Alternative route for the shut down Harwich - Esbjerg ferry route by car
I am planning to have a Scandinavian trip (preferably it would include Copenhagen, Malmö, Gothenburg, maybe also Oslo or the southern parts of Norway) from London by car. As I'll be the only one able to drive I want to try to minimize the amount to drive outside of Scandinavia. The Harwich - Esbjerg ferry route seemed to be perfect, but unfortunately after 29 September it will be shut down. The page only mentions alternative routes that go to Calais first, from which I have to drive all the way through to Denmark (around 1200 km).
Google also suggest taking the Harwich - Hoek van Holland ferry to the Netherlands first, and continue my trip from that. I could gain around 250 kms, which is not much, but still better than going through Calais or Dunkerque.
I was wondering whether I could still decrease the amount to drive, e.g. by taking another ferry from the Netherlands or by using some kind of car transport by train (I don't know whether there are any though).
I've also considered flying to Copenhagen first and then getting a hire car, but we'd probably have a lot of luggage both way that would prohibit the air travel.
Best Answer
As you have discovered the ferries from uk to Scandinavia are an endangered species, and as I discovered when I tried to answer this question earlier, that personal knowledge can also go out of date, and even when you back it up with info from a supposedly trustworthy link, and then that info is also out of date!
As you detailed in your question there seems to only be the options of ferry to holland or Belgium, and then drive.
In your question you also indicated that you were prepared to hire a car in Copenhagen, but that luggage might be an issue if travelling by air. Depending on how much time you have for this trip, could I suggest a different option.
The excellent seat61 website shows several options for travelling to Scandinavia by train. And whilst there is no auto train option, you might thing about travelling by Eurostar to Brussels, followed by sleeper train to Sweden
http://www.seat61.com/Sweden.htm#.U_9sAGK9KSM
This would solve your luggage problem to some extent, although you still have to carry it!
I hope you enjoy your trip, Scandinavia is super and I can't wait to return.
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Is there a car ferry from Denmark to UK?
Our crossings are short, taking just 90 minutes to Calais and 2 hours to Dunkirk, and there's plenty to do onboard to keep you busy, including restaurants, a bar, a shop and children's facilities too. Our ports in Dunkirk and Calais are approximately 7 \xbd hours' drive from Denmark, via Belgium, Holland and Germany.Are there any car ferries from UK to Scandinavia?
The only direct route from the UK to Denmark is Immingham to Esbjerg with DFDS. There are six crossings per week with each crossing taking approximately 18 hours. A berth in a shared cabin, en suite bathroom facilities and complimentary meals are provided. Esbjerg is around 3 hours from Copenhagen.Can I travel to Denmark by ferry?
There are many ferries that run to Denmark, from Norway, Sweden and Germany, so there is no shortage of ferries to pick from when travelling to Denmark, with up to 560 ferries running per week across 11 routes, so book now with Direct Ferries, to find the best ferry at the best price for you.Are there ferries from UK to Norway?
There are currently no car ferries from the UK to Norway; the nearest you'll get is Esbjerg in Denmark, about 900km (around 10hr) by road from Oslo, with DFDS Seaways (wdfdsseaways.co.uk) from Harwich.New EU fuel regs close UK-Denmark ferry route
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