Patty

Just a quick question......has anybody recently taken the boat or tunnel through Dover /Calais and if so which is cheaper ?
Have to go back to UK in July for daughters graduation and trying to decde whats best and cheapest route Thanks

TestaRossa

Ferry is bags cheaper! Try googling them and you will get some really good deals on-line. The last time I looked the tunnel was about £165 single and you could do the ferry with a car for about £50.

Mr Posh

swim it's even cheaper

LivingHere

Patty
The ferry is obviously cheaper, however there are advantages to the train. We drive back every summer, from where we are it takes 10 hours to get to Calais. This does mean only essential stops are permitted and the car is picnic city.

When we take the ferry, from arriving at Calais to getting off the boat in England is always about 2 hours. The same measurement with the train is about an hour. Then we still have to drive to where we are going in the UK. You get off the train and you are straight onto a dual carriageway. Get off the boat and you have to drive through the port. Its all small time advantages but at the end of a journey they can be quite significant. This year we are planning on getting to my parents, near Liverpool, without the need of a hotel.

Ray51

I do Calais to EngerLand a few times p.a. , for the last 10 years now ;
No contest : Chunnel , anytime ( as opposed to rip-offs , on the ferries ! )
Cheers & Good Luck !

Kenny and Moe

Hi,
Did the ferry yesterday after a 18 hour drive from Naples, it cost me 35 quid originally but because I was there 4 hours early I had to pay a bit extra to get an earlier ferry, after the trip from Naples I wasn't waiting around to get the boat I had booked. Cost of food on the ferry is horrendous, 10 quid for two teas and two sandwiches. However, a couple next to us laid out their tablecloth and got all their own food and wine out and had a slap up meal in the hour and half it took to sail across, the drive through the port is not worth mentioning, it takes less than 10 minutes to get onto the M2 or M20 towards London. Having said all that the last time I booked the tunnel but because the dogs didnt't get through I never used it so can't comment. I have done the ferry for years and it gives me an hour to have a kip.
regards Kenny
PS weather in UK is not good (compared to Naples of course)

Patty

thanks very much for all your help will now try and convince OH to take the ferry (better views anyway )

randomguy

If you travel on the tunnell at Lunch times 12.00 -2 it's a little cheaper as these times are not as popular to travel

Margaret M

I've always booked in advance the cheapest tunnel on the day I want to travel. Never turned up at the right time, and have been allowed to take later or earlier trains at no extra charge. May be difficult in peak season though, my crossings were September/October/November.