Experiences with Dover-Calais ferry

[urpert]

The one redeeming feature of this service is that it is the cheapest fixed price way of crossing the Channel without a bike. If you go by coach you have to go at least as far as Lille, which is quite a diversion if you actually want to go to Calais, Dunkerque or Boulogne, and last minute Flixbus fares from London to Lille can be much more than £30. However if you actually want to go to Lille or beyond then the ferry is rarely cheaper than the coach if you can book at least a day ahead and would take much longer, plus you may use the Tunnel instead.

I think Blablacar (Flixbus rival owned by SNCF) have a few departures from Victoria that stop in Calais.

 

[paul1609]

I think Blablacar (Flixbus rival owned by SNCF) have a few departures from Victoria that stop in Calais.

Don't know about Blablacar but flixbus tend to list Dover and Calais as stops but you can't book tickets to them so they can swap tunnel for ship and vv in times of disruption.

 

[route101]

Don't know about Blablacar but flixbus tend to list Dover and Calais as stops but you can't book tickets to them so they can swap tunnel for ship and vv in times of disruption.

I think Folkestone is also listed too.

 

[paul1609]

I think Folkestone is also listed too.

Indeed Folkestone Services but likewise if you try booking from there you just get no journeys found.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Looks like it. The Spanish routes were car-only a couple of winters ago but on a quick check seem to take foot pax all year now.

The Spanish routes do attract a fairly sizable amount of foot passengers on minicruises.

 

[43055]

I thought the Le Havre service had been withdrawn or made freight only at the start of the pandemic and never been reinstated for passengers, foot or car. Or has it now been reintroduced but for car passengers only?

Looks like it. The Spanish routes were car-only a couple of winters ago but on a quick check seem to take foot pax all year now.

Wikipedia says that the Cotentin started accepting passenger vehicles from the 1st March this year on the Le Havre route.

 

[alex397]

Sorry I never replied to these messages, but I did read them all and has given me some ideas for future trips. In the end, I had no time to book a last minute holiday.
Travelling as a foot passenger on the Dover-Calais route just seems very inconvenient, even living nearby in east Kent. Not only would I have to walk from Dover town centre (or get a taxi, which i'm never very keen on) as there is no bus service (even though the Eastern Docks is apparently Dover's largest employer), it seems like a lot of waiting at the terminal. Although at least at the other end in Calais, there is a relatively useful bus service stopping near the terminal. The ferry from Newhaven seems a bit more civilised.

 

[telstarbox]

What are the shift patterns at the port roughly?

 

[williamn]

Re the Dieppe option, it seems its quite a lengthy walk into town involving doubling back on yourself, with no bus option. I'll be doing it next month...

 

[paul1609]

Re the Dieppe option, it seems its quite a lengthy walk into town involving doubling back on yourself, with no bus option. I'll be doing it next month...

From the ferry terminal to the station or hotel de ville is about 11/2 miles through the town about 40 mins. The only doubling back is about 200 metres to get out of the ferry terminal. If there's no taxis outside they'll phone one for you.

 

[bspahh]

The Cambridge News has a story about the Flixbus coach from Cambridge to Amsterdam.
The ticket was £27.99 and included a voucher for a meal on the ferry. They are available for that for travel next week

Coach Cambridge to Amsterdam - Buy affordable bus tickets

✔ Cheap trip from Cambridge to Amsterdam ✔ Secure online payment ✔ Free Wi-Fi and plug sockets on board ✔ 2 pieces of luggage ✔ Biggest European network !

www.flixbus.co.uk

 

[Farigiraf]

The Cambridge News has a story about the Flixbus coach from Cambridge to Amsterdam.
The ticket was £27.99 and included a voucher for a meal on the ferry. They are available for that for travel next week

Coach Cambridge to Amsterdam - Buy affordable bus tickets

✔ Cheap trip from Cambridge to Amsterdam ✔ Secure online payment ✔ Free Wi-Fi and plug sockets on board ✔ 2 pieces of luggage ✔ Biggest European network !

