are generally higher than the UK's.
The E40 continues into Germany, where it will be your primary route for a significant portion of the drive. German roads, particularly the Autobahn sections you'll encounter, often have no general speed limit, but be aware of temporary restrictions and the need for winter tyres in certain regions and seasons, especially as you approach Austria. Fuel prices can fluctuate significantly between countries, so it's wise to fill up in countries where it's cheaper, often Germany compared to France or Belgium. You'll eventually merge onto the A44 Autobahn in Germany, which will lead you south towards the Austrian border.
As you approach Austria, you'll need to purchase a vignette to use the Austrian motorways. This is a mandatory electronic or sticker toll that must be displayed or registered before entering Austrian autobahns. The E40 route will eventually lead you towards the Austrian border, where you'll likely transition onto Austrian roads like the A1 or A10, depending on the precise OSRM route taken, to reach your final destination in Linz. Remember to check for any low-emission zone requirements if you plan to drive through major German cities not directly on this path.
Route highlights
- Eurotunnel Le Shuttle crossing
- Navigating the Belgian E40
- German Autobahn sections
- Austrian motorway vignette
- Potential for variable fuel prices
- Speed limit adjustments between countries
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Overnight recommended
Too long for a single-driver day. Plan on 1 overnight stop(s) to do this trip right.
A natural overnight stop near the halfway point: Ransbach-Baumbach (de).
- Distance:
- 1,314 km
- Duration:
- 13h 53m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Calais 🇫🇷 fr
≈164 km≈ 4.9 km detour from the main route
-
Sint-Lievens-Houtem 🇧🇪 be
≈329 km≈ 5.1 km detour from the main route
-
Welkenraedt 🇧🇪 be
≈493 km≈ 3.3 km detour from the main route
-
Dierdorf 🇩🇪 de
≈657 km≈ 3.1 km detour from the main route
-
Laufach 🇩🇪 de
≈821 km≈ 11.2 km detour from the main route
-
Schwaig 🇩🇪 de
≈986 km≈ 3 km detour from the main route
-
Deggendorf 🇩🇪 de
≈1,150 km≈ 3.9 km detour from the main route
Along the way
Places to stop for coffee, a bite, a view, or the night — from OpenStreetMap.
Food · 6
-
+0.1 km
fast food · Linz
-
+0.4 km
restaurant · Linz
-
+0.3 km
fast food
-
+0.6 km
restaurant · Linz
-
+0.4 km
restaurant
-
+0.4 km
restaurant
Coffee · 6
-
+0.2 km
cafe · Linz
-
+0.2 km
cafe · London
-
+0.5 km
cafe · Linz
-
+0.7 km
cafe · London
-
+0.8 km
cafe · London
-
+0.8 km
cafe
Museums & history · 6
-
+0.2 km
museum
-
+0.3 km
Royal Tank Regiment Memorial
memorial
-
+0.3 km
Anglo-Belgian War Memorial
memorial
-
+0.5 km
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
memorial · London
-
+0.6 km
Monty
memorial · London
-
+0.4 km
The Gurkha Soldier
memorial
Outdoors · 6
-
+2.6 km
London Bridge Experience
attraction
-
+3.0 km
attraction
-
+3.0 km
Hardy Tree
attraction
-
+3.1 km
St Pancras Lock
attraction
-
+3.8 km
Kellerskopfstollen
attraction
-
+3.9 km
Sonnenstuhlturm
viewpoint
Stay the night · 6
-
+0.9 km
hotel · Linz
-
+0.5 km
Arte Hotel Linz
hotel
-
+1.3 km
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - West End
hotel · London
-
+1.4 km
hotel · London
-
+1.4 km
hotel · London
-
+1.8 km
hotel · London
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Channel crossing required — book ahead
OSRM treats the Channel as land. The reality: you need either Eurotunnel (Folkestone–Calais, 35 minutes, ~£90–£250 depending on date) or the Dover–Calais ferry (90 minutes, ~£80–£200). Both add an hour to a half-day to the trip on top of the booking, queue, and customs. Reserve your slot before you commit to a date.
