Channel Tunnel vs Ferry
Discussion
I have a trip across the channel in August, and I'm weighing up my options.
I suspect that the tunnel is likely the "best" option, and am aware of the "tick the box for bikes on the roof" trick to ensure you're allocated the wide, single-deck carriage (my car isn't that wide, but I do have relatively low profile tyres - I've read that the standard carriages are a little tight with vicious kerbs, and I detest kerbing wheels with a truly aggressive passion).
But I notice that the ferry costs about half as much as the tunnel. How much of the saving am I then paying for in terms of hassle and inconvenience? The raw difference in crossing time doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I'm not massively price sensitive on this, so if the tunnel is the best option overall, that's fine, just looking for any gotchas and tips I should consider.
I suspect that the tunnel is likely the "best" option, and am aware of the "tick the box for bikes on the roof" trick to ensure you're allocated the wide, single-deck carriage (my car isn't that wide, but I do have relatively low profile tyres - I've read that the standard carriages are a little tight with vicious kerbs, and I detest kerbing wheels with a truly aggressive passion).
But I notice that the ferry costs about half as much as the tunnel. How much of the saving am I then paying for in terms of hassle and inconvenience? The raw difference in crossing time doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I'm not massively price sensitive on this, so if the tunnel is the best option overall, that's fine, just looking for any gotchas and tips I should consider.
Tunnel doesn't stop running in bad weather is probably the main one, aside from time. Depends on the journey, ferry could be a good opportunity for a break from driving and to get some food. If you take the tunnel and then stop somewhere to do the same, then the crossing time difference is negated.
InitialDave said:
I have a trip across the channel in August, and I'm weighing up my options.
I suspect that the tunnel is likely the "best" option, and am aware of the "tick the box for bikes on the roof" trick to ensure you're allocated the wide, single-deck carriage (my car isn't that wide, but I do have relatively low profile tyres - I've read that the standard carriages are a little tight with vicious kerbs, and I detest kerbing wheels with a truly aggressive passion).
But I notice that the ferry costs about half as much as the tunnel. How much of the saving am I then paying for in terms of hassle and inconvenience? The raw difference in crossing time doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I'm not massively price sensitive on this, so if the tunnel is the best option overall, that's fine, just looking for any gotchas and tips I should consider.
Standard carriages are absolutely fine for 95% of stuff if you can drive in a straight line. What are you taking? I suspect that the tunnel is likely the "best" option, and am aware of the "tick the box for bikes on the roof" trick to ensure you're allocated the wide, single-deck carriage (my car isn't that wide, but I do have relatively low profile tyres - I've read that the standard carriages are a little tight with vicious kerbs, and I detest kerbing wheels with a truly aggressive passion).
But I notice that the ferry costs about half as much as the tunnel. How much of the saving am I then paying for in terms of hassle and inconvenience? The raw difference in crossing time doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I'm not massively price sensitive on this, so if the tunnel is the best option overall, that's fine, just looking for any gotchas and tips I should consider.
I’d go tunnel it’s quicker and the last few times I’ve been through there have been some well publicised delays at Dover.
If money isn’t an issue flexiplus will save you a couple of hours of hanging around at the terminal and will get you on the next available train along with an area to grab a load of drinks and food for the trip all inclusive.
Huzzah said:
The tunnels quick and convenient, the ferry is more of an occasion.
We usually go for quick and convenient.
This, pretty much. If it's a holiday and you are on a relaxed schedule, don't have thousands of miles to drive on the other side etc, ferry is good fun and more of an event. Often a lot cheaper too.We usually go for quick and convenient.
If you are time sensitive and just want to get there, tunnel.
It also depends on where you are coming from and going to....
If you are heading eastwards you could take the Dover-Dunkirk and be a few miles further up the coast.
Or you might live in the south west and have to drive miles to get to Dover when you could just cross from Portsmouth.
I've used the cheap overnight Newhaven to Dieppe ferry a couple of times on a Friday, as I can just potter down after work without worrying about the M25 and then you get going on the French side early doors Saturday.
If you are heading eastwards you could take the Dover-Dunkirk and be a few miles further up the coast.
Or you might live in the south west and have to drive miles to get to Dover when you could just cross from Portsmouth.
I've used the cheap overnight Newhaven to Dieppe ferry a couple of times on a Friday, as I can just potter down after work without worrying about the M25 and then you get going on the French side early doors Saturday.
Random anecdote follows.
Last time I caught the Calais - Dover ferry we turned up in good time for our booked crossing. Or so we thought. At the check in booth they rushed the checks and told us to drive and get a move on sharpish.
We were very definitely in good time.
