Cycling UK Forum

Posted: **18 Jan 2024, 5:26pm**

PH wrote: ↑18 Jan 2024, 2:37pm Wasn't it the same coming back the other way, with the UK control on the French side? It's a while since I used the ferry, but it's that way with the tunnel.

Yes, I remember the lass telling me she came through the tunnel every day to get to work. I hope her employer paid for it!

Posted: **18 Jan 2024, 6:21pm**

It's called juxtaposed border controls. At the French ports you go through French passport control first, then the UK Border to "enter the UK" even though you are still on the French side of the channel.

The UK doesn't do exit checks as such so there is no UK Border control post at Dover. The first thing you come to is the French passport control. From there, in a car, you drive round to the ferry check in. If you're on a bike you ride a slightly convoluted route to the ticket office where you check in. If you don't already have a ticket I assume you can buy one there (I've always already had a ticket).

Presumably bike spaces on the ferry don't sell out - I don't know what you would do if you'd already been stamped into France only to find you can't then get on a ferry! Stay "airside" (waterside?) until the next one that you can get on, I assume.

Posted: **19 Jan 2024, 9:08am**

scragend wrote: ↑18 Jan 2024, 6:21pm It's called juxtaposed border controls. At the French ports you go through French passport control first, then the UK Border to "enter the UK" even though you are still on the French side of the channel.

The UK doesn't do exit checks as such so there is no UK Border control post at Dover. The first thing you come to is the French passport control. From there, in a car, you drive round to the ferry check in. If you're on a bike you ride a slightly convoluted route to the ticket office where you check in. If you don't already have a ticket I assume you can buy one there (I've always already had a ticket).

Presumably bike spaces on the ferry don't sell out - I don't know what you would do if you'd already been stamped into France only to find you can't then get on a ferry! Stay "airside" (waterside?) until the next one that you can get on, I assume.

That makes sense.
My first thought was where you would buy a ticket - I've never considered tickets being sold at check in - that could cause problems if a number of car drivers tried it during a busy period. It could also cause a delay if a group of cyclists did the same.

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