Multi-country chain · GB → FR → BE → NL → DE → CZ → AT
You'll cross 7 countries on this drive — each with its own toll system, fuel pricing, and motorway rules. Skim the must-know section below before you set off, and have your registration plus insurance card in the door pocket for any roadside check.
Drive on the left in GB
The UK, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus drive on the left. If you're crossing over from the continent via ferry or the Channel Tunnel, take a breather before you pull onto the motorway — it rewires faster than people expect.
Tolls on motorways in FR
Budget for motorway tolls — France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal charge per-km, Croatia and Greece by section. Contactless cards work almost everywhere; have one loaded.
Vignette required in CZ / AT
Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania require a sticker or e-vignette for motorway use. Buy at the border — missing one is a heavy on-the-spot fine.
Long rural stretch on Le Shuttle
Plan for about 59 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on R0
Plan for about 18 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Must-know before you go
The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.
City access & emission zones
Brussels Low Emission Zone covers all 19 communes
Must knowBrussels LEZ runs 24/7 across the entire city; foreign plates must register online before arrival. Diesel pre-Euro 4 and petrol pre-Euro 1 are banned outright. The fine for unregistered entry is €350. Antwerp and Ghent have their own LEZs with different sticker requirements.
Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart need a green Umweltplakette
Must knowGermany's low-emission zones (Umweltzone) are simpler than the French system but stricter on entry. You need a colour-coded sticker physically on your windscreen before entering. The vast majority of zones today require a green sticker (Euro 4+ petrol, Euro 6+ diesel). Order via TÜV / DEKRA / certified workshops — about €6–13, ships in days. Driving without one costs €100 even if your car would qualify.
Order your Crit'Air sticker before the trip
Must knowParis, Lyon, Strasbourg, Marseille, Toulouse and a growing list of cities require a Crit'Air air-quality sticker visible on your windscreen — even for a single drive-through. It's €4.51 from the official site and ships by post (allow 2–6 weeks abroad). Without it, expect on-the-spot fines from €68. Your registration document tells the issuer your emission class.
Greater London ULEZ — £12.50/day, 24/7
Must knowLondon
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers every London borough since August 2023. Foreign plates must pay via the TfL website by midnight the day after travel — no payment, £180 fine. A scrappage scheme covers UK residents only. Confirm your car's Euro class on the TfL "check your vehicle" tool before you commit to driving in.
Borders & documents
EU drivers don't need an International Driving Permit
TipA common piece of post-Brexit confusion: EU and UK driving licences are still mutually recognised for short visits. You don't need an IDP for a holiday or business trip. You also no longer need a Green Card — the UK rejoined the unified motor-insurance system in 2021. Bring your registration document and insurance certificate.
Tolls, vignettes & road payment
Digital vignette before crossing the border
Must knowAustrian motorways need a vignette — €10.10 for 10 days, €30.40 for 2 months, or €103.80 annual. The digital version (linked to your plate) is bought online at asfinag.at and activates from a chosen date — if you buy on the Austrian side of the border, it's only valid 18 days later under consumer-protection rules. Buy ahead.
Czech e-vignette is plate-linked, no sticker
Must knowCzechia replaced paper vignettes in 2021. Buy on edalnice.cz with your plate, valid from the chosen date. 10-day is CZK 290 (~€12), annual CZK 2,300 (~€95). Police read plates electronically — no display required. The first 90 minutes after purchase, the system sometimes hasn't synced; keep your purchase confirmation accessible.
You'll hit three different toll systems on this trip
Must knowThis route crosses countries with mismatched toll mechanics — France's ticket-and-pay, vignette stickers, electronic-only stretches. There's no single transponder that works everywhere, but a Telepass EU device covers FR/IT/ES/PT and a Bip&Go covers the same plus a few more. For a one-off trip, contactless cards plus a Swiss vignette and Austrian e-vignette is the simplest mix.
Brenner, Tauern and Karawanken tunnels are extra
UsefulEight Austrian routes charge separate tolls on top of the vignette: Brenner (A13, ~€11.50), Pyhrn (A9, ~€6.50), Tauern (A10, ~€14), Karawanken (A11, ~€8.50) and others. Pay at the booth — no vignette discount. If you're heading south to Italy via the A13, budget for it.
