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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

Posted 15 years ago

[b]Ferry connection UNITED KINGDOM (Dover) - FRANCE (Calais) on the route LONDON to PARIS[/b]


To avoid the expensive direct train from London to Paris ([b]Eurostar - a supplement of 70 EUR one-way[/b] - [u]https://rail.cc/en/london-paris-eurostar-train/f1805[/u] ) you can use a ferry. It is slower, but also very nice and especially cheaper!


:arr: BLOG: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/london-to-paris-by-eurostar-train-bus-or-ferry/[/u]


The best ferry connection is between DOVER (UK) and CALAIS (France).
[b]NEW INFORMATION:[/b] [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-ferry/dover-calais/20[/u]



[b]UPDATE[/b]: [b]Seafrance[/b] stopped the transport of foot passengers in November 2009.
So the InterRail discounted connection got lost.
Now there is only the not discounted connection by [b]P&O Ferries[/b] available.
The fare was usually EUR 18 - one way: www.poferries.com

[b]IMPORTANT[/b] (July 2010): currently the online one-way-fare is EUR 39 by P&O - so really expensive.
[b]You have to buy a RETURN-ticket for the same day.[/b] The fare is then between EUR 12-16.
Select as currency GBP, otherwise it will be much more expensive.
As it is not totally clear if your credit card will be charged when not doing a return travel, we recommend to buy the ticket directly at the ticket window at the harbour - ask for a discount - travellers told, you will get one for EUR 17.





:arr: [b]Information LONDON to DOVER[/b]

[b]London Victoria / London Charing Cross to Dover Priory[/b]
There are trains running every 30 minutes. The train journey is 1:30h to 2:00h. You will arrive at Dover Priory.

[b]Dover Priory to Dover Eastern Docks[/b]
[b]WALK[/b]: it is a walk of about 30 minutes. Follow the signs (Ferry Terminal or City Centre).
[b]BUS[/b]: the bus is running every 15 minutes (leaves directly in front of the station - ends directly in front of the doors of the terminal). it is between GBP 1,00 and GBP 2,00.
[b]TAXI[/b]: about GBP 6,00





:arr: [b]FERRY Dover to Calais[/b]
It is a journey of 1:30h. For departure times have a look at the P&O Ferries website: www.poferries.com





:arr: [b]Information PARIS to CALAIS[/b]

[b]Paris Gare du Nord to Calais Ville:[/b]
if travelling with regional trains to avoid supplements you will need about 3:30h. There are some direct TGVs with 1:40h of travel time.



[b]Calais Ville to the ferry terminal:[/b]

[b]WALK[/b]: it is a 25 minutes walk. Leave the station, cross the place and street in front of you. Walk the smaller street at the left of the hotel. Follow the signs car ferry.


[b]BUS[/b]: EUR 2,00 - 10 minutes.
Departure times at ferry terminal: 1000, 1105, 1205, 1250, 1405, 1520, 1620, 1705, 1805, 1940.
Departure times at the station Calais Ville: 1010, 1115, 1215, 1300, 1420, 1530, 1630, 1715, 1815, 1950


[b]TAXI[/b]: is about EUR 8,00 to EUR 10,00 and will need 5 minutes.


[b]Calais Ferry Terminal:[/b]

You have to use a really small way to get into the ferry terminal. There is a lane for cars beside.

Check in time of for the ferry is: 45 minutes before departure.





:!: [b]OVERNIGHT:[/b] if you arrive late in the evening at Calais, the cheapest place to sleep in Calais is the hotel directly in front of the station called Bonsai Hotel (phone: +33 321 96 10 10 | room for 2 persons: EUR 40, room for 3 persons: EUR 43).


[b]IMPORTANT UPDATE[/b]
Due to the unclear situation of the ferry fares, simply use an inexpensive overnight coach:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/train/london-to-paris[/u]



[b]Update: Nov 2016[/b]

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yatinsardana
Traveller
23 comments

replied 14 years ago

I went interrailing last month, came back a few days back and i used the ferry and i was sooooo impressed. honestly! it was really good. i expected something cheap.. and i mean CHEAP. you know like a little ferry where everyone gets cramped and there's no space to stand! okay maybe i'm exagerrating but something along those lines and i took a ferry from calais to dover and it was really good.. good big ferry, with a bar and a little casino and a couple big tele's .. big area for sitting ..

