 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hello, advice, help please. We are looking at driving from Amsterdam to Alpe D'Huez in a few weeks (ferry from Newcastle). Any advice on best route and what the peage/tolls are going to cost us? Would be good to hear from others who have done this route to the alps.
thanks in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Head through Belgium, Luxembourg (fill up with fuel there) and out into France near Metz. There are a few routes once into France to choose from. Depends whether you wish to use the toll roads (I prefer to in winter). Tolls when I last went down to the Alps that way were less than half the cost of the journey beginning in Calais. Fuel top ups in Lux are a big plus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
@trmacc, If you go the route described by @Waffle, the tolls only start when you are past Nancy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Good to know, thanks. I wasn't sure if there were toll roads in Belgium also as have only done Calais in past, but as we're in Scotland Newcastle- Amsterdam ferry seems like a sensible option. Good advice ref Luxembourg fuel @waffle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
How much are you paying for the Newcastle - Amsterdam bit, as whenever I look it's extortionate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@Matt1959, I booked it ages ago and I think there was some sort of offer on, so I think it was £450 return for the car and 2 adults and 2 children
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Matt1959, found the old email, this offer code still seems to be valid TNEAN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@trmacc, Thanks, but at the moment I'm working my way through a book of ten Eurotunnel tickets that I share with a friend.
Bunk off work (near Edinburgh) on Friday afternoons, hope to get past Newcastle before the rush hour really begins there and make it to the Dartford tunnel for an overnight stop. Up early and down to the tunnel in 1 hr, then through France afterwards.
Overnight from Newcastle (or Hull) seems like a great plan and much less stressful, but it's way more expensive for two than going through the tunnel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Matt1959,
We booked it twice for £300 return (for 2 of us, plus the car) - in January 2015 & January 2016. We booked in the previous September each time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Via Michelin route planner will include tolls and driving cost if you input your vehicle details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@Matt1959, if you can get to Newcastle before rush hour then you can get to King George dock in Hull before the Rotterdam boat sales. Winter costs should be in the £300's if not Feb half term. Hull to Zeebruge generally a few quid cheaper, but you have to check in earlier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
@Matt1959, I guess as we are a family of 4 then the costs work out better for us, also as we are coming from west of Scotland (2 hr drive before we even get to Glasgow) the thought of heading all the way south is just a bit much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@trmacc, In another post someone from Kent was saying that they didn't find the drive through France too stressful. For me it's the 7 hrs pre-Kent, and for you it's 9 hrs!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@Matt1959, exactly! and the children asking we are nearly there before we're even over the Erskine Bridge!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@trmacc, Just drive around in circles all night and then take them to Nevis Range. They'll never know the difference.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@trmacc, no advice re getting to AdH from IJmuiden, but we use that service often for trips to Austria and Switzerland. It’s a great way to start the holiday! Nice short drive from Scotland (especially if you live in Edinburgh as I do now...less so from Argyll although still bearable).
To others on this thread: unless we have to travel in peak school holiday season we’ve usually found it good value when overnight accommodation, nice meal, and mileage through England are factored in. Off next week (having booked in the January sales), £380 return for 2 adults, 1 car, DB&B return.
My only complaint with the Newcastle boat is the relatively late arrival in IJmuiden - I’d much rather be up early and off the boat a couple of hours earlier, rather than 1000...especially if there’s a 10-12 hour drive to the alps ahead. But I’m not willing to travel to Hull or Harwich for an alternative sailing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
We use the P&O Hull/ Rotterdam booze cruise ferry for self-drive trips to Austria, used to enjoy it but latterly it's become a nightmare with the Amsterdam coach trip youth passengers going crazy on board. I wish there was a viable alternative because its mega noisy and drunks shouting all night, and docks at 9am, which is crazy late imo, means arriving into the Alps early evening and you hit all the peak traffic. I wish P&O would patrol the corridors properly early hours, terrible language and shouting - glad we don't have a young family, cant think the bad language would be that easy to explain away, and that's mostly the females!
Anyway marginally better than a drive around London M25 to the Tunnel I guess but its 2018 not 1978, ferries just haven't moved on in that time in my view......anyone got any decent alternatives they've come across?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@Markymark29, It's a timing thing. I used to feel the same, then my daughter reached school age and I started to mainly use the boat at either end of school holiday period. Downside, I had to pay 'peak supplement' on top of my annual multi-ticket. Upside the boat is busy with middle class families in XC90s, Discos and FFRRs and so P&O don't run the 'mini-cruises' on those dates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
My only complaint with the Newcastle boat is the relatively late arrival in IJmuiden - I’d much rather be up early and off the boat a couple of hours earlier
|
Same for the P&O boats out of Hull, they used to dock in Rotterdam earlier, now they throttle them back to try and get you to spend money on board in the morning. 9am not 10am, but by the time you've off loaded and cleared passport.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
