Driving to Munich from Calais

Driving to Munich from Calais

Munich is one of Europe’s great cities – home to Oktoberfest, stunning architecture and magnificent museums. Drink it all in with a weekend or more in the capital of Bavaria!

How long does it take to drive from Calais to Munich?

It might surprise you that Munich is closer to Calais than some cities in France. With a travel time of between ten and eleven hours, driving from Calais to Munich takes you through France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany on a journey full of interesting places to take a break.  

Travel across northern France on the A26, A4 and A8

It takes around ten hours to drive from Calais to Munich on this, the quickest route (with tolls). Leave Calais on the A26, before picking up the A4 south of Reims and heading to Strasbourg. Once over the German border head north to join Bundesautobahn 8, which goes all the way to Munich. 

Places to visit en-route

Reims

A tasting at one of the champagne houses of Reims may have to wait (you are driving, after all) but we’re sure you could find room for a bottle or two in the boot!

Reims is also a fantastic place for foodies, with its own signature dish, a sweet treat called ‘Biscuits rose de Reims’ which is conveniently meant to be dipped in champagne. There are also beautiful buildings round every corner. The Gothic cathedral is the greatest, a building where 25 French kings were crowned. There are over 2,300 statues here, stunning stained glass windows and a 250-step tour up the main tower. 

Strasbourg 

Around six hours into your journey you will pass close to the beautiful city of Strasbourg. Often referred to as the ‘capital of Europe’ because of its proximity to Germany and Switzerland and the cosmopolitan nature of its population, Strasbourg is packed full of history, culture, architectural delights and things to do for the family. 

Why not explore the city on Strasbourg’s extensive network of cycle paths, or poke around the cathedral, which has welcomed visitors for nearly 700 years? You are in the Alsace, so if you are here overnight you could even sneak out into the hills for a spectacular walk or mountain bike ride. 

A road-trip on the A8 through Belgium & Luxembourg

The journey time for this largely toll-free route is just over ten hours too. Taking the A16 out of Calais, you pick up the A25 towards Lille and then cross into Belgium on the E42 European route. Leave the E42 north of Namur and follow the E411 and E25 to Luxembourg. Once in Germany most of the trip is taken on the Bundesautobahn A8. 

Points of interest en-route

Mons

The Belgian city of Mons is two and a half hours from Calais and is a mix of beautiful architecture, fascinating museums and poignant war memorials. Make sure you visit the St Symphorien Military Cemetery, which commemorates the soldiers lost in the Battle of Mons, the first major battle of World War 1. Also on your to-do list should be the city’s two World Heritage Sites – the Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes and the Mons Belfry. If you have any more time in Mons try and find the small iron monkey outside the city hall – patting it is reputed to bring good luck. 

Luxembourg 

Luxembourg City is just over 5 hours into your journey and makes an ideal halfway point for a stopover. Everything is within walking distance in this small but charming city. Among the highlights are the Corniche terrace, often called Europe’s most beautiful balcony, and the Bock Casemates, the underground tunnels built in the 17th century as defensive fortifications. 

It is no surprise that Luxembourg old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – there are delights around every corner, from the Grand Ducal Palace to the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Chocolate House, where you can indulge in some delicious cakes and fabulous coffee. 

See more of Germany on the A3 via Bonn & Frankfurt

This route travels across Belgium and takes in more of Germany, passing close to Ghent and Brussels before heading over the Rhine. Cologne, Bonn, Frankfurt and Nuremberg are the major cities you could stop at as you head your way on Bundesautobahn A3 and A9 southwards to Munich. The travel time is 10 hours 40 minutes and the route is toll free. 

Places to visit en-route 

Cologne 

The city of Cologne is an ideal place to stop on your trip from Calais, being about halfway, and is always a popular spot for its vibrancy and diversity. With stunning churches, vintage shopping, fabulous bars and amazing art galleries, there is no shortage of things to do in Cologne. Take a boat trip on the Rhine, visit the Chocolate Museum (yes, every city seems to have one, and why not?) or take the family to Cologne Zoo, home to more animals than any other zoological park in Germany. 

There are also some fascinating museums, beautiful churches and the Gothic masterpiece of Cologne cathedral. 

Nuremberg 

Nuremberg is less than two hours from Munich but it would be a shame to bypass the second biggest city in Bavaria. Nuremberg is rich in history, art and culture, and retains its medieval charm. It is a delight wandering through the wide cobbled streets of the Altstadt, full of colourful half-timbered houses. 

One of these belonged to the celebrated artist Albrecht Dürer, and the Dürer House museum gives a fascinating insight into his life and work during a tumultuous period of German history. Overlooking Dürer’s house and the old town is the Kaiserburg Castle, which evokes the golden age of Nuremberg during the Middle Ages. 

How much are the tolls from Calais to Munich?

For the fastest route above, which takes you via Reims and Strasbourg, you should expect to pay around €55 in tolls each way driving from Calais to Munich. Belgian, Luxembourg and German roads are almost completely toll-free, so the other routes will be free or incur only minimal toll charges. 

An Emovis tag will help speed up your passage through the tolls. We have an exclusive offer saving customers €10 on the application fee of an Emovis tag if you apply with LeShuttle. 

Drive to Munich with LeShuttle

Your road trip to Germany starts with LeShuttle and a crossing from Folkestone to Calais in only 35 minutes. Check out our other European driving guides for ideas of where to go in France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and even further afield.