Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
marmite
Posts: 23
Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 4:58pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by marmite »

nirakaro wrote: 10 Oct 2022, 8:06am It's a few years back, and I don't have it written down, but, from memory:

Day 1 - ride Canosa di Puglia – Foggia
Day 2 - train Foggia-Potenza-Naples
short ride Naples-Varcaturo
Day 3 - ride Varcaturo-Minturno
Day 4 - train Minturno-Rome-Livorno
short ride Livorno-Pisa
Day 5 - train Pisa-Berceto
short ride Berceto-Fiorenzuola
Day 6 - train Fiorenzuola-Piacenza-Torino-Bardonecchia
ride over col de l'Echelle* to near Briancon
Day 7 - ride over col du Lautaret to le Bourg d'Oisans
Day 8 - ride to Grenoble
train Grenoble-Lyon-Migennes
Day 9 - train Migennes-Paris
ride across Paris. Brief pause to admire impressive tower.
train Paris-Rouen
ride Rouen-Dieppe

OK, nine days not eight, but hey, poetic licence.

* The col de l'Echelle is a lovely almost-traffic-free ride, and the easiest way across the Alps from France to Italy – you can 'cheat' by getting a train up to about 1300m on both sides. I've ridden it several times, and each time I've admired the pretty wooded glade at the top, and thought, what a lovely spot for wild camping. I finally managed that last Wednesday, started the climb late afternoon, with just time to get my tent up before sunset. Utterly silent, scent of pine trees, last of the risotto and last of the Chianti for supper, not a soul within miles, one of those super-clear nights when the whole sky is softly glowing with stars … that's a night that stays with you. Chilly though!
This is lovely, thanks a lot.
marmite
Posts: 23
Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 4:58pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by marmite »

st599_uk wrote: 10 Oct 2022, 10:35am
PH wrote: 5 Oct 2022, 8:38pm
mjr wrote: 5 Oct 2022, 7:57pm
There are many new punitive taxes but they do not apply to this case. Whoever said they would?
Here's one example of several
st599_uk wrote: 21 Sep 2022, 4:27pm You can claim returned goods relief if you exported using an official Duplicate List - but you'd have needed to stamp that on the way out of the UK.
You don't become liable for import duty because you didn't get the right stamp - that would be punitive, a punishment for something rather than the duty due for importing.
The duplicate list or ATA Carnet is the proof that import duty is not required.

You get them stamped to prove the exported goods were re-imported. With a carnet, no stamp and you can lose the bond paid (which for the EU is 40% of the value of the goods)
Thank you I think I have worked the thing out now. What I would have needed was a duplicate list. In an idle moment may phone the HMRC helpline and see if I can get more data.
in4time
Posts: 219
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 4:55pm

UK -Spain Ferry

Post by in4time »

Unfortunately, It is the Policy of Brittany Ferries NOT to take Bicycles on the Portsmouth to Santander route, this winter season. (November 2022 to March 2023)

Quote from Brittany Ferries.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: UK -Spain Ferry

Post by simonhill »

Is there any requirement for them to carry bikes? Thinking EU law, not our wishy washy ones.
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MrsHJ
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Joined: 19 Aug 2010, 1:03pm
Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: UK -Spain Ferry

Post by MrsHJ »

That’s a pain. The Plymouth sailing does take bikes but doesn’t restart until late March which I presume is too late. Foot passenger and sizeable box/bag?

I might also try shaming them a bit on green travel credentials- that seems to be a big thing in France at the moment (good) which is where they are based. There’s no problem I can think of in either Portsouth or Santander which are both set up for bikes at the ports so it’s an onboard thing.
Steve X
Posts: 254
Joined: 14 Apr 2021, 7:47am

Re: UK -Spain Ferry

Post by Steve X »

in4time wrote: 2 Nov 2022, 10:14pm Unfortunately, It is the Policy of Brittany Ferries NOT to take Bicycles on the Portsmouth to Santander route, this winter season. (November 2022 to March 2023)

Quote from Brittany Ferries.
I wonder why?

I do not do Twitter, but that seems a good way of communicating with companies like this to ask them.
Jdsk
Posts: 24627
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Jdsk »

in4time wrote: 2 Nov 2022, 10:14pm Unfortunately, It is the Policy of Brittany Ferries NOT to take Bicycles on the Portsmouth to Santander route, this winter season. (November 2022 to March 2023)
...
Thanks.

I've told Cycling UK so that they can update their ferries page:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/guide ... bike-ferry

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Jdsk »

Jdsk wrote: 3 Nov 2022, 8:43am
in4time wrote: 2 Nov 2022, 10:14pm Unfortunately, It is the Policy of Brittany Ferries NOT to take Bicycles on the Portsmouth to Santander route, this winter season. (November 2022 to March 2023)
...
Thanks.

I've told Cycling UK so that they can update their ferries page:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/guide ... bike-ferry
They'll update the page.

Any other updates needed?

Jonathan

PS: They're contacting our opposite numbers in Spain with the intention of talking to the company abut the policy and about prices.
marmite
Posts: 23
Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 4:58pm

Re: UK -Spain Ferry

Post by marmite »

MrsHJ wrote: 3 Nov 2022, 5:56am That’s a pain. The Plymouth sailing does take bikes but doesn’t restart until late March which I presume is too late. Foot passenger and sizeable box/bag?
People were unpacking their bikes from a duvet cover when I got on the boat at Santander in the Spring. That was to avoid the £75 fare, but I guess it would count if bikes were banned. It does seem lunatic. Is it that we could take up beds which could be sold to real passengers in cars?
in4time
Posts: 219
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 4:55pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by in4time »

I priced up flying Liverpool to Porto including boxed bike, 25kgs cargo and two cabin bags. One way circa £150. Doesn't do much for my eco footprint but with the ferry and train options being a PITA it appears quite attractive to me.
in4time
Posts: 219
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 4:55pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by in4time »

Update: A trial booking Portsmouth-Santander inc bicycle appears to work now. I got through to the payment page with cycle option selected. Perhaps they’ve changed their policy back to include cycle passengers now. Good news, I hope. 😊
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Traction_man
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Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
Location: Bangor NI

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by Traction_man »

good news for those of us in Ireland looking for a direct ferry to Spain:

"New ‘cruise-ferry' will sail directly from Ireland to Spain twice a week – bikes, foot passengers and dogs welcome"

https://m.independent.ie/life/travel/tr ... 49640.html
st599_uk
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Joined: 4 Nov 2018, 8:59pm

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by st599_uk »

Man in Seat 61 reporting that Peninsular and Oriental will stop taking foot passengers and cyclists on Cross Channel routes as of January.
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
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MrsHJ
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Joined: 19 Aug 2010, 1:03pm
Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by MrsHJ »

Thanks for the info. Green travel options going down again. Surely this should be mandated as part of the “service” if they’re allowed to operate the route. Not that they should be anyway due to their staff practices.

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status ... jEcsHxi1lA
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Travelling to southern Europe without flying

Post by simonhill »

That link doesn't say no cyclists only no foot passengers.

The Dunkirk route has been no foot, but allows bikes for a long time.

As bike roll on with cars into the ship they are different from foot who need a separate access route.

This needs confirmation.
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