Some discussion on routes across northern Europe from the Hook of Holland into Denmark.
There has been much discussion on using the Wischhafen - Gluckstadt ferry to avoid Hamburg, it’s worth noting to stay clear of Glückstadt in the first weekend of August especially the Sunday where there is always traffic chaos because of the ending of the huge Wacken Open Air music festival.
Jan Cook Can someone please tell me best route and how long it takes to drive from hook of Holland to Odense, Denmark. Thankyou
James Drennan We’ve probably never gone the same way twice but before we tried the Afluitsdijk we generally went from the Hook via Gouda, Utrecht, Amersfoort, Zwolle, Meppel, Meppen, Cloppenburg and then decide, depending on the day and the traffic, either Bremen and Hamburg or, usually Oldenburg, Brake, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven and round to the Wischafen ferry.
Sofia Meaden Have a look at http://maps.google.com where you can look up routes and get a good indication of time.
Chris Nicolls There are a number of 60kmh stretches, that can't be avoided. Only bypass Hamburg, in the rush hour and forget Fridays.
James Drennan Google maps as said then add 25%. We went north past Amsterdam and crossed the Afluitsdjik in May, crossed the Elbe with the Wischafen to Gluckstadt ferry to avoid the Hamburg congestion. If travelling on a Sunday Hamburg could be an option as lorries are banned and roadworks are suspended. We stop over in Kolding which takes about 9 or 10 hours so you add the extra to Odense and juggle with your driving style.
Fraser Lees Round about 7.5 hrs as its about 900km I live just south of Odense and have done this many times now. It depends on time around Hamburg and how the road works north of Hamburg are. Best to arrive late evening in that area. The rest of your journey should not be too bad as the roadworks Onsabruk to Hamburg are a bit lower key than they were.
Dorte Christensen The waze app will take you the quickest way even if it takes you through farmyards.
Bitten Rützou Bridge We are off on Saturday to Assens and we take the overnight ferry Harwich to hook van Holland. From there we hope to do it in nine hours including stops. Last year it took us 11 hours as we got caught up in traffic osnabruck to pass Hamburg, this time we drive through Germany on a Sunday so hopefully less traffic.
Kjersti Wik Farrier Is Hamburg only bad during rush hour on normal days? I'll be driving the stretch from Hook of Holland no the north of Denmark (will make the Hirtshals-Larvik crossing the following day) on a Wednesday at the end of July.
Jan Cook Is the Afluitsdijk and Elbe crossings, as mentioned by James Drennan, the way to go to avoid Hamburg? Are those crossings something I need to book, and/or plan with regards to timings etc?
James Drennan Hamburg is unpredictable, best on a Sunday when roadworks are suspended and lorries banned but Chris Nicolls will tell you more. The Afluitsdijk is a causeway across the water north of Amsterdam and part of the road network, no tolls. It may seem a long way around but we found it free of traffic all the way to the Wischafen/Gluckstadt ferry. You can’t book the ferry just join the queue. We have seen 4 ferries operating in the past, whether that's always the case I don't know but we boarded the incoming boat when the previous one had left last time. Make sure you have cash to pay, about €12 for a normal car.
Bitten Rützou Bridge what’s the difference in time?
James Drennan How long is a piece of string? Depends on delays at Hamburg, could be ok or you have to see it to believe it. Try Google maps, you can drag the suggested routes around to see the options.
Andrew Broadhurst According to my navigation software (Mac OS X) 7 hours 41 minutes for the 514 miles. If you take the route recommended by James Drennan and it is a good-weather day you might encounter delays at the Wischhafen ferry terminal itself of up to two hours. When I lived in Glückstadt (for 12 years) there were five ferries doing the route.
Gillian Jones We had a twenty minute wait one way and about an hour the other way but time soon goes and it is a lovely little break in the driving.
Andrew Broadhurst Yep! On the Glückstadt side is Happytown Beach Club where you can (or at least could) get refreshments whilst waiting.
James Drennan I think some of these travel projections are somewhat optimistic. Yes you can do 80mph or more on a lot of the route but it takes no account of the section out of the HoH before you reach the bigger roads, nor junction changes or the odd section where you might be stuck behind slower traffic. Hamburg or the Elbe ferry, you pays your money and take your choice.
Andrew Broadhurst Quite true. And when some idiot decides to have an accident in the A7 tunnel at Hamburg your journey can suddenly increase by anything up to five hours. This also from experience, but going south.
Lawrence Arnold About right, we did it last year. A word of advice, if you are travelling in the holiday, drive through Germany late evening /at night it can be a nightmare. 😃
Daniel Greenin We drive the non-motorway route , head from Amsterdam / Groningen , in May we did an overnight in Cuxhaven then took the ferry from Wisschafen / Gluckstadt which from memory costs E 10 and takes 20/25 minutes then an easy journey to Assens which is not far from Odense - trip much more enjoyable than pushing hard on the motorway ! first day 6/7 hours second day around the same.