Review on Motorcycling and Using Eurotunnel le Shuttle
Time for a new challenge!
Well it has to be said Eurotunnel has the thumbs up from me!
If you are planning to travel Europe am I right in saying that you want to get there as quick as possible to start that awesome riding on those awesome roads?
Well, Eurotunnel although quite along way from where we live has to be the way forward for me and my hubby.
Reason being that the journey is so quick. You really don't have time to mess about once the bike is parked up before you know it you have arrived.
Not like the ferry. The ferry is quite complicated I think. Not only do you have to tie you bike down with those horrible leavers which actually ruin the seat but you have to leave your bike below deck and you cannot see your bike until you get off the other end can you.
Eurotunnel you stay with the bike the whole journey. I think makes a good deal of difference.
The ride to Folkestone instead of Portsmouth for the ferry
You gain time in France by using the Eurotunnel but you have to ride further from Hampshire to get on it!
The journey is not to bad if you plan the route so as to take in the great scenery between Hampshire and Folkestone.
This is a route you could take from Hampshire to Kent
Arriving at Eurotunnel
When we arrived we were quite surprised at what we found! We didn't expect the road leading to the actual tunnel to be so long, we seemed to ride a fair way before we got to the actual area.
We then had to stop and wait until we were told to board.
The guy in this video had a clear crossing it looks like the tunnel only had a few bikes and cars on that day. On the day we went it was heaving there were so many bikes, cars, coaches you name it, it was packed.
This rider has it all sorted, we didn't on our first journey!
Boarding the Eurotunnel
It was quite daunting actually, the video gives you an idea and sense of how small the containers were. You actually feel as if your head is going to touch the top of the container which I found a little uncomfortable with.
We were fortunate that we were in a container with other bikes but I have been told that sometimes bikes are put in with cars and I think this could be quite uncomfortable especially when the car starts it's motor because you must have to take in all of the fumes. I wouldn't like that.
Anyway, once we were in the container we parked up and that was straight forward. We got off of the bike and then just waited.
The wait was only 45 minutes and then we were in wonderful France!
Whilst the eurotunnel was moving it felt really odd, the thought that we were under water was really strange.
We were lucky because there were other bikers on the tunnel at the same time as us so the time passed by very quickly.
I recall taking my helmet off and then all of a sudden being told that we were nearing the end of our journey. It was surreaul to say the least!
Our return journey was not as organised as going from the UK
The return home was not as successful as going from the UK. It seemed to me that they had booked far to many people for the journey and had not allowed for any problems on the tunnel.
We had to wait an awful long time before they even called our number out for us to board.
There were people, cars, caravans, lorries and motorbikes all waiting to go onto the Eurotunnel and you could see that they were not amused that they had to wait because it defeated the object of going by Eurotunnel in the first place!
That said overall the experience was a good one.
This video show the return journey from Calais to Folkestone
Eurotunnel -v- Ferry
Well it has to be said that Eurotunnel wins! My reasons are that it costs less by Eurotunnel, the journey is way, way quicker and the time spent on holiday proved to be longer as we arrived in France and were on our way straight away, where is by ferry you have the terrible rigmarol of getting off of the ferry!
I would be interested to know what your thoughts are?
Eurotunnel or Ferry which would you choose
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Comments
Me and my husband used to have a Ducati sports tourer and used the tunnel many times when going over to the continent. I like the speed of the journey using eurotunnel, but I have to admit I prefer the experience of the ferry. You've reminded me how much I miss those days!
- AUTHOR
Thanks for your response Ghaelach, I think maybe the difference for me was the fact that we were on a motorbike, there is nothing worse than having to leave the bike, my hubby is paranoid about it. Thanks for your response.
Morning Trudy.
I actually voted for the ferry. There are a couple of reasons. First I now live in Cologne Germany and my wife is German, so when we go on our hol's it's to the UK, most of the time that is. My wife is not a driver she has no licence, so I do all the driving. To get from Cologne to the North of England would be a long stretch for one driver. So we do it by way of Zeebrugge or Rotterdam or even Amsterdam and the same for the return. The nice thing about it for me is that I get a full nights rest/sleep and feel fit for the drive over to Chorley, lancashire. I once had an emergency and could only get across by Calais/Dover with only 1 1/2 hours brake on the boat. It took me 18 hours to get from Cologne to Lancster Hospital without a brake. With all the waiting at the port and then there was a motorway accident on the M11 which we where witnesses to. The Police where very happy we stopped as the driver in the HGV waggon was German and hardly spoke a word of English. The driver and the Police and the driver of the car involved couldn't thank me enough for stopping. They let me get on the road again and wished me luck with my visit to Lancaster Royal.
Having said all that the second and probably the most important reason for not travelling by way of the channel tunnel is my wife hates the claustrophobic feeling. Nothing else to say on that second point.
May be sometime I may get a chance to give the tunnel a try, but I can't see it in the near future.
Next time you are travelling in Europe, you'll have to stop overnight by us.
Take care and have a nice day, although I believe you are having it a bit heavy with the weather at the moment.
Ghaelach (aka Jimmy)
- AUTHOR
I couldn't believe how quick it was! It was unbelievable, one minute UK next minute France! On the ferry you have to sleep overnight as well. Not for me either SheilaMilne.
I never would travel by ferry again! It's just so much faster and easier.
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