Tunnel v ferry

[Wully]

I’ve been looking at booking my summer trip for next year fancied taking ferry from Portsmouth to Santander end of June priced a return taking a 9 metre van bike rack 3 passengers and a dog for this return trip the prices kept coming out round about £1600 ouch. Had a look at Euro tunnel got the same dates same van same passengers including dog for £220 return saving of nearly £1400 I know it’ll take a few days longer to drive but ferry takes 24 hours anyway so maybe take a couple of days leisurely drive even You’s some toll roads and extra diesel still won’t cost £1400 so tunnel every time if you’ve got a big van.

 

[colinm]

A week ago we booked ferry for last thursday back to UK, Dunkirk to Dover, we ended up in <4mx10m midday slot, cost for van with two of us but no dog was £69.

It was an odd booking as decided to use Dunkirk for a change, when first looking for price on that route it came up as something like £120, but then I checked Calais to Dover and it gave the option of Dunkirk to Dover at nearly half price!

 

[Moped]

Join Brittany Ferries Club Voyage Spain and get 30% off all quoted ferry prices to Spain. You also receive a lesser discount on French crossings. Cost £125 per year + a one off registration fee. We make several trips annually and save the equivalent of the membership fee several times over annually. And you get free cooked breakfasts and other perks.

 

[Wully]

Thanks I had a look at joining that it cost £200 to join so in my case wasn’t worth the money for a one off trip and if you buy it now you can’t share with a friend anymore think they’ve stopped that. Think there was a member shipped a hymer too America for a little more than Brittany ferries want to visit Spain

 

[mikejay]

Just for some info we went via the tunnel to northern Spain September using tolls as we were limited on time total cost of tolls there and back was just under £300 class 2.

Mike

 

[saxonborg]

Wully, a friend of mine has a moho the same size a yours , he travels to France every other month and uses the Dover/Calais route. He gets a single for aboout £50 on P&O but opts for sailings around 02.20 in the morning.

 

[jagmanx]

For us Use the Tunnel and DRIVE

WE have the time and France is very good.
Maybe 4 or 5 days of enjoyment.

PS we would REALLY hate 24 hrs on a Ship

 

[Fazerloz]

I’ve been looking at booking my summer trip for next year fancied taking ferry from Portsmouth to Santander end of June priced a return taking a 9 metre van bike rack 3 passengers and a dog for this return trip the prices kept coming out round about £1600 ouch. Had a look at Euro tunnel got the same dates same van same passengers including dog for £220 return saving of nearly £1400 I know it’ll take a few days longer to drive but ferry takes 24 hours anyway so maybe take a couple of days leisurely drive even You’s some toll roads and extra diesel still won’t cost £1400 so tunnel every time if you’ve got a big van.

I am sorry but you must be wrong, I have had this discussion with other members on here and they are adamant it is no cheaper to drive to Northern Spain. It always seems to be far more costly to me though. It usually takes me a good couple of days from Calais down into Spain, steady away not using any toll roads. Enjoy the trip I think that half of Spain far better than the Mediterranean side.

 

[Wully]

If I take tunnel I have worked it out too take an extra 3 days driving each way on top of the 500 mile each way hike down from Scotland that’s a whole lot of driving just too get too intended destination. Ferry gives me an extra week in area I want to visit but can’t get my head round price aaaahhhh

 

[vindiboy]

It is difficult to compare two entirely different items as you are doing, one must factor in the convenience , the relaxation , the long drive to reach the same destination, wear and tear on the van, overnight stops weather etc, but if it is only on cost then of course it is the tunnel or Dover ferries [ my preference,] every time, that is until the tunnel is filled in post ****** hee hee.:lol-053::lol-053::boat::boat:

 

[QFour]

We do either the tunnel or Dover to Calais on the ferry. This is mainly because we have a dog. Having said that I always enjoy France and we make it part of the holiday. This time we saved about £50 by using the ferry. We avoid the tolls for the most part but have been known to hop on here and there when it makes sense.

Mrs QFour

 

[Tezza33]

Short ferry for me every time, Maggy will not use the tunnel so Dover to Calais then we love the drive through France, it is a big difference in price but we never use tolls though

 

[The laird]

First time used the tunnel this year found it to be good ,we like the hull crossing and didn’t like the new haven departure .

 

[Moped]

Just done a search on aFerry.com for Portsmouth - Bilbao return for dates during the peak 6 week summer holiday period 2019 and there are £1600+ return fares for certain dates. But there are also fares in the £1200 region depending on the dates of travel. Off peak comes down to around £800. And then you could get 30% discount on these fares (ex cabins) in the order of £200 to £400 if Club member so really they are not so bad if flexible. Even cheaper if the Economie ferry is used both ways.

Diesel in France is now the same price as the UK and speed limit on anything other than a duel carriageway is 50mph maximum. Tolls can cost around £280 there and back if all toll motorways used however much cheaper if you do the Renne Nante route as most of this down to Nante is toll free. High season and motorway traffic can be gridlocked around city ringroads and nose to tail elsewhere so a real crawl.

For me it is Bilbao every time. Some of the winter crossings can be rough however doses of seacalm work for us. But then we ferry off peak so prices are much lower.

 

[Pauljenny]

A reasonable compromise is Portsmouth to Caen. Gets you further south, good free roads, avoids all the hassle of Calais ?

 

[vindiboy]

A reasonable compromise is Portsmouth to Caen. Gets you further south, good free roads, avoids all the hassle of Calais ?

Much longer crossing from Portsmouth, fewer crossings , costs more than Dover , what hassle are you talking about at Calais ?. Portsmouth is closer to where I live in Southampton than Dover but we enjoy a couple of nights at Canterbury P n R and wandering the city and Folkstone, Margate etc before the crossing and a possible delay on the M25 etc getting to Dover , We have also done Newhaven / Dieppe. that was OK but still prefer dover Calais, choices I guess.:boat::lol-053:

 

[Fazerloz]

I can honestly say I have never had any hassles in Calais or Dunkirk. We always take the ferry as time crossing is not important to us.

 

[Fazerloz]

If I take tunnel I have worked it out too take an extra 3 days driving each way on top of the 500 mile each way hike down from Scotland that’s a whole lot of driving just too get too intended destination. Ferry gives me an extra week in area I want to visit but can’t get my head round price aaaahhhh

How does it give you another week, when you are on the ferry for basically 2 days as against 4 days driving down and back up through France. It is not like driving down UK or should I say England which is the worst part of the entire journey.

 

[mark61]

Have always prefered to drive down, but you never know, may get the ferry one day. Of course the ideal way is to take a few days and enjoy the trip down, but depending how far you are going and how much time you have, sometimes you want to get the journey done and dusted. My choice now is use this route, but to do it overnight, say get an 8 oclock train and 4 or 5 hours drive gets you way down the route. Tried it a few times during day, far too busy. I know not everyone cup of tea though.

 

[Makzine]

If we travel with the dogs then it’s always the tunnel, but that’s because we only live 20mins away from it. We are also frequent travellers you have to pay up front and a min of 10 trips at present £480.00, but you can share with a friend as 2 names can be added. :wave: