Cheapest day/time for crossing channel
Does anyone have any advice on the cheapest day/time to cross the channel, either using the tunnel or ferry?
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Hi, Maybe not the answer you are after but suggest you choose a time of year first then use the European Search & Book facility to fine tune, taking into account where you are coming from, home, and going to, destination.
There are so many variables as to make giving advice based on your OP no more than a guess so a bit more info will, I am sure, glean a lot more advice.
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Agree with above advice; lots of variables - how long is a piece of string? Personally, we've used the tunnel for years as we use Tesco vouchers to pay for part of it and OH isn't a good sailor
but these criteria don't necessarily apply to you. I've recently booked a crossing with them (direct via their website, online) and it's a matter of deciding dates, then "playing around" with the booking system to see what prices are. Broadly speaking, I found crossings between roughly midnight and 6am were the cheapest (but no thanks, not for us!) and Tuesdays/Wednesdays appeared to have cheaper rates at certain other times (during the day).No experience of booking ferries, nor of booking via CAMC. Bear in mind that, if booking through CAMC and any amendment is necessary after booking, they are only contactable during the working week, not during weekends or evenings.
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I know last year on the Dover-Calais crossing the tunnel was undercutting some of the ferries. If you are able to go along the coast then I'd start my search with Newhaven-Dieppe. If over 60 then phone your booking as you will also get a 20% reduction. My return leg from Dieppe on Sept Mon 25th at midday is £134 for 2 adult, car and van.
For comparison, C&MC prices on the Calais or Dunkirk crossing back, same time and day are £190-£230.
Colin
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The Tunnel is still undercutting ferry prices, at least for me. It is some years since I last used a ferry, preferring the convenience of the Tunnel, but I do keep an eye on costs and have just run a check on DFDS Dover to Calais against the Tunnel. DFDS £313 and Tunnel £303 return for the same day and roughly the same crossing times. Long distance crossing are even more expensive for me. Even with night stops I save over £200 by using the Tunnel to travel to Spain rather than using the ferries from Portsmouth to Northern Spain. I am time rich and don't mind long distance driving, avoid tolls as much as possible and often night stops on the Aires are free.
Like InaD I also use Tesco vouchers for the Tunnel.
peedee
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Abbeyland, I never found that Cornwall to Brittany via the tunnel was desperately convenient, but without knowing where you live or where you are going it’s hard to give you advice.
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EuroT, a few years ago, 2014 I think, I was holidaying near St Austel and going to the Costa Brava following on. It was cheaper to drive to Folkstone than use the Plymouth ferry, the latter costing over £600 compared to £120 on the tunnel.
peedee
P.S. just run a check and it looks like the Plymouth Roscoff prices have come down to about twice that of the Tunnel!
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You have been very fortunate!
Our only crossing of the Bay of Biscay was very rough. The ship had to slow down which only prolonged the "adventure". Grey cloud and rough seas meant that whale watching was impossible.
Our only cruise included a leg from Cadiz to Madeira. This also was very rough. In both cases the majority of passengers failed to arrive for meals.
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We've used Bilbao and Santander in the past, trips were millpond like...lucky possibly.
now, after many years of popping just down the road to Poole we will be using Santander in early February...hope it's as calm as previously but we are reasonable sailors...⛴️
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For us, sea journeys neither suit us nor the dog, so it's overland for us, particularly during the winter months when cancellations and rough crossings are possible.
As a result, another type of crossing - the Dartford Crossing - determines which Channel Tunnel service we use as we try to avoid the M25 during busy periods.
We tend to catch an early afternoon shuttle on a Friday (to take advantage of the lighter HGV traffic on motorways over the weekend) which means we leave home between 9 and 10 am. When returning, we book a crossing at about 9.30am French time on Sunday morning so we are home for lunch.
Both these timings, whilst not the absolute cheapest, tend to be less expensive than peak times.
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We have at some point used nearly all of the crossings.
As an experiment this year I worked out the cost of the Santander crossing compared to St Malo, Caen and Calais (tunnel) taking into consideration fuel, night halts, tolls and days (time) Santander was the dearest, St Malo next, the Tunnel then Caen the cheapest.
Santander was £130 more than St Malo, which in turn was £28 more than the tunnel, Caen was £2 less than the tunnel.
We decided that given the time of year we were to be travelling we would prefer the St Malo crossing, the overnight ferry offers us the best timings.
We have done the Santander crossing a few times and though we love going on cruises we found we did get bored on the 24hr ferry. Now that it's even longer we have decided against it.
Caen we use in the Spring but in winter the timings aren't suitable. Calais is a long haul which in good weather we don't mind but in cold dark wet winter days isn't that appealing given where we live and the cost compared to St Malo.
Don't forget on the longer crossings to factor in meals and drinks, they can certainly add up. The crossing were based on a single crossing.
We do like the ease of the tunnel and will use it again, just maybe not in winter coming back from Spain.