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yatinsardana
Traveller
23 comments

replied 14 years ago

I would second that. When I started reached Calais train station, A) I waited at the wrong bus stop (the one right opposite the station) for 15 minutes only to find out the Calais ferry bus stop was hidden around the corner. It's not that bad, just make sure you're standing at the right stop to catch the bus. I wouldn't walk from the train station to the ferry terminal, the bus seemed to cover a lot of distance + it drove a bit on busy roads as well so I'm not sure how possible/convenient it is to walk. Dover - from the ferry terminal we took a free bus to the train station, it wasn't AS long as the calais journey but erm.. I'm not too sure how convenient it would be for walking.

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 14 years ago

I always walk between Calais train station and ferryport - approx 25 minutes. I use another route that runs through the town center:
Turn left in front of the train station - walk straight through the city centre until you come to the Holiday Inn (theres a small supermarket as well as a boulangerie-patisserie along the way) - turn left at the Holiday Inn and follow the road (you pass by a lighthouse and then will soon see the ferryport - the rest of the way is the same as described above
The bus would be 1,50 euro or 1 pound single way.

In Dover its about the same distance...when you leave the ferry zou'll see the sign town centre - follow the main road till the first roundabout - turn right to the next roundabout - then left and you'll get to the station

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lizavfc
Traveller
4 comments

replied 14 years ago

I looked on the P&O Ferries website and clicked to book a return ferry from Dover-Calais, though I don't want to book right now, just to see the prices.


The advice on this forum says the journey will take 1hr30mins.
However according to P&O's website, travelling from Dover-Calais will take 2hr30mins, and the return journey will take only 30mins?! :|


Here are the dates/times I entered:

Dover-Calais
Departs: 23rd July 12:15
Ship: Pride of Calais
Arrives: 14:45

Calais-Dover
Departs: 1st August 22:20
Ship: Pride of Dover
Arrives: 1st August 22:50



Is this information correct? Or is there something wrong with the website?
I aim to buy the 10 days continuous ticket, so want the journey from/to home to be as early/late as possible, hence the 22:20 departure from Calais :D

Thanks for your help! :)

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 14 years ago

Hi!

The timings are correct - note that UK is in another tine zone than France, thus the difference. The trip will take around 75-90 minutes. :)

Note that the ferry doesn't carry foot passengers on night services - in my experience (with SeaFrance) the latest ferry Calais - Dover departs around 1900-200 and the last Dover - Calais around 1900. However, you can usually stay at the ferry terminal in Calais for the night (I've slept there 3 or 4 times) and take the first ferry carrying foot passengers in the morning around 0800.


Flo 8)

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sarett
Traveller
5 comments

replied 13 years ago

Just a tip:
If you're booking a ferry from Dover - Calais via poferries.com and leaving before 6 pm, it's worth trying to get a Day Return (i.e. 'pretend' you're returning to Dover later that same day) rather than a one-way ticket, as it may be cheaper.

For example, booking any ferry up to (and including) the 17.30 ferry from Dover, returning at the latest on the 20.40 ferry from Calais, you'll pay £12 (~13.50 Euro) in total, rather than the £18 you'll have to pay for a one-way ticket.

I've checked various dates and times and it seems to be a flat rate of £12, except Saturdays, when it's £16. Also, you can only book 60 days in advance, so I can't check if these day returns are available in the high season (i.e. summer).

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Bagpipe89
Traveller
13 comments

replied 13 years ago

Are there new informations concerning the price of the ferry? Because i recently read in some thread that the page of po-ferrys says 40€ for a single way ticket, and when i went to the page and tried it, it actually did. So im asking myself, if this should be true, i could also go by eurostar for 65 and save 1 travel day, because with the ferry i miss my connection in paris and will stay there 1 day (which isnt too bad, but i prefer it the other way). Peter or Flow 1 of you said he will try to get to know if u could go for passenger with bycycle and forget ur bicycle, which woould be about 20 . Any news there?

regards Marco

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi Marco.
No response, no news for now. I will publish it here, when I have the news.
Peter :)

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noworries
Traveller
1 comments

replied 13 years ago

At the moment buying a Single from Dover to Calais is 30 quid. However, if you pretend you're coming back the same day - as someone mentioned earlier - then it's only 12.