Urged to get a move on by various arm waves from people we were the very last vehicle to get on an earlier departure. Get up to the passenger space and it was somewhat crammed, only place we could sensibly all sit together inside was next to this family group who spent presumably the entire crossing getting absolutely hammered. Lost count of the number of large gins the mother of the party necked before we gave up and hunted around for somewhere else. My plan for a bit of a snooze shot to blazes.
Mrs said next time tunnel. To be fair maybe also influenced by the outward crossing being a bit bouncer than she had liked, almost millpond to me.
Ferry crossings are fine, other people sometimes that's the problem.
Last time I caught the Calais - Dover ferry we turned up in good time for our booked crossing. Or so we thought. At the check in booth they rushed the checks and told us to drive and get a move on sharpish.
We were very definitely in good time.Urged to get a move on by various arm waves from people we were the very last vehicle to get on an earlier departure. Get up to the passenger space and it was somewhat crammed, only place we could sensibly all sit together inside was next to this family group who spent presumably the entire crossing getting absolutely hammered. Lost count of the number of large gins the mother of the party necked before we gave up and hunted around for somewhere else. My plan for a bit of a snooze shot to blazes.
Mrs said next time tunnel. To be fair maybe also influenced by the outward crossing being a bit bouncer than she had liked, almost millpond to me.
Ferry crossings are fine, other people sometimes that's the problem.
My last 3 tunnel crossings have been a PITA, urged to check in 2 hours early, then when checking in told there’s an issue today with delays of 60-120 minutes, despite which pretty much everything closed in terminal, EV chargers not working etc
Worst still is seemingly being next to board your delayed departure, when a whole load of sports cars trundle down the flexi lane and you get bumped further back again on to a yet later train.
Mix in sharing with a minibus seemingly full of covid suffering passengers who all felt the need to get out and cough non stop whilst walking around the carriage next to our car and it was a really fun last trip.
They give you £50 each time I return for the appalling service. This really only serves to make it similar to / cheaper than the ferry next time so you just repeat the process.
Worst still is seemingly being next to board your delayed departure, when a whole load of sports cars trundle down the flexi lane and you get bumped further back again on to a yet later train.
Mix in sharing with a minibus seemingly full of covid suffering passengers who all felt the need to get out and cough non stop whilst walking around the carriage next to our car and it was a really fun last trip.
They give you £50 each time I return for the appalling service. This really only serves to make it similar to / cheaper than the ferry next time so you just repeat the process.
Thanks for everyone's input, bit of a pain to directly quote everyone on my phone for a response, but this is a trip primarily across to Germany, destination is Stuttgart via the 'Ring.
Money isn't an issue in the sense I can afford whichever option I choose if it offers a definite benefit, but not to the point I'm willing to just piss several hundred quid up the wall for no reason. I was targeting the middle price band on the tunnel as the best balance of flexibility/being able to cancel without paying for stuff I likely can survive just fine without.
ecsrobin said:
Standard carriages are absolutely fine for 95% of stuff if you can drive in a straight line. What are you taking?
I’d go tunnel it’s quicker and the last few times I’ve been through there have been some well publicised delays at Dover.
If money isn’t an issue flexiplus will save you a couple of hours of hanging around at the terminal and will get you on the next available train along with an area to grab a load of drinks and food for the trip all inclusive.
I'm taking a Z4, it's not spectacularly wide or anything, but having never been on the tunnel, I have no metric for how bad the claimed tightness of the carriage kerbing people have mentioned on other threads is.I’d go tunnel it’s quicker and the last few times I’ve been through there have been some well publicised delays at Dover.
If money isn’t an issue flexiplus will save you a couple of hours of hanging around at the terminal and will get you on the next available train along with an area to grab a load of drinks and food for the trip all inclusive.
Money isn't an issue in the sense I can afford whichever option I choose if it offers a definite benefit, but not to the point I'm willing to just piss several hundred quid up the wall for no reason. I was targeting the middle price band on the tunnel as the best balance of flexibility/being able to cancel without paying for stuff I likely can survive just fine without.
Each time we use the tunnel it's ok ,just, going out and always utterly terrible on the return. Hours of waiting at French end for two lots of passport control. Car checks and waiting in line endlessly. Always delayed and always feel the French just hate us, with good reasons obviously.
I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
If you have Tesco vouchers you can pay for the tunnel using them, IIAC still each voucher worth double value for this.
It cost the same whether you book the high (wider carriage) or the other one.
Having sliced a tyre wall on the narrower double deck carriage I always go on the high one. (Mercedes E class)
It cost the same whether you book the high (wider carriage) or the other one.
Having sliced a tyre wall on the narrower double deck carriage I always go on the high one. (Mercedes E class)
Metric Max said:
If you have Tesco vouchers you can pay for the tunnel using them, IIAC still each voucher worth double value for this.
