st malo-portsmouth ferry, how long to get off?
st malo-portsmouth ferry, how long to get off?
I am arriving at Portsmouth Sunday at 18.30, my train is 19.20, have I got a chance?
You may find this map useful
There is a way to cheat!
Most trains go from Portsmouth Harbour via Portsmouth and Southsea - although there are stairs to manage. This can save minutes, but if you follow the route from the ferry via Mile End, Matket Way etc Portsmouth HArbour is about ten - fifteen minutes.
There is a way to cheat!
Most trains go from Portsmouth Harbour via Portsmouth and Southsea - although there are stairs to manage. This can save minutes, but if you follow the route from the ferry via Mile End, Matket Way etc Portsmouth HArbour is about ten - fifteen minutes.
I've found the trick with ferries is not to wait until you are waved out but to get ready and follow the first line of traffic leaving the ship. That way it's pretty quick and you just have to get through customs if they are doing their 100% check. Luckily even they don't usually think a bike holds an illegal!
st malo-portsmouth
I've crossed St Malo to Portsmouth twice this year in, I think, Apr and June.
The bike storage room is at the landward end at St M. When you arrive at Portsmouth it is at the seaward end. On the days I travelled there was a deck crammed with vehicles between the cyclists and the exit. We wriggled our way towards the exit as best we could. (Often vehicles are very tightly packed).
Once we reached the area where vehicles were starting to move the marshals made it easy for us to get out.
We caught the 19.15 train at the Harbour station. That's the 19.20 at Portsmouth and Southsea.
JJF
The bike storage room is at the landward end at St M. When you arrive at Portsmouth it is at the seaward end. On the days I travelled there was a deck crammed with vehicles between the cyclists and the exit. We wriggled our way towards the exit as best we could. (Often vehicles are very tightly packed).
Once we reached the area where vehicles were starting to move the marshals made it easy for us to get out.
We caught the 19.15 train at the Harbour station. That's the 19.20 at Portsmouth and Southsea.
JJF
JJF
Thats put my mind at rest, our date of travel is 5th Oct so I guess the boat wont be packed. I think if we adopt your tactics we should be ok. I had assumed that the bikes would have been either first or last off. Worst case scenario is an extra £50 for the rail ticket to get the 8.20 and arrive home after midnight.
Thanks again everyone.
Thats put my mind at rest, our date of travel is 5th Oct so I guess the boat wont be packed. I think if we adopt your tactics we should be ok. I had assumed that the bikes would have been either first or last off. Worst case scenario is an extra £50 for the rail ticket to get the 8.20 and arrive home after midnight.
Thanks again everyone.
st malo-portsmouth
Slight second thoughts:
I'm a bit concerned about encouraging people to venture berween tightly packed cars. I did it once because it was possible safely.
The second time it was too tightly packed. We simply added ourselves on to the first line of cars that moved. And as I said, when we arrived where the marshals were, they made it easy for us to get off the ship. And we caught the train comfortably.
JJF
Oops! I see that I'm more or less repeating what dodger has already said above.
I'm a bit concerned about encouraging people to venture berween tightly packed cars. I did it once because it was possible safely.
The second time it was too tightly packed. We simply added ourselves on to the first line of cars that moved. And as I said, when we arrived where the marshals were, they made it easy for us to get off the ship. And we caught the train comfortably.
JJF
Oops! I see that I'm more or less repeating what dodger has already said above.
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brianleach
- Posts: 634
- Joined: 14 Jul 2007, 2:10pm
- Location: Winchester, Hants
Had exactly that experience yesterday. You are at the back of the ship but if you stand at the very back you can see which lines are moving first and, as we all did, walk in the queue until you reach the front.
We found most delay at passport control!
The cycle lanes are not very well signposted from the ferry terminal if you don't know where you are going and I found myself at the side of a road going in the wrong direction. Perhaps it was just me.
Anyway I reached Portsmouth & Southsea station about 19.20 but not much before and you will finds the lift are out of order for 3 weeks in September so you may have to carry your bike up the stairs. Might be worth trying Portsmouth Harbour as its an easy push on. I don't know what others think given its farther to cycle.
I have to say I have come back from a long weekend in which I did not all that many miles absolutely exhausted as that part of Brittany is very hilly. I hope your fitter than me!
Brian
We found most delay at passport control!
The cycle lanes are not very well signposted from the ferry terminal if you don't know where you are going and I found myself at the side of a road going in the wrong direction. Perhaps it was just me.
Anyway I reached Portsmouth & Southsea station about 19.20 but not much before and you will finds the lift are out of order for 3 weeks in September so you may have to carry your bike up the stairs. Might be worth trying Portsmouth Harbour as its an easy push on. I don't know what others think given its farther to cycle.
I have to say I have come back from a long weekend in which I did not all that many miles absolutely exhausted as that part of Brittany is very hilly. I hope your fitter than me!
Brian
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brianleach
- Posts: 634
- Joined: 14 Jul 2007, 2:10pm
- Location: Winchester, Hants
Sorry for the late response but my internet went down yesterday afternoon.
Fortunately for me the lift was still working so I'm not exactly sure but I think it was two short flights enough to get up about twenty feet. Not easy I suspect if fully loaded.
In fact when I arrived at my home station of Winchester I found that there is no lift at all so I had to wheel down one flight again of about 29 feet. Not easy when fully (over!!) loaded. I asked a member of staff what disabled people do and would you believe they send them by TAXI from one side of the station to the other. Unbelieveable!
Anyway as I said I would consider Portsmouth Harbour station if time permits.
Best of luck. I'm still recovering, it must be old age catching up with me.
Brian
Fortunately for me the lift was still working so I'm not exactly sure but I think it was two short flights enough to get up about twenty feet. Not easy I suspect if fully loaded.
In fact when I arrived at my home station of Winchester I found that there is no lift at all so I had to wheel down one flight again of about 29 feet. Not easy when fully (over!!) loaded. I asked a member of staff what disabled people do and would you believe they send them by TAXI from one side of the station to the other. Unbelieveable!
Anyway as I said I would consider Portsmouth Harbour station if time permits.
Best of luck. I'm still recovering, it must be old age catching up with me.
Brian
Its a close call as the train leaves the Harbour Station a couple of minutes earlier and its slightly further, so if its touch and go I guess we will be better off taking the stairs option, there are two of us, both big strong boys if a little long in the tooth. It seems that if the boat is on time and we dont get any delays at customs etc we should make it..
Thanks again for all the info.
Thanks again for all the info.