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 13 years ago

Thanks for the info. I updated it. :)

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batista_liedson
Traveller
3 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi all,
I'm going on interrail for the first time with 2 friends. We had plan our trip counting with the 18€ of the ferry from Dover to Callais, we also bought the airplane tickets from Lisbon to London and then we would continue the trip to Paris going by ferry.
As I saw now, the Ferry is no longer 18€, but 40€. How can we travell to Paris on the cheepest way?
I also saw the eurostar tickets that are 79€ without the interrail discount. It's still to much.
Thanks for helping

João

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi João.

Like mentioned in the first topic above, you can buy a return-ticket for a maximum of EUR 18. Use it only one way - it is the cheapest solution.
Buy it online some days in advance via the P&O website.
Peter :)

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batista_liedson
Traveller
3 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi Peter,
Sorry if i'm being an idiot, but how i can buy a return ticket without paying for the single ticket?
Because when i try to buy a ticket at the [u]https://rail.shop/po/[/u] the only fare is 30£, in a single way and 30£ for a return way.
Can you help me on this?
Thanks for reading
João,

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi João.

I tried it and i got the fare without problem - but only on the same day.
Next rumours are: if you don't use the return ticket on the same day, it will charged like ~EUR 30 (so like the single one) on your credit card and not only 16. But it is only a rumour.

Peter :)

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anonymous
Traveller
2467 comments

replied 13 years ago

I've got three questions about this route

1: In Calais: Is it still the same terminal as before when you could travel with Seafrance or does POferries have an other terminal?

2: Is it possible that the ferry from Calais to Dover could be full? Im planning to by the ticket at arrival in Calais. Could it be a problem to get tickets?

3: Has anyone done this jurney lately after that Seafrance stopped with foot passangers? What did you pay? Anything unusual? Something importent that I should know?

Greetings // JM

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi!

1) P&O and Seafrance use the same terminal, I dont think that anything changed since last summer.
2) I dont think so. I've been travelling several times with Seafrance on that route and always got my ticket upon arrival at Calais or Dover.
3) I dont know... :|


Flo 8)

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anonymous
Traveller
2467 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi João.

I experienced the same problems as you did.

Solution:
Fares are different depending on the currency you're booking in. In EUR it's 52 while in GBP it's 12 as mentioned in this post.

[b]If you want to go from Dover to Calais select English /(Pound) as currency and you get the 12 GBP fare![/b]

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anonymous
Traveller
2467 comments

replied 13 years ago

Okay. So I just went from Calais to Dover with POFerries and bought the ticket at the terminal. I asked if there was a discount with Interrail-tickets and they told me it was. They also told me that it always has been such a discount.

So I payed 17 euro for a singel ticket. Just ask for the discount and you will get one!

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 13 years ago

Perfect news. Thank you. :)

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Bagpipe89
Traveller
13 comments

replied 13 years ago

I did dover-calais:
bus dover 2 pounds
ferry 13,50 pounds (25%interrail discount included)
bus calais 2 €
TGV to Paris 3€
got the 11 o clock ferry and arrived in Paris 18:02

btw:
And I went from Paris to Irun with the TGV abonnement forfait trick, the only thing the inspector said was merci ;)

greetings from Lisbon, Marco

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 13 years ago

Good to hear! ;)

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feelingthepull
Traveller
2 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hey guys,
Okay I spontaneously decided it would be a great idea to get to ireland via interrail. However, I am now faced with several obstacles - one of them being the whole ferry thing and I really need to know how early you have to be there before the ferry sets sail and whether it is possible to just get there and buy a ticket!?
Hope someone has mercy :)

from Austria

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi!

For the Calais - Dover ferry (as well as for many others) check-in is about 45 minutes prior to departure. You can find a detailed description on how to get to Calais ferry port from the train station here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/paris-london-ferry-calais-dover/f1442[/u] (another way through the city centre is also possible).
For getting to Ireland have a look here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ferry-uk-france-ireland/f1401[/u]

Calais train station - Calais ferryport: ~25-35 minutes by foot, bus available too
Dover ferryport - Dover Priory (train station): ~25-35 minutes by foot, bus available too

Holyhead train station is literally in the ferryport, one minute from train to check-in counters.
In Dublin we used a bus to the centre which took ~15-20 minutes.

For the Calais - Dover trip you can buy your tickets directly at the ferryport, for the Holyhead - Dublin/Dun Laoghaire ferries you have to buy your tickets online (with credit card) to apply for the 30% InterRail discount.

