Transitting Britain
 

PREFACE: This post queries travel through5-6 different countries. However, the main query is regarding traversin Britain. So I have posted it in the UK forum.

For some time now I have been growing less and less fond of flying. However, I live on an island in the West of Europe. Which leaves me with little alternative sometimes. Having said that, there are alternatives, although they usually require far more travel time. Typically 1.5 days each way where a 2-3hour flight would be the norm.

To be honest, the added travel time doesn’t phase me too much. Particularly because in most cases, there is a lengthy ferry crossing involved, ranging from 6 to 18 hours, depending on the route chosen. If one is to view this as a feature of the holiday, rather than commuting, then it is less daunting.
The reality is, however, that the extra time required means asking the boss for more time off. Not always a problem, but if there were a way of squeezing a few hours of the travel time, it might mean that I would one day less leave from work.

Still, I am determined to make these alternatives work.

Here’s an sample case of what I’ve been trying to make work recently:

Dublin - Amsterdam
FLYING

locationstimestime since left home

• Home-Airport:0300-0400( 1.0hrs)
  
• Dub-Ams:0600-0900( 6.0hrs)
  
• Ams-Hotel:0900-1000( 7.0hrs)
  

SURFACE

• Home-Ferryport:0630-0730( 1.0hrs)
  
• Dub-Hhd:0800-1200( 5.5hrs)
  
• Hhd-Hawich1430-2130(15.0hrs)
  
• Harwich-HoekVH:2300-0800(25.5hrs)
  
• HoekVH-Amsterdam:0830-1030(28.0hrs)
  

The question is, how can I get into Amsterdam earlier ?

I can get into Britain within about 4hrs from home. Is there:

1. a faster route across Britain ?
   
2. and if so, an earlier connection to Benelux ?
   
3. an alternative route direct Ireland-France and onward ?
   

Holyhead London Eurostar?
Holyhead across to Newcastle or Hull and the night ferries?
Night ferry Harwich - Hook?
Are then any Flix buses or Mega Buses or Eurolines you could use?

there was a ferry coming out of a port near dublin into Le Havre before Covid, no idea if still functioning or useful

Great suggestions. Thank you for contributing.

The following are the issues I see:

• Holyhead London Eurostar?
  • Border checks are a bit severe.
• Holyhead across to Newcastle or Hull and the night ferries?
  • Have considered these, however transitting from Holyhead to Harwich is the easiest of these options. Furthermore, neither the Newcastle nor Hull ferry will get me into NL any sooner.
• Night ferry Harwich - Hook?
  • This is my first option. However, I am hoping to get in there on Thu instead of Fri morning.
• Are then any Flix buses or Mega Buses or Eurolines you could use?
  • I've checked these options. NationalExpress nor MegaBus don't offer a service from Holyhead to anywhere I need to go. Flixbus best option is LonVictoria to Lille or Bruge and then onward from there. Either way, I won't arrive in Amsterdam until about 7pm. Given all that bussing and training, I think I'd rather take the Harwich ferry and just relax for a few hours.

Take the night ferry save yourself an expensive Amsterdam hotel night.

There are still ferries to France from Ireland but they don't really join up with rail services east and they take a long time. Dublin Cherbourg is 18 hours, Rosslare Cherbourg the same and Cork Roscoff is 15 hours. None very helpful for getting to Amsterdam though.

"• Holyhead London Eurostar?
Border checks are a bit severe."


You posted an entirely separate thread about this and is simply don't get it?? Where is there 'severe' Border checks? Unless there is something about one that triggers some sort of concern/suspicion, IME border control is pretty much a non-issue.

I am also failing to understand the trepidation here. Why is this such a concern? Anytime you travel into another country/zone there is a risk that you have your passport checked or your belongings searched in however method chosen by the nation/zone. It's not so severe that they are forcing a strip search and a cavity check - which would be rather severe.

If this is such a hassle to you, why are you traveling? Your questions make it sound like you have something to hide...

I do not recall a severe border issue taking the Eurostar from London to Paris.

There is a ferry service from Ireland to Cherbourg and the train from Cherbourg to Amsterdam takes 8.5 hours.

Yes. The night ferry from Britain makes most sense. Particularly when it offers a nights accommodation. However, the cabin is not much cheaper than a hotel in Amsterdam.

I agree. connections from Cherbourg East are not ideal. They aren't awful either, if it were for a longer trip I might go that route.

The quickest and best options I have found are either:

1. Dublin-Holyhead (stenaline) ...Holyhead-Harwich (britishTrains) ...Harwich-Rotterdam (stenaline) ...Rotterdam-Amsterdam (dutchTrains).
2. Dublin-Holyhead (stenaline) ...Holyhead-London (britishTrains) ...London-Amsterdam (flixbus)

[QUOTE=janisj;17427842]"• Holyhead London Eurostar?
Border checks are a bit severe."


I did ?

At Amsterdam Centraal, we were subjected to airport like bag checks and queueing, prior to boarding.

Hmm.

1. I am choosing surface-travel to avoid the inconveniences of air-travel.
2. Less of your insinuations, thank you.

There is no guarantee though, dude. Although ferries typically call for, in your words, less "severe" security checks does not mean it won't change. Some jackass could call in a threat tomorrow and change everything. But hey, maybe the better plan is just to stay home?

Quote:
Originally Posted by janisj View Post
"You posted an entirely separate thread about this and is simply don't get it??

[QUOTE=drrummer;17427947]

Uh -- yes, here : https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...hecks-1712161/

Not the same.

That thread is querying whether the border checks we experienced in Amsterdam Central were as a result of exiting EU / Schengen or were they due to using the Eurostar.

This thread is trying to find a route which will allow me to leave on Thu (for example) and arrive on Thu, into Amsterdam.

If you travel on Eurostar from Amsterdam to London or vice versa, there's security and a passport check; same as when flying to the UK from the EU. It's really not severe, but not the same as getting on a train within the EU.

I've never heard of a severe border crossing, what is that? A long line? Interrogation? Is it because you have a US passport?
Check Rome to Rio for itineraries other than flights. I've taken the ferry and Eurostar numerous times, some of the worse lines for passport control that I've experienced have been at ferry ports, particularly Dover to Calais and vv.

If you take the night ferry Harwich - Hoek, be aware that there is no train from Hoek van Holland. Your best option is to take the metro as far as Schiedam/Rotterdam West and change to a train to either Rotterdam Central or Amsterdam Central from there. Rotterdam Central gives you more options for Amsterdam, i.g. the Intercity Direct fast train (you'll pay a supplement). If you don't need ICD, changing at Schiedam for an Amsterdam train is the easiest option. Mind that you take the train via Schiphol, except in April/May, then the train via Haarlem takes you through the flowerbulb fields. Delft, The Hague and Leiden are on the same train line.

Severe in relation to disembarking and entering the country / city / town of arrival with little hinderance.

I have arrived in Cherbourg previously and not even asked to remove my helmet. I'm a biker.