It cost the same whether you book the high (wider carriage) or the other one.
Having sliced a tyre wall on the narrower double deck carriage I always go on the high one. (Mercedes E class)
Wider carriage costs 20-30% more.It cost the same whether you book the high (wider carriage) or the other one.
Having sliced a tyre wall on the narrower double deck carriage I always go on the high one. (Mercedes E class)
cliffords said:
Each time we use the tunnel it's ok ,just, going out and always utterly terrible on the return. Hours of waiting at French end for two lots of passport control. Car checks and waiting in line endlessly. Always delayed and always feel the French just hate us, with good reasons obviously.
I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
Coming back is worse whether ferry or tunnel, because of the long and often v slow moving passport control queues. You need to leave a couple of hours for that to be safe. I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
On the ferry, what's the deal with strapping cars down? Do they do that, or only under certain circumstances? Any damage risk from clumsiness etc if so?
I know it seems I'm being a bit precious here, but, well, I am!
If you are time sensitive and just want to get there, tunnel.Yes, holiday, plenty of time and a relaxed schedule, driving down from the midlands and intending to stay near whatever my crossing embarkation point is the night before.
I know it seems I'm being a bit precious here, but, well, I am!
dontlookdown said:
Huzzah said:
The tunnels quick and convenient, the ferry is more of an occasion.
We usually go for quick and convenient.
This, pretty much. If it's a holiday and you are on a relaxed schedule, don't have thousands of miles to drive on the other side etc, ferry is good fun and more of an event. Often a lot cheaper too.We usually go for quick and convenient.
If you are time sensitive and just want to get there, tunnel.
cliffords said:
Each time we use the tunnel it's ok ,just, going out and always utterly terrible on the return. Hours of waiting at French end for two lots of passport control. Car checks and waiting in line endlessly. Always delayed and always feel the French just hate us, with good reasons obviously.
I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
Surely they've got over the Napoleonic war by now and the utter shoeing that was the battle of Cape Trafalgar. Since then we've been pretty good neighbours; two big events last century that cost us a lot of blood and tears, in their aid.I get sea sick walking across a bridge so no option.
Seriously bemused as to why you think they hate us with good reasons.
InitialDave said:
Thanks for everyone's input, bit of a pain to directly quote everyone on my phone for a response, but this is a trip primarily across to Germany, destination is Stuttgart via the 'Ring.
Money isn't an issue in the sense I can afford whichever option I choose if it offers a definite benefit, but not to the point I'm willing to just piss several hundred quid up the wall for no reason. I was targeting the middle price band on the tunnel as the best balance of flexibility/being able to cancel without paying for stuff I likely can survive just fine without.
It's not just the tightness of the lanes (was never a problem in my XF on 20" wheels) but the tight curve at the top if you are directed to the upper deck, the kerbs are tall and because you are going upwards you are effectively looking at the roof of the carriage as you hit the curve and it's difficult to judge where the wheels are in relation to that high kerb. ecsrobin said:
Standard carriages are absolutely fine for 95% of stuff if you can drive in a straight line. What are you taking?
I’d go tunnel it’s quicker and the last few times I’ve been through there have been some well publicised delays at Dover.
If money isn’t an issue flexiplus will save you a couple of hours of hanging around at the terminal and will get you on the next available train along with an area to grab a load of drinks and food for the trip all inclusive.
I'm taking a Z4, it's not spectacularly wide or anything, but having never been on the tunnel, I have no metric for how bad the claimed tightness of the carriage kerbing people have mentioned on other threads is.I’d go tunnel it’s quicker and the last few times I’ve been through there have been some well publicised delays at Dover.
If money isn’t an issue flexiplus will save you a couple of hours of hanging around at the terminal and will get you on the next available train along with an area to grab a load of drinks and food for the trip all inclusive.
Money isn't an issue in the sense I can afford whichever option I choose if it offers a definite benefit, but not to the point I'm willing to just piss several hundred quid up the wall for no reason. I was targeting the middle price band on the tunnel as the best balance of flexibility/being able to cancel without paying for stuff I likely can survive just fine without.
In interest of full info being in the position of having a long drive to any channel ferry port I always do like a longer overnight crossing. Then you get your own cabin in order for a bit of quiet rest and comfort. Yes it's more expensive but offsets a hotel night somewhere. Clearly if not good with rough weather or even anything other than a flat calm then tunnel trumps everything.
Edited to add, always a fan of Harwich - Hoek service avoid the South East and M25 and Dover shambles.
Edited to add, always a fan of Harwich - Hoek service avoid the South East and M25 and Dover shambles.
Edited by FiF on Monday 27th January 09:00
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