Hope that helps for the start. :)


Flo 8)

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feelingthepull
Traveller
2 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hey Flo,
thanks - yeah I should be fine without the discount in Holyhead..
I just hope I can figure out the stuff concerning reservations and uppayments for trains.
I'm pretty nervous but I'll just hope for the best.
Thanks again <3
Write soon :)

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 13 years ago

No problem - just let us know if you have further questions. :)

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BauhausFashion
Traveller
1 comments

replied 13 years ago

Hi everyone out there!

Me and my friend were interrailing and we went Dover-Calais just the other week (17/9-10), and we didn't find any up-to-date information on here really... so we thought we didn't have any discount at the ferry, but apparently that's wrong! The people at the port were really surprised we didn't know this. So we thought this thread was in need of some updates. Here it is:

[b]Note that you need to go with P&O Ferries. They go both ways and take foot passengers.[/b] (There's one other french boat company which we have no information about really, but apparently they don't accept foot passengers anymore according to this site)

[b]The ferry is normally £30
but if you have an interrail pass you get a discount and pay only £22.50.[/b]


Here's some other healthy information:
[list:31b9htrt]- You can buy the ticket right at the port with no reservations.
- The bus between the station in and the dock in Dover is great, and it's only £2.
- The bus between the station and the dock in Calais is also cheap (but they leave only once every hour so make sure you don't hang around at the dock too long after leaving the boat!).
- And there are these great ATM machines where you can withdraw both euro and pounds at the Dover dock. (And you can of course change currency on the boat. For free!).
- And by the way, if you want to go from London to Dover (or the other way around) you can actually take the fast train from St. Pancras station, but you have to reserve seats and that's £4.50. Not too bad. You can do that at the station.[/list:u:31b9htrt]

So, have a nice trip. It's definitely worth it!

Cheers.

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csberko
Traveller
6 comments

replied 13 years ago

I have done the route on both ways this September so i share my experiences.

I arrived to Calais just late, after 21h, so they did not give me foot passenger ticket. I asked kindly, but no success ...
So what i did is: try to hitchhike.
P&O and Seafrance both have ticket offices open also at night. I went to the office of P&O (it's in the terminal building) but not a lot of people shown up :(
So i went to Seafrance ticket office (it's in a container in the parking lot) and asked all arriving drivers if they can take me on board. After 20-30 mins a Finnish guy has taken me. The price is the same no matter how many are sitting in the car, so it's convenient to do this even daytime. On the ferry i found a ride northwards to Nottingham also (no train is going that late). On the way back i traveled from Dover to Calais in the morning, but instead of buying a foot passenger ticket i gave 10 euro to some Spanish guys and they have taken me on board.

So if u arrive at night to the terminal u should definitely try this. But even daytime, when standing in the queue for ticket, you can ask people around u and it works easily. Just note that the passenger names are associated with the ticket, so they need your ID when buying the ticket, after they have bought it, you cannot travel with them.

I walked: Calais Ville SNCF - Harbor: 25 mins
Dover Priory - Harbor: 30 mins
supermarket and attractions (Calais: cathedral, Dover: castle) en route

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lauraandtanyasbubba
Traveller
4 comments

replied 12 years ago

hi there ...me and my friends are going interailling this year and we're hoping to start the journey from paris. Is there a train from calais too paris and is this included in the interail pass?
Thanks :D

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 12 years ago

Hi.
Yes. There are several trains. You can do it without any reservation using regional trains, or paying supplements on TGV trains:
https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/france/fr

Schedule planer:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

Example without extra reservation fees:
Calais Ville dep: 1240 | Regional train
Amiens arr: 1452
Amiens dep: 1527 | Regional train
Paris Nord arr: 1711

Peter :)

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LauraBubbaX
Traveller
16 comments

replied 12 years ago

[quote]Hi.
Yes. There are several trains. You can do it without any reservation using regional trains, or paying supplements on TGV trains:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/france/fr[/u]

Schedule planer:
[ux]https://plan.rail.cc[/ux]

Example without extra reservation fees:
Calais Ville dep: 1240 | Regional train
Amiens arr: 1452
Amiens dep: 1527 | Regional train
Paris Nord arr: 1711

Peter :) [/quote]


Peter, you're so efficient! What I would do to take a mini-Peter on our interrail trip! You're like a map, sat-nav, train spotter, handy man and hottie all in one! Why can't all men be like you!

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 12 years ago

There is a Little-Peter-Doll available with all these functions. But pay attention: it is very hungry and as energy source the doll need every hour one liter of beer. ;)

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LauraBubbaX
Traveller
16 comments

replied 12 years ago

[quote]There is a Little-Peter-Doll available with all these functions. But pay attention: it is very hungry and as energy source the doll need every hour one liter of beer. ;) [/quote]
hahaha Amber i hope you're taking note, this is what I want for my birthday!!!! I will carry it in my bra at all times! thanks Little-Peter-Doll

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ben124
Traveller
6 comments

replied 12 years ago

Having done some research myself I am shocked to learn that P&O Ferries are charging £29.50 (34euros) each way for foot passengers (on their website) and even more shocked that SeaFrance no longer take foot passengers- I have always used them! There are no cheap 'day returns' on the p&o website as far as I can see.

But after researching I found that you can get cheap day returns by [b]not booking with P&O Ferries[/b] and instead booking through www.ferrysavers.com, in the English version of the site they charge £12 for a day return (£29.50 for a single) or in the French/German version of the site they charge 16euros for a day return. Obviously I shall not use the return journey as I just want to go one way from Calais-Dover. I am not sure whether it is necessary to book in advance, but would advice everyone to do so.

It seems as if P&O are taking advantage of the fact that SeaFrance are no longer accepting foot passengers and have increased their prices.

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nltrainer
Traveller
1324 comments

replied 12 years ago

I came on the 22.15 ferry from Dover to Calais last week-but in a BUS-by Eurolines, and going to NL-AMSterdam.
Total cost of the busride (ferry included) was less as 25€-booked long time before online. It was by PandO and a brand new big ferry. There WAS also a bus quayside bringing foot-pax in from the ticket office, so that means a crossing should be possible at that time if wanted.
IF you want to save and certainly if you plan to start or finish your IR with a fewday stay in Ams, BRU or PARis, I would simply say: do not bother with all the changes and trains, book that bus or book yourself for a, little more a direct EuroStar=€** ticket-and let your iR start later or end earlier and save on the total cost.
(Psst! on all ferries there is a special section for truck and busdrivers. it was not so clearly marked and quite a few sneeked in- drinks were free there (soft, T+C) and meals were a lot lower priced. But as a young IR-student type you probablyy would be swept outside. I think they probaly control that more strict when they discover.

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urvahenrik
Traveller
3 comments

replied 11 years ago

Buying the return ticket still seems like a cheaper way than buying an one way ticket, but as I was trying to book them via a third party website, I saw this:
[b]
NOTE: Day trips must not be used as single tickets.
If you do not return when stated your card will
automatically be charged the full return fare.[/b]

Has anyone ever been charged the full return fare because of not showing up on the return ferry? Could this be avoided by not prebooking the tickets and buying them at the harbour prior to boarding the ferry?

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 11 years ago

Hej,

I have no experience with that issue, but I heard that you will be charged the full fare already on the outward journey if you show up apparently not looking as you would use the return trip (ie big travel backpack etc...). FWIW...


Flo 8)

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urvahenrik
Traveller
3 comments

replied 11 years ago

Aight, so I probably should try to buy the return ticket with the inbound part scheduled for a day after our outbound trip and try to look like a guy who would just casually want to spend a night in the exciting town of Calais :D And pay with cash of course.

I contacted the P&O ferries customer services about the possible inter rail and/or student discounts. Here's their reply:
[b]We do not directly offer interail discount, but I believe some train stations would sell a 'rail and sail' ticket.
Therefore, it may be advisable to check the National Rail website. [/b]

So, no more discounts, but it still seems like one of the easiest/cheapest way to cross the Channel.

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nltrainer
Traveller
1324 comments

replied 11 years ago

[quote]Has anyone ever been charged the full return fare because of not showing up on the return ferry? Could this be avoided by not prebooking the tickets and buying them at the harbour prior to boarding the ferry?[/quote]
It likely has escaped you that by UKlaw for all such ferries FULL ID and passengers name+adress (and I think maybe even adress for some contact in case of emergency) must be provided-and maybe they do not even take cash-only cards-so they have other details as well.
yes-among travel agencies this later enforcement of charging right=higher fares is well known.
And again; take a direct BUS_eurolines or IDbus or Megabus-for lots less as that ferry all the way LON-Par. Much quicker too.