Which buses from London to Continental Europe take the ferry?
I'm a Canadian flying to London next year and I want to take the ferry to Europe. I see fares to Brussels that look good at around $40 round trip, but I don't wanna do the Channel Tunnel, I wanna take the ferry boat. It's not clear from the search results which one I'm getting. How can I be sure I book the right one? I'm assuming its fun to walk around the ferry boat.
EDIT: I appreciate the helpful answers and comments that have been posted so far. I am disappointed to read that there is nothing particularly enjoyable about the ferry ride. I just visited Victoria BC and purposely got off the plane in Vancouver so I could enjoy the ferry ride on a beautiful spacious boat with ample seating, restaraunts and cafes, a walk-around deck and of course beautiful scenery (which I forgive the Channnel for perhaps lacking.) I still think I want to take the ferry, unless you tell me that I have to stay seated in the bus the whole time over.
The responders have also explained the reason why I was not able to choose specifically between the chunnel and the ferry: because even the bus lines do not offer that choice, using sometimes one and sometimes the other. Some suggest that the duration of the trip is a clue, and indeed some trips are an hour longer than others, suggesting that those would be the ferry crossings. But that conclusion is contradicted by the suggestion that the bus lines themselves do not choose the route until the last minute, depending on traffic conditions etc: how then could they publish a time schedule without knowing which crossing method they were taking?
One of the correspondents suggested that Megabus most frequently uses the ferry, so my best bet of a ferry passage is to use that carrier. I checked out the fairs, and indeed they have a very reasonable 60 euro round trip for me and my wife (30 euro each) so it looks promising. They also offer two schedules, one of them an hour longer than the other, so I will probably choose the longer one. But again, no guarantee that I'll be riding the ferry. Worst case I get to see the chunnel, which would also be OK i suppose.
The foregoing is a lot of clarification without exactly asking a question, but there remains one question: as compared with my British Columbia ferry experience (Vancouver to Victoria) just how dingy and cramped is the channel crossing? Does anyone enjoy the ride?
Best Answer
Since you're a fellow Canadian, we hope you came across our London - Brussels route offer on Busbud. :)
We know of at least four bus companies operating England - Belgium. It's our understanding that the channel crossing mode changes happen based on traffic, delays and driver time behind the wheel rules. So you might, as previously mentioned, consider taking a ferry specifically and connecting on either end since you seem to care a lot.
Or it could be good to check with the bus operators about the specific schedules. As a rule of thumb the Eurotunnel goes from Falkstone to Calais while many ferries depart from Dover; if you see Dover in any bus schedule, you can be pretty sure the journey is planned to be by ferry. Interestingly when crossing by Eurotunnel, the whole bus (along with other motor vehicles) is actually rolled into a train which takes it through the tunnel.
In general the crossing between the UK / England and Europe by bus company:
- OUIBUS (formerly iDBUS) prefers the Eurotunnel trains but they sometimes use ferries.
- Eurolines (by National Express) depends on the schedule, many are by ferry but some are by Eurotunnel.
- Student Agency normally crosses by Eurotunnel.
- Megabus normally crosses by ferry.
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Does FlixBus take the ferry?
The review here indicates both ferry and Eurotunnel train are possible for FlixBus.Do buses go through the Eurotunnel?
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle offers the fast, frequent and convenient coach and car carrying service between Folkestone and Calais. With a journey time of just 35 minutes from platform to platform there's no quicker or more reliable way to take your coach and passengers across the Channel.Can you take a ferry from London to France?
ENGLAND TO FRANCE FERRIES Choose your most convenient car ferry to France from the UK from speedy fast-craft crossings and relaxing daytime or overnight cruises, with daily sailings on most routes and a choice of departure times to suit you.What is the best way to get from England to France?
Option 1: Eurotunnel from England to France (sometimes called Le Shuttle) The Eurotunnel crosses from Folkestone to Calais using the Channel Tunnel and for most people is the cheapest option. You can travel from England to France in 35 minutes and altogether it's a very easy and problem-free service.London to Paris, from Victoria coach station to Paris, Eurotunnel 4K
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Answer 2
Call the bus companies you consider using. Some of them change between ferries and train on different times of the day and some change over regularly or irregularly, depending on things I have never been able to work out. From what I hear it is often a surprise which connection they use.
If you want to be sure you will use a ferry to the continent, you can use the Dutch flyer, rail and ferry link, or use a train to get to Dover and take a ferry from there, buses will be available between the station and the ferry dock, both sides of the connection, with trains on the French side as well.
But experiencing a ferry is not such a great deal. I like them but I think going by bus on a train under ground and sea is an experience as well.
I have used several of the ferries and all of those were spacious and you can walk around them freely.
There are seats and restaurant and/or bar areas in all ferries.
Most allow you to go outside as well unless the weather is really bad. But on the fast ferries the outside space is not big.
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