Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Out by 8:30- folllowed a suggestion by another cyclist to head for the front at disembarking and they let the bikes off quite quickly. But yes EES in full operation. It would be interesting to know what time the last people cleared passport control as there were 300 cars and lots of motorbikes. There were around 30 cyclists and seems to have their own lane (presumably once clear it then goes to the motorists).
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
That was my experience, the very wasn't over busy, on the Stena To. HvH , cyclists are priority boarded , disembarkation can be a problem tho' if there's a lot of vehicles after you , but bicycles can be walked through to the front, it's encouraged anyway , then they let you off all at once,
Bit of a problem with my trike at the time, once on the Quayside I just rode to the front, ....just because I could !
It's safer for me,and isn't a problem
Bit of a problem with my trike at the time, once on the Quayside I just rode to the front, ....just because I could !
It's safer for me,and isn't a problem
A laid back, low down, layabout recumbent triker!
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Thanks for the various disembarkation timings.
I reconned I would not make my booked train from Rotterdam, so cancelled my ticket. Instead I'll catch a domestic Dutch train (Rotterdam - Utrecht, Utrecht - near the Geman boarder), being a domestic train I have to buy a bike ticket, but can just turn up when ever I arrive and catch the 1st train that comes in. It means I'll have a 55ml ride to get to Cologne - there are worse things in life than cycling 55 miles!
I reconned I would not make my booked train from Rotterdam, so cancelled my ticket. Instead I'll catch a domestic Dutch train (Rotterdam - Utrecht, Utrecht - near the Geman boarder), being a domestic train I have to buy a bike ticket, but can just turn up when ever I arrive and catch the 1st train that comes in. It means I'll have a 55ml ride to get to Cologne - there are worse things in life than cycling 55 miles!
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
That wasn't the case when I arrived at Hook on 21st May. The cyclists were sharing with the motorists but there was a bit of queue jumping going on e.g. pretending you're with another group of cyclists further ahead in the queue.MrsHJ wrote: 9 Jun 2026, 3:57am There were around 30 cyclists and seems to have their own lane (presumably once clear it then goes to the motorists).
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Thursday 4 June
Arrived at 0800. About an hour in total from arrival to being on the road and on the way to Den Haag.
We didn't cycle to the front of the queue this time. Waited 30 minutes. Processed with a group of cyclist and motorbikers. Very inefficient process as the rate-limiting step for the biometric recording wasn't being used continuously.
Jonathan
Arrived at 0800. About an hour in total from arrival to being on the road and on the way to Den Haag.
We didn't cycle to the front of the queue this time. Waited 30 minutes. Processed with a group of cyclist and motorbikers. Very inefficient process as the rate-limiting step for the biometric recording wasn't being used continuously.
Jonathan
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wheelyhappy99
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Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
First entry into Schengen using EES was a regional airport in Austria back in April. About 20 minute wait to get photo and prints scanned. Leaving Schengen elsewhere after the trip about 10 minutes.
Arriving at HvH by ferry about 5 minutes, similar leaving a week ago.
The entertainment was UK Border Force in Harwich next morning asking where I had come from....
Arriving at HvH by ferry about 5 minutes, similar leaving a week ago.
The entertainment was UK Border Force in Harwich next morning asking where I had come from....
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
You resisted the urge to say "I arrive by pedalo from near Dunkirk", I hope!wheelyhappy99 wrote: 2 Jul 2026, 8:21pm The entertainment was UK Border Force in Harwich next morning asking where I had come from....
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
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wheelyhappy99
- Posts: 413
- Joined: 5 Jul 2020, 11:12am
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Yes, but the questions got even sillier.
Me: The Netherlands.
BF: How long were you away?
Me: A couple of weeks.
BF: Did you go anywhere else?
Me: Yes, Germany.
BF: Were you on a cycling holiday?
Me: Yes, that's why I've got the bike. (Bar bag and two panniers being fairly conspicuous)
BF looks puzzled.
Me heading for the exit.
Me: The Netherlands.
BF: How long were you away?
Me: A couple of weeks.
BF: Did you go anywhere else?
Me: Yes, Germany.
BF: Were you on a cycling holiday?
Me: Yes, that's why I've got the bike. (Bar bag and two panniers being fairly conspicuous)
BF looks puzzled.
Me heading for the exit.
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
You're too kind to them. The answer to question 1 is always Eswathini and that the ferry made a detour to pick you up personally.wheelyhappy99 wrote: 3 Jul 2026, 9:53pm Yes, but the questions got even sillier.
Me: The Netherlands.
BF: How long were you away?
Me: A couple of weeks.
BF: Did you go anywhere else?
Me: Yes, Germany.
BF: Were you on a cycling holiday?
Me: Yes, that's why I've got the bike. (Bar bag and two panniers being fairly conspicuous)
BF looks puzzled.
Me heading for the exit.
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Is that nearby?
My response might be ' East by South East, close by Pom-Pom Galli !
Or is it West, never quite sure, as it's non existent....
My response might be ' East by South East, close by Pom-Pom Galli !
Or is it West, never quite sure, as it's non existent....
A laid back, low down, layabout recumbent triker!
Re: Disembarkation time, Hook of Holland
Now had my holiday.
Disembarkation at Hook of Holland started 8am, we were near the front of the queue (along with a lot of motor cyclists infront of us), we cleared checks at 9am. Finger prints and face scan. Had we been a long way down the queue, it might have been 10am before we got through. No on screen questions to answer (referred to in the other EU thread here: - viewtopic.php?t=168415).
The man at the desk told anyone parking their bike at/past his office before they had been checked to move the bike back.
Made it with the metro to Rotterdam Centraal at about 10.20, so just as well I had altered my train from the 10am one.
Here is a point though. There was a lane for EU, and a lane for non EU. If you had previously been finger printed/face scanned, you still had to wait in the non EU lane, there wasn't a "non EU but previously scanned" lane.
On returning to the UK at the Hook of Holland, my passport was stamped, though the stamp is unreadable. It was in the EU lane - the EU lane was empty, so the lady called me over from the non EU lane to get me through quicker, it didn't matter to her that I was non EU.
No silly Boarder Force questions on return to Harwich. Disembarkation started 6.30, off the ferry 6.32, showed my passport at the window (he checked it against what ever was showing in his screen), no one at the customs nothing to declare lane, and was on my way by 6.37am.
Disembarkation at Hook of Holland started 8am, we were near the front of the queue (along with a lot of motor cyclists infront of us), we cleared checks at 9am. Finger prints and face scan. Had we been a long way down the queue, it might have been 10am before we got through. No on screen questions to answer (referred to in the other EU thread here: - viewtopic.php?t=168415).
The man at the desk told anyone parking their bike at/past his office before they had been checked to move the bike back.
Made it with the metro to Rotterdam Centraal at about 10.20, so just as well I had altered my train from the 10am one.
Here is a point though. There was a lane for EU, and a lane for non EU. If you had previously been finger printed/face scanned, you still had to wait in the non EU lane, there wasn't a "non EU but previously scanned" lane.
On returning to the UK at the Hook of Holland, my passport was stamped, though the stamp is unreadable. It was in the EU lane - the EU lane was empty, so the lady called me over from the non EU lane to get me through quicker, it didn't matter to her that I was non EU.
No silly Boarder Force questions on return to Harwich. Disembarkation started 6.30, off the ferry 6.32, showed my passport at the window (he checked it against what ever was showing in his screen), no one at the customs nothing to declare lane, and was on my way by 6.37am.