www.flixbus.co.uk

Impressive
Truth is this will probably be very lightly used and scrapped next year, but hopefully I can try it out until then (Still beats Norwich airport and their fees/Stansted airport and their nightmares)

 

[30907]

The Cambridge News has a story about the Flixbus coach from Cambridge to Amsterdam.
The ticket was £27.99 and included a voucher for a meal on the ferry. They are available for that for travel next week

Coach Cambridge to Amsterdam - Buy affordable bus tickets

✔ Cheap trip from Cambridge to Amsterdam ✔ Secure online payment ✔ Free Wi-Fi and plug sockets on board ✔ 2 pieces of luggage ✔ Biggest European network !

www.flixbus.co.uk

Intriguing, the coach seems now to use the Tunnel in the small hours (checked for a couple of weeks away). I wonder where it starts from (surely not Trumpington)?

 

[johncrossley]

Intriguing, the coach seems now to use the Tunnel in the small hours (checked for a couple of weeks away). I wonder where it starts from (surely not Trumpington)?

On other cross-Channel Flixbus routes, they seem to vary whether they use the Tunnel or ferry depending on the day.

 

[paul1609]

It goes from Leeds to Amsterdam calling at Trumpington park n ride for Cambridge it can go either via the tunnel or on a ferry, presume it's whatever cheaper on the day.

 

[Skimble19]

The Cambridge News has a story about the Flixbus coach from Cambridge to Amsterdam.
The ticket was £27.99 and included a voucher for a meal on the ferry. They are available for that for travel next week

Coach Cambridge to Amsterdam - Buy affordable bus tickets

✔ Cheap trip from Cambridge to Amsterdam ✔ Secure online payment ✔ Free Wi-Fi and plug sockets on board ✔ 2 pieces of luggage ✔ Biggest European network !

www.flixbus.co.uk

The article mentions about being able to book out the seat next to you.. this definitely used to be available but having just checked a few journeys on the app it doesn’t seem to be there now? Does anyone know if it’s been removed or is it just not available on the app / on certain routes?

 

[johncrossley]

The article mentions about being able to book out the seat next to you.. this definitely used to be available but having just checked a few journeys on the app it doesn’t seem to be there now? Does anyone know if it’s been removed or is it just not available on the app / on certain routes?

It isn't available on the app, only on the website.

It generally exists when there are a lot of seats available. Obviously if there are no pairs of seats left then the option won't be offered.

 

[AdamWW]

On other cross-Channel Flixbus routes, they seem to vary whether they use the Tunnel or ferry depending on the day.

The services from London to Lille, Paris and Brussels seem to vary, with some departures each day being through the tunnel and others on ferries.

Presumably they can vary it on the day if appropriate, though.

 

[Flying Snail]

The services from London to Lille, Paris and Brussels seem to vary, with some departures each day being through the tunnel and others on ferries.

Presumably they can vary it on the day if appropriate, though.

They do list the crossing for each departure, Eurotunnel seems to be the most used but they have services on Dover - Dunkirk as well as all 3 operators on Dover - Calais.

A meal voucher is given to Flixbus passengers on DFDS sailings, not sure about P&O or Irish Ferries and nothing on Eurotunnel.

 

[AdamWW]

Intriguing, the coach seems now to use the Tunnel in the small hours (checked for a couple of weeks away). I wonder where it starts from (surely not Trumpington)?

Presumably the tunnel has an advantage for overnight journeys in that you can stay on the coach rather than having to get out and wander round a ferry in the middle of the night.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Presumably the tunnel has an advantage for overnight journeys in that you can stay on the coach rather than having to get out and wander round a ferry in the middle of the night.

It's probably a non-factor for the company, and rather just a consequence of Eurotunnel having the capacity overnight and being willing to offer cheaper fares as a result.