Contactless works at every autoroute booth
UsefulFrench autoroutes use a ticket system: take a card on entry, pay on exit. Every barrier accepts contactless tap-to-pay — pull into the "CB / bank card" lane (orange "t" logo means Liber-T transponder only, avoid those). For frequent EU travellers a Bip&Go transponder pays itself off in two trips by skipping the queue.
What your car must carry
Triangle, first-aid kit, hi-vis vest — all three
Must knowGermany requires a warning triangle, a first-aid kit (compliant with DIN 13164, with a "use by" date — €10 at any pharmacy), and a reflective vest in every passenger car. Roadside checks do happen at borders. The first-aid kit is the one foreign drivers most commonly miss.
Hi-vis vest in the cabin, triangle in the boot
Must knowA reflective vest must be reachable without leaving the vehicle (in the door pocket or under your seat — boot is too late). One warning triangle is also mandatory. The 2012 breathalyzer rule was scrapped in 2020 but is still nice to keep. No spare-bulb requirement.
Headlight deflectors required for continental cars
Must knowContinental left-hand-drive headlight beams cut up-and-right — point them straight at oncoming British traffic at night. €15 stick-on deflectors in the right pattern fix this. Many newer cars have a software "tourist mode" in the headlight menu instead. Without one, you'll dazzle every car you pass after dark and risk an MOT-style stop.
Driving rules & habits
Drive on the left — give yourself a buffer day
Must knowSwitching sides isn't the danger people imagine for the first hour — it's the moment you're tired in week 2 and pull into a quiet petrol station. Park, then think. Roundabouts go clockwise; entering one feels backwards. The first 30 minutes after the ferry/Eurotunnel are the highest-risk: take a coffee at a service area before joining the M20.
Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.
Main roads
The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.
-
A 3 —623 km
-
E40 —261 km
-
M20 —77 km
-
A 4 —69 km
-
A8 Innkreis Autobahn61 km
-
A 16 L'Européenne55 km
-
A25 Welser Autobahn19 km
-
R0 —18 km
-
A20 Sidcup Road14 km
-
A 44 —10 km
-
A7 Mühlkreis Autobahn5 km
-
A1 West Autobahn5 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.
- Motorway
- 93%
- Secondary
- 0%
- Other / rural
- 7%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Demanding
Tough drive — multiple complicating factors compound fatigue. Strongly recommend splitting across days.
- Long drive: 13h 53m behind the wheel at free-flow speeds.
- Cross-border: GB → AT. Keep documents accessible and check border rules.
- Side-of-the-road change — adjusting from RHT to LHT (or back) takes focus.
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €190
98.6 L × €1.93 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €160
78.8 L × €2.03 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €157
230 kWh × €0.68 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Motorway tolls & vignettes
≈ €28
- FR — €0.10/km on the motorway network (≈ 51 km in-country ≈ €5)
- CZ — Vignette (motorway sticker / e-vignette) — €13.00 for 10 days Annual vignette is €88.00 if you drive often
- AT — Vignette (motorway sticker / e-vignette) — €10.10 for 10 days Annual vignette is €103.80 if you drive often
Prices last refreshed 2026-05-04.
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇬🇧 London
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8°
2°
|
10°
4°
|
12°
5°
|
15°
6°
|
19°
10°
|
23°
13°
|
23°
14°
|
23°
14°
|
20°
12°
|
16°
10°
|
11°
6°
|
10°
6°
|
| 70mm | 57mm | 64mm | 54mm | 46mm | 35mm | 84mm | 39mm | 96mm | 79mm | 77mm | 63mm |
hot mild cold
🇦🇹 Linz
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5°
-2°
|
8°
1°
|
13°
3°
|
16°
6°
|
20°
10°
|
26°
15°
|
27°
17°
|
27°
16°
|
23°
13°
|
16°
8°
|
8°
2°
|
5°
-0°
|
| 46mm | 43mm | 62mm | 77mm | 92mm | 58mm | 83mm | 80mm | 105mm | 52mm | 75mm | 67mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Linz
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Tue 12
☀️
7° / 5°
—
-
Wed 13
⛅
15° / 3°
0.8mm
-
Thu 14
🌧️
10° / 7°
75.6mm
-
Fri 15
⛅
14° / 7°
5.5mm
-
Sat 16
🌧️
14° / 8°
8.7mm
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 42 manoeuvres
- Strand (A4) 0.5 km
- Waterloo Road (A301)
- Bricklayers Arms Flyover (A2) 0.5 km
- Old Kent Road (A2) 3 km
- Sidcup Road (A20) 0.4 km
- Sidcup Road (A20)
- Sidcup Road (A20) 4 km
- Sidcup By-pass (A20) 6 km
- Swanley By-pass (A20) 4 km
- (M20) 77 km
- — 0.2 km
- Boulevard d'Erlanger 0.7 km
- —
- — 0.9 km
- Le Shuttle 59 km
- Boulevard de la Côte d'Opale 1.0 km
- Boulevard de l'Europe
- (D 304) 0.1 km
- —
- L'Européenne (A 16) 43 km
- L'Européenne (A 16) 12 km
- (E40) 133 km
- — 0.9 km
- — 0.2 km
- (R0) 18 km
- — 1 km
- (E40) 128 km
- (A 44) 10 km
- — 0.7 km
- (A 4) 69 km
- (A 3) 297 km
- — 0.4 km
- — 1 km
- — 0.4 km
- (A 3) 326 km
- Innkreis Autobahn (A8) 61 km
- Welser Autobahn (A25) 19 km
- Welser Autobahn (A25) 2 km
- West Autobahn (A1) 5 km
- Mühlkreis Autobahn (A7) 5 km
- — 0.2 km
- Hauptplatz
By plane from London to Linz
Indicative travel time on a non-stop flight, based on great-circle distance, average commercial cruise speed (850 km/h), and a 90-minute allowance for taxi, security, and boarding.
- Total time
- 2h 46m
- Door-to-door from :from airport.
- In the air
- 77 min
- At ~850 km/h cruise speed.
- On the ground
- 90 min
- Taxi + security + boarding (typical short-haul).
- Route
- LHR → LNZ
- 1.090 km great-circle.
Indicative fare: from €40 — fares vary by season, day of week, and how far ahead you book. Always check the airline or a meta-search before planning around this number.
Show flight path on map
Estimate-only. We don't pull live schedules or fares for flights — see the methodology page for how this number is computed.
Air travel emits roughly 5–10× the CO₂ per passenger-km of rail for the same distance.
By train from London to Linz
Fastest cross-border rail itinerary from the public Transitous planner. Times reflect a typical Monday-morning departure on the next available service-day.
- Fastest journey
- 14h 42m
- 6 changes
- Lead operator
- Eurostar
- + 4 more
- Alternatives
- 6
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- EST 9028
- 661A
- ICE 693
- EN 50237
All operators across alternatives
- Eurostar
- SNCF VOYAGEURS
- DB Fernverkehr AG
- OEBB Personenverkehr AG Kundenservice
- NS Int
Includes a high-speed rail leg (TGV, ICE, AVE, Frecciarossa-class).
Show route on map
Routing via the public Transitous OTP planner (community-run MOTIS instance). Cached 24 hours; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Frequently asked
Do I need a vignette for Austria?
Yes, a vignette is mandatory for using Austrian motorways. You can purchase it online in advance or at border crossings and service stations.
What are the speed limits in Germany?
While many sections of the German Autobahn have no general speed limit, there are recommended limits and specific restrictions in place. Always adhere to posted signs.
Are there any tolls on the E40?
The E40 is a European route, and while the route itself is free, you will encounter tolls on specific sections in France and Belgium, as well as the mandatory vignette for Austria.
What should I know about driving in the UK before leaving?
Remember that the UK drives on the left. Ensure your vehicle's headlights are correctly adjusted for driving on the right in mainland Europe.
What are the winter tyre requirements?
Winter tyre mandates vary by country and season. In Austria, they are generally required during winter months (typically November to April) on certain roads. Check current regulations before travelling.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, EU Weekly Oil Bulletin for cross-border fuel-price bands, OpenStreetMap via Overpass for sights along the route, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.