Discussion
Living up north I don't really relish the 5-6 drive to Dover to get to the continent, so I always have a look at ferries from Newcastle or Hull. They were always more expensive, but if it was £200-300 difference it could make sense.
I've just looked up a trip in August and Newcastle - Ijmuiden is over £1100 for 2 passengers in a car. Hull - Rotterdan is about £1,000. Dover - Calais is about £180 or £250 on the tunnel.
Am I missing something? Is there some cheaper way of doing this or are people actually paying that much to save a few hours drive?
I've just looked up a trip in August and Newcastle - Ijmuiden is over £1100 for 2 passengers in a car. Hull - Rotterdan is about £1,000. Dover - Calais is about £180 or £250 on the tunnel.
Am I missing something? Is there some cheaper way of doing this or are people actually paying that much to save a few hours drive?
Personally my preference was and is the Harwich to Hook service. Realise I'm starting from a different part of UK to you, but from time in SYorks and Derbyshire, therefore much nearer to Hull still preferred the Harwich option. Clearly it depends where your destination is too.
Every time used any of the ferries / tunnel from Kent, it just took an age to get there, and always some complications, even though now probably same miles as Harwich.
Always like an overnight crossing, embark in the afternoon, settle in, decent cabins, dinner, pass rest of evening however you liked, ship would be docked or at latest in sheltered waters before breakfast, so no staggering around balancing the buffet breakfast in rough weather. Off the ship nice and early and on your way after a decent sleep.
Maybe things have changed as it's a few years ago, but found the cabins from Hull and Newcastle a bit down market. Though only used Newcastle for the long gone Gothenburg service so not that relevant.
Every time used any of the ferries / tunnel from Kent, it just took an age to get there, and always some complications, even though now probably same miles as Harwich.
Always like an overnight crossing, embark in the afternoon, settle in, decent cabins, dinner, pass rest of evening however you liked, ship would be docked or at latest in sheltered waters before breakfast, so no staggering around balancing the buffet breakfast in rough weather. Off the ship nice and early and on your way after a decent sleep.
Maybe things have changed as it's a few years ago, but found the cabins from Hull and Newcastle a bit down market. Though only used Newcastle for the long gone Gothenburg service so not that relevant.
Oh it is great. I used the Newcastle one a few times. Cabins nothing special last time I went but like you say a pleasant evening and off the boat with a full day ahead of you. If it was £500 I'd do it, but £1100 is crazy.
The run to Dover isn't that bad if I time it right. The only sticky bit is the M25 around Dartford at busy times. I'll probably go late at night so should be fine. I can do the tunnel and a night in a nice hotel and still save a decent amount
The run to Dover isn't that bad if I time it right. The only sticky bit is the M25 around Dartford at busy times. I'll probably go late at night so should be fine. I can do the tunnel and a night in a nice hotel and still save a decent amount
FiF said:
Personally my preference was and is the Harwich to Hook service. Realise I'm starting from a different part of UK to you, but from time in SYorks and Derbyshire, therefore much nearer to Hull still preferred the Harwich option. Clearly it depends where your destination is too.
Every time used any of the ferries / tunnel from Kent, it just took an age to get there, and always some complications, even though now probably same miles as Harwich.
Always like an overnight crossing, embark in the afternoon, settle in, decent cabins, dinner, pass rest of evening however you liked, ship would be docked or at latest in sheltered waters before breakfast, so no staggering around balancing the buffet breakfast in rough weather. Off the ship nice and early and on your way after a decent sleep.
Maybe things have changed as it's a few years ago, but found the cabins from Hull and Newcastle a bit down market. Though only used Newcastle for the long gone Gothenburg service so not that relevant.
With the Hook overnight arrival, it often coincides with the infernal Rotterdam rush hour, but I now schedule my sailings to arrive on a Sunday morning when things are quieter.Every time used any of the ferries / tunnel from Kent, it just took an age to get there, and always some complications, even though now probably same miles as Harwich.
