Bus Service Le Havre to Honfleur

[jumbo336]

Hi All

 

Will be in Le Havre Monday 3 Sep from 0700 till 2000 hours. Can someone give me any details regarding a bus service between Le Havre and Honfleur please? On a budget, therefore taxi there and back is not an option.

 

Thanks. Dave.

Edited August 28, 2012 by jumbo336

[Hlitner]

The bus service is lousy! And this is an understatement. There are a couple of bus lines (#20 and #39) that do go between the two cities but the buses are often about 3 hours between runs. I believe there is a 9:19am bus to Honfleur but then the next bus is not until afternoon. Your best bet would be to post on your CC Roll Call board and see if you can find others that want to share a ride or perhaps even just rent a car (we do this all the time). We personally like to rent a car because it allows us to go to multiple places on our own schedule. For example, Deauville is relatatively close to Honfleur. We have even managed to drive to Honfeur in the morning and then go all the to Fecamp and Etretat in the afternoon.

 

Hank

[Nigella]

I would strongly second Hiltner's advice to ask on your cruise Roll Call and share transport costs.

 

However, you have the advantage of travelling still during the summer timetable so there is a little more frequency than in low season. So, if you must use the bus, here is the local bus company schedule for Line 20, up to and including 3 September 2012. (There are two other services but I had a quick look and the times don't work so well for you).

I'm not familiar with Le Havre port area at all, so I can't tell you how far it is from the cruise terminal to the bus station

 

From Le Havre gare routiere (bus station) to Honfleur

 

http://www.busverts.fr/upload/fiches_horaires/L20S1.pdf

 

From Honfleur gare routiere back to Le Havre

 

http://www.busverts.fr/upload/fiches_horaires/L20S2.pdf

 

Or, using bus number 50 - a slightly earlier arrival time back at port:

 

http://www.busverts.fr/upload/fiches_horaires/L50S2.pdf

 

( read along the column that says 'Du Lundi au Samedi' -from Monday to Saturday - to get your bus times)

 

I'd be nervous relying on such a sporadic service to get me back to my cruise ship on time. You however may have stronger nerves than I!

[Stelladoro]

Due to limited bus service to Honfluer, we opted to share a taxi van with three other couples and visited Deauville and Honfleur. This turned out to be a great option and certainly less stressful, as we didn't have to worry about transportation and getting back to the ship on time.

Another option may be to visit Rouen by train. It's about a one hour train ride, with several daily trains.

[Hlitner]

The issue of bus service in France (not just Le Havre) is a real problem for travelers who spend a lot of time in France. Trains are pretty decent to get between point A and point B but are actually quite expensive and near worthless outside of major cities. The French are a lot like Americans in that they rely on cars for most of their travel needs and hence, bus service outside major cities is sporadic at best. One nice exception for cruisers is on the French riviera where the bus service (provided by companies like Lignes d'Azur) is pretty good since even locals prefer to use a bus rather then deal with traffic and parking issues. And even in that area buses can often run only a few times a day (such as between Nice and Eze Village).

 

We have long preferred to use rental cars for many French ports as the cost of a one day rental is often less then $100. DW and I generally prefer to go off by ourselves, but when we do take another couple the cost of a car is only about $25 per person for an entire day and lets us do as we please (which is often a lot more then a tour that costs hundreds of dollars). A nice thing about renting cars in France is that most major credit cards that provide collison insurance do include France (they do not generally include Italy).

 

Hank

[jumbo336]

Thanks everyone. Bus now ruled out !!!:)

[kazu]

Thanks everyone. Bus now ruled out !!!:)

 

I think that is a very wise idea - I had checked them out and they were horrific - we are sharing a cab with other couples on our cruise and honestly, the price isn't that bad:)

[Steph27]

We took the Busverts line 20 from Honfleur to Deauville last May. Service was prompt and very comfortable. They even played classical music over the pa. The bus was 4 euros and the cost of a taxi would have been 50 euros for taxi due to a public holiday. We are planning on taking Busverts again next summer from Honfleur to Le Havre to board the ship.

[Hlitner]

We took the Busverts line 20 from Honfleur to Deauville last May. Service was prompt and very comfortable. They even played classical music over the pa. The bus was 4 euros and the cost of a taxi would have been 50 euros for taxi due to a public holiday. We are planning on taking Busverts again next summer from Honfleur to Le Havre to board the ship.

