Ferry or tunnel?? (1 Viewer)

[Tinty]

in June we will be taking our first trip abroad in the Moho and travelling to France. I'm depending on you lovely people to keep us right as we are literally clueless! So firstly what do you recommend ferry or tunnel?? Not much difference in price, I've looked at booking through the caravan club?? Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[Phillybarbour]

Tunnel every time, stay with the van, use Tesco vouchers if you have them. And no numpty parks next to you and opens the car door hitting the side of your pride and joy.

 

[PeterandNicole]

We nearly always used the tunnel but after the experience we had last year with the migrants we would never ever do it again, it was an absolute nightmare! they were trying to get into the mh, lorries etc it was awful, so now will always do newhaven to dieppe dfds ferries, quick cheap and 60 miles nearer to Rouen which is important to us as we avoid Paris at all costs lol, the boat is lovely, dogs can stay in the camper and you can go down and check on them, and if you phone to book you get 20% discount if you are over 60 or disabled! So for us its a win win. Also at Newhaven there are a couple of pubs you can stay at free parking and there is parking at the terminal for £3.50 approx for 24 hrs so great if you arrive the night before when catching a morning ferry!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Cat53]

Does the Chunnel check the external gauge on LPG tanks? Cos we don't have one. Does that preclude us going via the Chunnel?

 

[canopus]

No brainer for us Tunnel every time, especially after last nights shenanigans.

There is no problem with gas and the tunnel providing your vehicle does not use it for driving the engine i.e. like the Yank RV's.
You are merely asked to turn your gas bottles off (witnessed by an Eurotunnel operative usually) for the 30 minute trip. Once you've crossed don't forget to turn them back on again.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Does the Chunnel check the external gauge on LPG tanks? Cos we don't have one. Does that preclude us going via the Chunnel?

No. They only check that everything is switched off.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Southdowners]

Ferry every time for us, much more relaxing. We have used the tunnel a few times, a couple of times the pressure wave when the train enters the tunnel has effected my ears and I have had ear ache for a 2 or 3 days after. Also about 3 years ago on a business trip in a VW Transporter the pressure wave tripped a sensor and we came out of the tunnel with loads of electrics not working, indicators, windows, central locking & cruise control. That has really put me off.

We've used the tunnel on many occasions and never experienced the pressure wave you describe. The train enters the tunnel extremely slowly so I doubt that a pressure wave is what you've experienced. There may be a pressure change as the tunnel reaches a certain point in the journey - my ears sometimes pop but that's a normal occurance with pressure change and nowhere near enough to cause electrical failure. I expect your problems with the transporter was a coincidence. If electrics failed on vehicles using the tunnel in the way you describe it would obviously have been a major and well publicised problem.

 

[Cat53]

No. They only check that everything is switched off.

y

Sorry I should have said on built in lpg tanks. Not portable.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

y

Sorry I should have said on built in lpg tanks. Not portable.

Same applies.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mjltigger]

only used the tunnel once,, awful place,, the truckers don't call it the shit chute for nothing!!
ferry is much nicer,

You can't compare how we travel in the tunnel to trucks.. We stay in sealed carriages with our vehicles surrounded by tourists and business people. They travel in cramped carriages away from their vehicles surrounded by smelly eastern European truckers..

 

[gus-lopez]

Does the Chunnel check the external gauge on LPG tanks? Cos we don't have one. Does that preclude us going via the Chunnel?

No they normally just ask is it off as they aren't too keen on doing too much. On both occasions going UK to France I have been asked by 4 seperate people. 3 British & 1 French.

 

[****]

We nearly always used the tunnel but after the experience we had last year with the migrants we would never ever do it again, it was an absolute nightmare! they were trying to get into the mh, lorries etc it was awful, so now will always do newhaven to dieppe dfds ferries, quick cheap and 60 miles nearer to Rouen which is important to us as we avoid Paris at all costs lol, the boat is lovely, dogs can stay in the camper and you can go down and check on them, and if you phone to book you get 20% discount if you are over 60 or disabled! So for us its a win win. Also at Newhaven there are a couple of pubs you can stay at free parking and there is parking at the terminal for £3.50 approx for 24 hrs so great if you arrive the night before when catching a morning ferry!

Hi PeterandNicole. Do you drive south and travel in the same day? I was thinking of going down and staying in South England for a night to get an early start next morning. How long does it take to drive to the ferry port from where you are? I normally cross at Newcastle but looking to take the dog so not willing to leave her alone for the 12 hour sail.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jtp890]

Recent experiences with tunnel have been delays early morning whilst migrants cleared from tunnel/ terminal. Now look to cross early evening.

 

[g8ysn]

we came back via tunnel no booking turned up booth 3 paid 200 euros/pounds drove straight up onto train parked up listen to rules {leave window,s half open] emergency instruction,s by the time we moved off kettle had boiled and cornflake,s on table ,washed ports up 3/4 games of domenoes and we are told to get ready to unload ,got up in dunkirk to rain back in southview by 4.00 tunnel every time 4 me from now on,you can walk around and there are toilet facilities but why use them when all r on bourd,you have to switch of the gas bottle,s and there is a monitoring service on bouard which if gas etc is detected will sound ps you are not allowed to take pictures in side of train [webcam]

 

[Bernie P]

ps you are not allowed to take pictures in side of train

No Flash photographs! the flash can set off the fire detectors.

Use the tunnel all the time (Business and pleasure). MH is great, stretch out on the sofa, newspaper, cup of tea from the flask and a sarnie. They have made me disconnect the gas bottle on occasions depends who's on duty.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[funflair]

I notice that a lot of you tunnel fans are down South, we and the OP are both up North and we have driven to Dover enough times to know that I would far rather go to Newcastle or Hull and just get on the ferry and save all the hassle of driving in the UK, and when you work it all,out its that much more expensive especially if you don't shop at Tesco.

And yes I know this is an old thread.

Martin