Always like an overnight crossing, embark in the afternoon, settle in, decent cabins, dinner, pass rest of evening however you liked, ship would be docked or at latest in sheltered waters before breakfast, so no staggering around balancing the buffet breakfast in rough weather. Off the ship nice and early and on your way after a decent sleep.
Maybe things have changed as it's a few years ago, but found the cabins from Hull and Newcastle a bit down market. Though only used Newcastle for the long gone Gothenburg service so not that relevant.
FiF said:
Just to add, yes it's more expensive than Dover Calais etc but saving a hotel cost in each direction.
Just costed August return trip flexible ticket 620 incl 2 berth cabin.
Agree about morning traffic in Rotterdam.
Just costed August return trip flexible ticket 620 incl 2 berth cabin.
Agree about morning traffic in Rotterdam.
Edited by FiF on Sunday 11th June 12:03
Also to consider in the total computation of the cost of a trip, if you are heading anywhere east of France, by going down the German side of the Rhine, there are no tolls unless/until you buy the vignette in Switzerland. If heading to Italy, you also avoid the €65 return ticket for the Mont Blanc or Frejus tunnels.
JuanCarlosFandango said:
I haven't actually priced up Portsmouth to Caen or other south coast routes. Heading to Nurburgring then Alps so it wouldn't make sense for this trip. I have looked up ferries to Bilbao before and it seemed fairly reasonable but I dare say that has gone up too.
I alternate between Portsmouth to Caen and Harwich to Hook on the fully flexible tickets. Brittany Ferries is about two thirds of the cost of Stena, but you have to buy breakfast (which is some continental affair rather than a full English) and you don’t get a lounge with complimentary drinks and snacks. Also, sorry to indulge in national profiling, but the hygiene standards in the cabins are as you’d expect respectively between a French and a Scandinavian company. I had some fairly horrificp experiences on BF especially during the Covid period, when you might have expected more vigilance/care. And then, when you ask to change to a cleaned cabin, you experience the exquisite pleasure of French customer service
.Coming into Portsmouth is pretty naff. Car traffic is secondary to the freight and is often held up so much that it can take an hour or more to get to passport control. UKBF is chronically understaffed at Portsmouth, too. Harwich is easy to get to and out of, although it takes a while to get over to the A12 or A14 .
Portsmouth to Caen looks good if you're going that way.
Harwich is a bit redundant as the drive to the port is about the same as Dover and the cost difference is enough to pay for a hotel. Plus the extra flexibility of the busier routes is handy.
Shame the Newcastle one is so ridiculous though!
Harwich is a bit redundant as the drive to the port is about the same as Dover and the cost difference is enough to pay for a hotel. Plus the extra flexibility of the busier routes is handy.
Shame the Newcastle one is so ridiculous though!
FiF said:
Personally my preference was and is the Harwich to Hook service. Realise I'm starting from a different part of UK to you, but from time in SYorks and Derbyshire, therefore much nearer to Hull still preferred the Harwich option. Clearly it depends where your destination is too.
I'll be using this crossing at the start of next month when we head through Germany and to the Alps. We are starting in Chester so also a decent enough drive but have the overnight ferry with a cabin, nice early start in the morning on towards Heidelberg for.our first stop
Percy. said:
FiF said:
Personally my preference was and is the Harwich to Hook service. Realise I'm starting from a different part of UK to you, but from time in SYorks and Derbyshire, therefore much nearer to Hull still preferred the Harwich option. Clearly it depends where your destination is too.
I'll be using this crossing at the start of next month when we head through Germany and to the Alps. We are starting in Chester so also a decent enough drive but have the overnight ferry with a cabin, nice early start in the morning on towards Heidelberg for.our first stop
On a completely irrelevant point as there is no route going there now, but arriving at Boulogne on the Speedferries cat to coincide with the Friday afternoon school run, never ever ever again. Felt like had done 100 miles and still webbed up in school traffic, only had to get to Antwerp, knackered.