 

Its kind of interesting that there is pretty decent bus service between Honfleur and Deauville, but such lousy frequency of service connecting those two cities to Le Havre. If you plan to use the bus service over to Le Havre you really have to plan your entire day around the bus schedule since there can be hours between buses. We asked a cafe owner in Honfleur why there wasn't more frequent bus service to Le Havre and he said there simply is not any demand.

 

Hank

[close to the coast]

Hi, We are goint to Le Harve in November on a cruise. I would love more info on your transportation around the area. Our email is mdurand@suddenlink.net. Thanks, Mary

[close to the coast]

Hi, We will be in Le Harve in November. Please let me know about the taxi service for transportation in the area. Thanks, Mary

[Hlitner]

Hi, We will be in Le Harve in November. Please let me know about the taxi service for transportation in the area. Thanks, Mary

 

There will be some taxis at the port, but taxis in France are very expensive for anything but local transportation.

 

Hank

[Unsinkable49]

There will be some taxis at the port, but taxis in France are very expensive for anything but local transportation.

 

Hank

 

We have given up taking a taxi from Le Havre to Honfleur. The best price we have found is $150 but the taxi would only give us 3 hours to tour while we want to stay all day. Our ship docks at 7 AM and departs at 9 PM.

 

We choose not to walk from the dock to the bus station. You mentioned that there are some taxis waiting by the port. At some ports security will not allow the taxis near the ship. Is that the case? I understand that the walk takes upwards to a half hour.I have been told that the distance from the port is a mile. Doable but then we have to find the bus depot.

 

We are sailing on the Celebrity Constellation and coming to Le Havre on Saturday May 19th. Landing at Quai Pierre Callet.

 

Unsinkable49@gmail.com

[Hlitner]

We have given up taking a taxi from Le Havre to Honfleur. The best price we have found is $150 but the taxi would only give us 3 hours to tour while we want to stay all day. Our ship docks at 7 AM and departs at 9 PM.

 

We choose not to walk from the dock to the bus station. You mentioned that there are some taxis waiting by the port. At some ports security will not allow the taxis near the ship. Is that the case? I understand that the walk takes upwards to a half hour.I have been told that the distance from the port is a mile. Doable but then we have to find the bus depot.

 

We are sailing on the Celebrity Constellation and coming to Le Havre on Saturday May 19th. Landing at Quai Pierre Callet.

 

Unsinkable49@gmail.com

 

The taxis are allowed to drive into the port and in theory there should be some at the cruise ship terminal. I say in theory, because French taxi drivers have a mind of their own. We have been to French ports where there were zero taxis (this has happened to us at Cannes) because they were all parked a few blocks away as the drivers enjoyed their morning cafe au lait and newspapers. The last time we were in Le Havre we took the train to Rouen and we returned at about 5 pm (ship was not leaving until 11). Guess what? Not a single taxi at the train station and a bunch of locals a bit angry trying to get taxis to come (they were calling them on their cells). One told us that the drivers were probably having dinner. We ended up walking back to the ship (about a 30-40 min walk).

 

Hank

[Unsinkable49]

The taxis are allowed to drive into the port and in theory there should be some at the cruise ship terminal. I say in theory, because French taxi drivers have a mind of their own. We have been to French ports where there were zero taxis (this has happened to us at Cannes) because they were all parked a few blocks away as the drivers enjoyed their morning cafe au lait and newspapers. The last time we were in Le Havre we took the train to Rouen and we returned at about 5 pm (ship was not leaving until 11). Guess what? Not a single taxi at the train station and a bunch of locals a bit angry trying to get taxis to come (they were calling them on their cells). One told us that the drivers were probably having dinner. We ended up walking back to the ship (about a 30-40 min walk).

 

Hank

 

Hank, you are terrific! I truly appreciate the excellent advice including anecdotes that you relate.:) Have you ever tried to take the bus from Le Havre to Honfleur? We will have an uptodate bus schedule and of course will arrive at the depot ahead of time.