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If I fly out to see number two son in Hong Kong the cheapest flight would mean me getting to Heathrow for a check in at 0530, changing planes in Finland, and taking 27 hours 25 for the journey instead of 12 hours 40.
I don’t do cheapest - I do most convenient - for ferries as well as flights.1 -
hi peedee, well as other have hinted the tunnel/Dover etc isn't convenient from down here!
Leaving aside the extra 300+miles each way, the overnight stops on both legs, the absolute pain in the whastsit of travelling to any SE port-and I would still choose an overnight on the Pont Aven, a real teat of a restaurant meal and a full day for onward travel!!
But, if we dont leave it aside but add those things to the cost equation we see that, for my outfit on 2023 trip dates the costs are;
BF PLY-ROSC WITH CABIN-£591.72
EUROTUNNEL WITH NOWT-£471+2 overnights+600 miles travelling
Many years ago, after a particularly awful trip via Dover-destination was usually Italy-we decided that so long as BF was no more than £100 extra it was worth paying-it was app £60 more and for many years since, with the BF 'caravan goes free' offers, was as cheap, if not cheaper, than Dover.
So, for us, the tunnel still isn't convenient or cost effective!!
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You sound more like ktt.............Kevin the Teenager!!
As Samuel Johnson may have said-"When a man is tired of ferry travel..............................."
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I, too am checking all the ferry/tunnel prices. The tunnel is cheaper than dover-calais ferry and much more convenient. (I am based in Leicestershire). However, have you investigated Harwich to Hook of Holland. Its a Stena ferry, and is generally much cheaper than the traditional cross chanel ferries. Its also easy to get to southern France on Toll Free roads. You are still 200 miles north of Calais, but going south through Belgium to Metz in France is about the same as Calais to Metz. If you have bags of time, this is a very pleasant ferry and journey. I am favouring staying around Brittany this year, and would probably go Newhaven-Dieppe for £362.70 return, compared to about £516 on eurotunnel. (This is for going out after the coronation and returning a week after Bastille Day, about 9 weeks)
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We've looked at both these ferries but for us once again the timings just don't cut it.
When we were younger it didn't matter what time we took the ferry but nowadays it's all about the timings.
We have plenty of time in which we can travel that early mornings or late crossing do not appeal. It's worse coming back as there isn't always the convenience of Aires, not a lot of sites in the UK will allow you entry after or before a certain time.
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We have used Harwich route twice, a return some 5 or so years ago, and then a single back from Holland last summer.
Its much cheaper than the other options-for us it would be just £215.70 on the daytime crossings however, go overnight and its double at £431.40 and now its not such a good comparison.
However, using you suggestion, once you get to HOH you have a near 650 mile trip ahead to reach coastal Brittany, go via Metz and that's up to 800 miles.
However, you may prefer a journey of less than 250 miles that will see you at Plymouth ferry port, and then you land in Brittany!
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Aand J
Motorhomes are not charged as much as a car and caravan on the Tunnel. As already stated there are many variables. Everyone has to consider their own situation and also the price of convenience. The only crossings I have not used while touring are from Pymouth, Hull and Harwich.
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We are all different regarding ferries and the tunnel, we are going to UK via St. Malo this September and back same route as we like this crossing as sailings suit OH who does not like early mornings. Have done the tunnel in the past when we had a dog but have not done that route for 15 years too many extra miles and the wrong side of UK to get to the sites we want and I am not keen on that route to get home.
This possibly will be the last time we come to UK with the van as we have a lot more to see over here and not so far to go.
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Home location and destination are key ingredients when looking at ferry routes.
the further north you live in the UK the less important it is to be specific about the port being west, east or central...it's then that the destination becomes more important...and then cost....
come fully south and this is reversed....A&J in Cornwall would be nuts to use the tunnel to visit Brittany when there is a ferry port at Plymouth.
similarly, a Kentish vanner would seem daft to use a Western Ferry if they are visiting say Belgium.
the further south you intend to travel also equals out the choice...
if visiting say the Carmargue (central) it really makes little difference if you start from Cherbourg, Caen, Dieppe, Calais...etc...you still have a long way to go from each.
once you've joined the motoring dots, it's then down to cost, preference, comfort on water/underground etc...
we have pals from west wales who often visit the west of France but use the tunnel (6-7 hrs drive) as they have a small dog and wouldn't be comfortable on the ferry...
so, it's horses (dogs) for courses...so many options thankfully ⛴️🚝
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Hence my comment re 'comfort on water/underground'...I certainly know some who wouldn't use the tunnel...and those who don't sail well..
tis certainly horses for courses, whatever you prefer...some like long sailings to Spain over shorter Western ones to vary the driving/sailing proportions.
we are having another go at the Santander sailing this spring.
we've used Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Newhaven, Dover, Folkestone and are happy with short, medium or long crossings and also found the tunnel a new adventure but it's just too far (for us) unless heading East-ish...
the main point is, there's plenty of choice for each of us....👍🚝⛴️🚴♂️🚐
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