Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
scragend
Posts: 144
Joined: 13 Oct 2020, 7:16pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by scragend »

simonhill wrote: 26 Nov 2022, 1:23am As bike roll on with cars into the ship they are different from foot who need a separate access route.
Hopefully this is the reason. I could understand operators on the longer crossings not wanting cyclists, because they take up cabins that they could be used by car drivers/passengers, who of course pay higher fares, but that isn't a factor on the Dover routes. If all P&O want to do is get rid of the hassle of getting people onto the ship by foot (and, as you say, fall into line with what DFDS already do) then hopefully cyclists will still be allowed. Not great for genuine foot passengers of course, but hopefully not going to affect cyclists.

I'd always favour DFDS to Dunkirk anyway for a number of reasons, but would be good still to have the option.
SA_SA_SA
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by SA_SA_SA »

Stena use bus transfer on routes with no foot passenger walkway like belfast liverpool although I wondered if they would build a covered walkway at their new belfast 'terminal for liverpool'*, conversely I have never cycled onto Stena Belfast- liverpool boats, bikes went in a trailer or van.

Perhaps legislation/ byelaws is/are needed for other companies/ports? If the port provided the facility then the cost would be shared between ferry companies.

*A competing dublin service using same ship type as previous stena pair to uk simply didnt take foot passengers rather than provide a shuttle bus.
------------You may not use this post in Cycle or other magazine ------ 8)
st599_uk
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by st599_uk »

simonhill wrote: 26 Nov 2022, 1:23am That link doesn't say no cyclists only no foot passengers.
It says only cars and freight
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by simonhill »

So no motorcycles??

As I said, I said it needs confirmation. A dummy booking would do, but I'm on tour at the moment and have other things to do.
scragend
Posts: 144
Joined: 13 Oct 2020, 7:16pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by scragend »

simonhill wrote: 27 Nov 2022, 12:47am So no motorcycles??

As I said, I said it needs confirmation. A dummy booking would do, but I'm on tour at the moment and have other things to do.
I just tried a dummy booking on the P&O web site for a date in December, first as a foot passenger and then with a bicycle. The web site offered me crossings for both.

I did the same in January. It offered me crossings when I chose bicycle, but when I chose foot passenger it returned "Sorry we were unable to match the sailing details you requested".

So maybe that is a promising sign.
mattheus
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Location: Western Europe

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by mattheus »

SA_SA_SA wrote: 26 Nov 2022, 2:43pm Stena use bus transfer on routes with no foot passenger walkway like belfast liverpool although I wondered if they would build a covered walkway at their new belfast 'terminal for liverpool'*, conversely I have never cycled onto Stena Belfast- liverpool boats, bikes went in a trailer or van.

Perhaps legislation/ byelaws is/are needed for other companies/ports? If the port provided the facility then the cost would be shared between ferry companies.
Given the UK Gov's declared intent to slash carbon emmisions, it would seem reasonable to clamp down on companies FORCING customers to use their car. Legislation seems the obvious method.

(People sometimes like to pretend the Free Market is king, but really it only is when it suits the holders of power.)
Dingdong
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Dingdong »

I cycled all the way to Santiago from Dover when I was 19. I think it took me about about 18 days, which was around 60 miles a day.

It's my ambition to do it again before I'm 60... In less days :lol:
Dingdong
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Joined: 22 Apr 2022, 4:59pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Dingdong »

This is the prize at the end of the route. I traveled through Normandy and Brittany, which are both lovely in the spring.
Dingdong
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Dingdong »

Santiago
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simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by simonhill »

I think you should do it in twice the days. Slow down and enjoy.
marmite
Posts: 23
Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 4:58pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by marmite »

Hi again folks
This is me again on posting kit home from abroad without encountering customs charges.

Do people have experience of mailing home their cold weather gear halfway through a long tour that crosses seasonal divides as one heads south?

I was thinking a fleece and some overtrousers so quite a small parcel but worth £100+ for good gear.

This is for France in this year's plan.

x
Hedgepig
Jdsk
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Jdsk »

marmite wrote: 18 Jan 2023, 3:00pm ...
This is me again on posting kit home from abroad without encountering customs charges.

Do people have experience of mailing home their cold weather gear halfway through a long tour that crosses seasonal divides as one heads south?

I was thinking a fleece and some overtrousers so quite a small parcel but worth £100+ for good gear.

This is for France in this year's plan.
...
We once posted our camping gear to our destination in France.

If there isn't anywhere suitable how about Poste restante ?
https://www.laposte.fr/demenagement-abs ... e-restante

Jonathan
PH
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Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by PH »

marmite wrote: 18 Jan 2023, 3:00pm Hi again folks
This is me again on posting kit home from abroad without encountering customs charges.
If it's possible I doubt it's straightforward, it's outside the norm so there's unlikely to be a process for it. Any way that might be possible is likely to cost more than you'd pay in tax. As with any other overpayment of tax, it'll be reclaimable, at least theoretically.
You can send gifts up to £39 tax free (I don't know the Euro equivalent), could you maybe split it into two packages? It isn't unreasonable that a secondhand piece of clothing would be worth less than that, whatever it's worth to you! You'll be expected to fill in a customs declaration when you post, though customs don't have to accept your valuation. I don't know what they'd deem appropriate, or if they'd bother chasing it up, I suspect they're not going to waste time arguing if something is worth £35 or £60. I'd suggest 30% of the new price was a reasonable valuation.
Gifts over £39 attract 20% VAT plus the carriers handling fee, duty is payable if it's over £135, I think it's a flat rate of 2.5%.
pal
Posts: 612
Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by pal »

marmite wrote: 18 Jan 2023, 3:00pm Hi again folks
This is me again on posting kit home from abroad without encountering customs charges.

Do people have experience of mailing home their cold weather gear halfway through a long tour that crosses seasonal divides as one heads south?

I was thinking a fleece and some overtrousers so quite a small parcel but worth £100+ for good gear.

This is for France in this year's plan.

x
Hedgepig
I posted a bike bag home from Austria last summer, and it worked out ok (in that it made it back to the UK, and I didn't get charged any customs fees). The forms are a faff, but for Austria (and I suspect for most places...) you can download them in advance and fill them in before you get to the post office. The key, I think, is (a) to give a very full description of what's in the package (ie, not just 'clothes', but 'two used fleeces, three pairs of thick socks' etc etc), (b) be very clear that they have minimal value (i.e. think of the resale value, not the replacement value).
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by simonhill »

As a browser of charity shops, maybe a tenner for the two.

If they are obviously not new, declare as such. Personal used/old clothing returning to home. Forget the £100, it's meaningless now.
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