[kazu]

Hi, We will be in Le Harve in November. Please let me know about the taxi service for transportation in the area. Thanks, Mary

 

We are using SCA radio taxis - here is the link to their website

www.taxis-le-havre.com

They have some nice tours in the area with free time (ie HonFleur) at what seemed to us to be a very reasonable price:)

apologies I didn't see this earlier:o

[Unsinkable49]

We are using SCA radio taxis - here is the link to their website

 

You seem to have better luck then we have experienced with radiotaxi. Between my friend and I we have emailed them 5 times and never gotten a response.

 

We do not want to go on an organized tour. Our aim is to get transportation to and from Honfleur and go off by ourselves.

[Unsinkable49]

Does anyone know if their is a shuttle from the port where the ship docks in Le Havre to bring you into the town? It is a mile walk from the dock to the town.

[kazu]

We are using SCA radio taxis - here is the link to their website

 

You seem to have better luck then we have experienced with radiotaxi. Between my friend and I we have emailed them 5 times and never gotten a response.

 

We do not want to go on an organized tour. Our aim is to get transportation to and from Honfleur and go off by ourselves.

 

That's basically what they do:D it's just a taxi transfer. but they will take you here and there if you so desire and take you back to Le Havre.

 

Very strange that you have had no luck at all. :confused:

[Unsinkable49]

 

That's basically what they do:D it's just a taxi transfer. but they will take you here and there if you so desire and take you back to Le Havre.

 

Very strange that you have had no luck at all. :confused:

 

We have basically given up radio taxi. Since they do not answer our emails, we worry about how reliable they are. Reading their website I only see organized tours. When does your ship land in Le Havre? We do not sail until May. Would it be possible for you to email me a description of how it worked for you with that company?

 

Will a taxi meet you at port and drive you to Honfleur and then pick you up many hours later? That is the transportation that we seek or else it is just taking the bus.

 

Marianne

 

Unsinkable49@gmail.com

[Unsinkable49]

Due to limited bus service to Honfluer, we opted to share a taxi van with three other couples and visited Deauville and Honfleur. This turned out to be a great option and certainly less stressful, as we didn't have to worry about transportation and getting back to the ship on time.

Another option may be to visit Rouen by train. It's about a one hour train ride, with several daily trains.

 

How did you find/contact the taxi van. Please do not tell me that it was through Radio Taxi as they have not responded to any of our many email requests.

 

Unsinkable49@gmail.com

[SunDapple]

I see Marianne that no one has responded to your request of contact for the taxi. we will be on Oceania's Marina, in Le Havre next Fall. I am reading the thread and have exactly the same wish as you do, for simple transportation from Le Havre to Honfleur, for the better part of the day, and then a return to Le Havre.

I am posting, to bump this topic to the top again, and hoping some one can give a better contact for Radio Taxi. If you've found another taxi service, Marianne, please post here. It would be very helpful.:) I am off to search the forums on TripAdvisor. If I strike gold I will post here.

[kazu]

How did you find/contact the taxi van. Please do not tell me that it was through Radio Taxi as they have not responded to any of our many email requests.

 

Unsinkable49@gmail.com

 

 

Have you tried this email? christophe.dallet@orange.fr

 

Christophe has been excellent at replying to me. since France seems to have issues with spam, try sending your email with high priority and receipt required - put your cruise ship and date in the subject line.

(ie - we are coming to Lehavre on x day on x ship).

 

hope this helps you two:)

[Susan H]

Due to limited bus service to Honfluer, we opted to share a taxi van with three other couples and visited Deauville and Honfleur. This turned out to be a great option and certainly less stressful, as we didn't have to worry about transportation and getting back to the ship on time.

Another option may be to visit Rouen by train. It's about a one hour train ride, with several daily trains.

 

I was happy to see your post. What you did is exactly what we want to do. We will be arriving in Le Havre on Celebrity Infinity on June 4,2013. Did you request transportation only? What was the cost?

Sue

[Susan H]

Have you tried this email? christophe.dallet@orange.fr

 

Christophe has been excellent at replying to me. since France seems to have issues with spam, try sending your email with high priority and receipt required - put your cruise ship and date in the subject line.

(ie - we are coming to Lehavre on x day on x ship).

 

hope this helps you two:)

 

Thanks for this explicit information. Do you request transportation only or a tour? What have you paid for the service offered?

Sue