Heading to the continent at peak times, whether by coach or by car, is set to become even more onerous as Third Country checks intensify in line with Britain’s half-baked BREXIT deal. In addition to passport stamps, EU EES (Entry/Exit System) biometric tests are due to be applied from November 2023, requiring non EU travellers be photographed and fingerprinted.
In addition, in due course the UK itself plans to institute biometric ETA (European Travel Authorisation) checks for EU citizens travelling via Calais and Dunkirk. And if this news wasn’t bad enough, from next year UK citizens entering the EU, though visa exempt, will require an European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) permit.
Over the recent Easter break delays at Dover due to increased passport processing time led to coach passengers experiencing delays in excess of 14 hours. Would anyone want to swap places with teachers taking cross-Channel school trips right now? So far the only practical answer to alleviate future chaos has been to reduce capacity, particularly for coaches, at peak times. Quite how such a decision will affect those offering or travelling on long-weekend coach breaks is unclear.
Of course there are other ferry links to mainland Europe. For those in northern England, or indeed Scotland, Hull to Rotterdam and Newcastle to Amsterdam are both worthy of consideration. And by the same token, those in the south may want to consider ferries from Newhaven, Portsmouth, Pool, Plymouth, or Harwich.
I’ve used the DFDS service from North Shields (Newcastle) to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) many times, including during periods when chaos ensued at Channel Ports. When daily passenger traffic is limited to one ship in and one ship out each day, it’s hardly surprising that operations have always been pretty smooth.
Certainly 16-hours is a tad longer than a 90-minute Channel dash, and tickets cost a deal more. However, factor in driving time from the north of England, the frustration of the UK’s overburdened motorway system, fatigue, cost of fuel and hotel accommodation, and the equation starts to solve itself. Aboard ship, cabins are obligatory and the restaurants are quite pricey. However, if you consider the crossing as a mini-cruise it is possible to justify the expense as part of your holiday… Failing this, take a picnic.
Usually, when taking the ferry, I’ve been driving to central to Italy, so heading south from The Netherlands, through Germany, also avoids French peage tolls. Arriving in Amsterdam in the morning has always fitted my schedule quite well – Frieberg am Rhein, a good place to stop, is a steady day’s drive, and by the late afternoon of the next day I’ve arrived in Italy.
On the way back the schedule is similarly convenient, and arriving into Newcastle after a twenty minute drive from North Shields and a night’s sleep beats the Channel Port experience hands down, even without delays.
For more information on Newcastle to Amsterdam ferries see DFDS
If you’re interested in other sailings I’ve often found a ferry comparison site such as Ferrysavers a useful starting point.
The Irresponsible Traveller 
Leave a comment