Crossing the Channel
 

I have a question about the cost of the channel ferry. I have been very confused about it. On their websites the ferry companies show fares that are quite high. I have seen references from time to time about one day return tickets that are said to be quite a bit cheaper, but none of the websites tell anything about such fares. Does anyone know much about these fares and are they only for Dover to Calais? Folkstone to Calais? Is there a difference between the day trip fares to Calais and to Ostende? <BR>Do any of you know if people attempt to sell the return portion of these tickets or if the ferry companies do anything that would make this difficult. It seems to be a natural situation if I have the return portion of a ticket that I will have to throw away, I would be happy to sell it at a very reasonable price. Has anyone attempted to buy or sell such a ticket? The same would apply to 5 day return tickets if you knew you were not going to be back in 5 days. <BR>Along these same lines I see that extra passengers in a car are very cheap or free. Has anyone had experience getting a ride onto the ferry and paying the driver a portion of what you saved? <BR>If the above ideas won’t work should we wait until we get over there to pick up ferry tickets or try to make arrangements over the internet? <BR>

Barry---- My husband & I crossed the Chanel from Calais to Dover last May. One way ticket on the Hydrofoil (45 mts crossing) was around $50/pp. I would be very careful if buying/selling an unused portion of a ferry ticket as there are check points for passports in both countries. I remember showing our passports when we boarded the Hydro and when we got into the port at Dover. <BR> <BR>Some of the ferry companies show fares that include car + family of up to 4 people. Make sure exactly what is been priced.

Do the Brits who read this forum all take their cars so they do not confront this issue? <BR>A round trip airfare to Amsterdam or Brussels is not much more than the ferry rates if you are gone for more than 5 days.

I always take a car when going to France but then I'm usually going for a couple of weeks holiday. I can only speak for my nearest channel port (Portsmouth), and say that the bargain fares you talk about are usually run in the 'off' season i.e. now.You can go to Cherborg, St. Malo or Le Havre very cheaply and even take a car for a small suppliment, I guess they just want to try and fill the ferries up. There is usually a restriction on the amount of time you can spend in France with these fares. As for how you find out about them they seem to be advertised in our local press as they are obviously aimed at people wanting to have a days shopping in France.

The reason for the somewhat strange pricing system for the cross channel ferries is that lots of British people take their cars to France purely to take advantage of the much cheaper alcohol and cigerettes.