Driving to Strasbourg: tolls, fuel & road trip guide
Strasbourg is the main city of Alsace, on the River Ill just west of the Rhine and the German border. Its historic centre, the Grande Île ringed by arms of the Ill, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, and the listing was extended in 2017 to the Neustadt, the district built during the German period after 1871. The city is also the official seat of the European Parliament and home of the Council of Europe. In late autumn it draws crowds as the self-styled "Capital of Christmas": the 2026 Christmas markets run from 27 November to 24 December.
On the Rhine Valley & Bavaria drive it fits between Luxembourg City and Heidelberg: head south-east from Luxembourg via Metz into Alsace, then cross the Rhine and follow the German A5 north to Heidelberg. The whole Eurométropole is a low-emission zone (ZFE), so foreign cars need a French Crit'Air sticker; cars rated Crit'Air 4, 5 or unclassified are banned. A ban on Crit'Air 3 cars was planned for 1 January 2027, but on 8 October 2026 the Eurométropole announced it intends to postpone it by a year. The simplest plan is to park at a park-and-ride on the edge of town and take the tram into the centre.
Top attractions
Strasbourg Cathedral and the astronomical clock
The pink-sandstone Gothic cathedral's 142-metre spire made it the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874. In the south transept stands the astronomical clock built by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué between 1837 and 1842; about 18 metres tall, it shows solar time, the phases of the moon and the positions of the planets, with mechanical figures that move at set hours.
Petite France and the Ponts Couverts
In the south-west of the Grande Île the Ill splits into several channels lined with half-timbered houses. In the Middle Ages this was the quarter of tanners, millers and fishermen; today it is the city's most photographed corner. At its western tip the medieval towers of the Ponts Couverts guard the river channels.
Barrage Vauban
Built in pink Vosges sandstone between 1686 and 1690 to Vauban's plans, this 120-metre, 13-arch bridge and weir could raise the Ill to flood the land south of the city against attackers, a measure actually used during the 1870 siege. Its free rooftop terrace gives the classic view over the Ponts Couverts and Petite France.
Palais Rohan museums
Beside the cathedral, this former residence of the prince-bishops was built between 1732 and 1742 to plans by Robert de Cotte, the king's first architect, for Cardinal Armand-Gaston de Rohan-Soubise. It now holds three museums: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Decorative Arts, the last set in the cardinals' state apartments.
Christkindelsmärik and the Christmas markets
Founded in 1570, the Christkindelsmärik ("market of the Christ Child" in Alsatian) is one of Europe's oldest Christmas markets and has stood on Place Broglie since 1871. In 2026 the markets spread across the old town, from Place Broglie and the cathedral square to Petite France and the great Christmas tree on Place Kléber, from 27 November to 24 December; weekday mornings are the least crowded.
European Parliament (Louise Weiss building)
North-east of the centre, the European quarter houses the Parliament's plenary chamber in the Louise Weiss building, inaugurated on 14 December 1999 and named after the Alsace-born journalist and campaigner for Europe and women's suffrage. It is an easy tram ride from the old town and makes a modern contrast to the medieval Grande Île.
Driving to Strasbourg
Road charges in France
- Environmental Sticker (Crit'Air): €3.70 — https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr
Mandatory equipment in France
- Safety vest (reflective, high-visibility)
- Warning triangle
- Spare bulbs (headlights)
- Breathalyzer (disposable or electronic)
- Snow chains
Driving distances from Strasbourg
| To | Road km | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon | 499 | 7 h 08 min |
| Paris | 519 | 7 h 25 min |
| Versailles | 537 | 7 h 40 min |
| Chartres | 600 | 8 h 34 min |
| Le Puy-en-Velay | 638 | 9 h 07 min |
| Amboise | 676 | 9 h 39 min |
| Tours | 704 | 10 h 03 min |
| Nice | 708 | 10 h 07 min |
Fuel prices in France
Petrol 95 €2.23/L · Diesel €2.35/L (2026-10-19)
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Nearby destinations
Cross-border destinations near Strasbourg
- Heidelberg — Germany, 149 km
- Zurich — Switzerland, 191 km
- Rüdesheim am Rhein — Germany, 209 km
- Luxembourg City — Luxembourg, 213 km
- Lucerne — Switzerland, 228 km
- Cochem — Germany, 233 km