We live approx 10 mins from the tunnel, and visit the NE as the mother in law has relatives in and around Durham and Sunderland.
TBF, I’m quite used to the M25, London traffic..
We find the M11/A14/A1m/A19 a relative doddle, same on the way back down.
The bridge can get busy, stay overnight in Kent and get an early tunnel.
We get a 8.30/9am shuttle 6/7 hours on French/German roads with a lunch stop can get you an awful long way.
TBF, I’m quite used to the M25, London traffic..
We find the M11/A14/A1m/A19 a relative doddle, same on the way back down.
The bridge can get busy, stay overnight in Kent and get an early tunnel.
We get a 8.30/9am shuttle 6/7 hours on French/German roads with a lunch stop can get you an awful long way.
Percy. said:
I'll be using this crossing at the start of next month when we head through Germany and to the Alps.
We are starting in Chester so also a decent enough drive but have the overnight ferry with a cabin, nice early start in the morning on towards Heidelberg for.our first stop
That’s a very civilised drive. The ‘Ring is even easier. I make it down as far as Rheinfelden for an overnight stop if driving alone, generally arriving by about 1700, and making several pitstops on the way. We are starting in Chester so also a decent enough drive but have the overnight ferry with a cabin, nice early start in the morning on towards Heidelberg for.our first stop
By the way, if going down the A5, continuing on to Lörrach/Rheinfelden and then into Switzerland there also allows you to miss the congestion ballsache that is the motorway network around Basel.
Alternatively, if you have the time, may I suggest that you leave Heidelberg by the Neckar valley and drop into Switzerland closer to Zurich? It’s a wonderful drive, and much nicer than pounding down to Basel and onwards on the autobahn.
Yeah the drive to Dover isn't too bad. Usually only hit traffic around the Dartford crossing, and last time I went they had about 20 miles of cones and the inevitable SPECS cameras to thwart any ideas of a dash for the earlier boat.
It would be nice to have a short drive to Newcastle then an overnight ferry and wake up on the continent, but not £800 worth of nice!
It would be nice to have a short drive to Newcastle then an overnight ferry and wake up on the continent, but not £800 worth of nice!
JuanCarlosFandango said:
I haven't actually priced up Portsmouth to Caen or other south coast routes. Heading to Nurburgring then Alps so it wouldn't make sense for this trip. I have looked up ferries to Bilbao before and it seemed fairly reasonable but I dare say that has gone up too.
I've recently booked a return from Pompey to Bilbao for September, return including 4 berth cabin both ways was £1400. It seemed steep however when I did a fag packet calculation of driving via Dover/Calais and the fuel/tolls plus an overnight stay in each direction it turned out to be circa £200 more or £100 each direction. Decided the extra cost was worth it.psi310398 said:
That’s a very civilised drive. The ‘Ring is even easier. I make it down as far as Rheinfelden for an overnight stop if driving alone, generally arriving by about 1700, and making several pitstops on the way.
By the way, if going down the A5, continuing on to Lörrach/Rheinfelden and then into Switzerland there also allows you to miss the congestion ballsache that is the motorway network around Basel.
Alternatively, if you have the time, may I suggest that you leave Heidelberg by the Neckar valley and drop into Switzerland closer to Zurich? It’s a wonderful drive, and much nicer than pounding down to Basel and onwards on the autobahn.
I'm doing this with my partner, there had to be some compromises so we are doing the below route: By the way, if going down the A5, continuing on to Lörrach/Rheinfelden and then into Switzerland there also allows you to miss the congestion ballsache that is the motorway network around Basel.
Alternatively, if you have the time, may I suggest that you leave Heidelberg by the Neckar valley and drop into Switzerland closer to Zurich? It’s a wonderful drive, and much nicer than pounding down to Basel and onwards on the autobahn.
Hook of Holland
Heidelberg
Munich (via Ingolstadt)
St Moritz
Andermatt (hitting the main passes)
Zurich
Baden Baden
Brugge (via Luxembourg)
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