How to go FROM Amsterdam to Dover

[tak2]

I will embark in Dover. Having been to London twice, I am entertaining the idea of visiting Amsterdam pre-cruise ( flying straight to Amsterdam ), and crossing the channel to stay overnight in Dover before embarkation.

There doesn't seem to be an easy route, bearing in mind that we will have three pieces of luggage plus carry-ons for the two of us, so we may have difficulty in keeping our belongings really close to us.

Welcome any suggestions. Thanks.

[Globaliser]

The best that I can come up with off the top of my head is train from Amsterdam to either Brussels or Lille, changing to the Eurostar to Ashford International, then a taxi to Dover. But relatively few Eurostars now call at Ashford, so it may take a little work with timetables to find the best connection.

[G.M.T.]

One possible direct route (depending when travelling) would be Eurolines (bus network in Europe, National Express is part of it).

 

http://www.eurolines.com/index.php?id=113&L=0

 

Ron

[tak2]

One possible direct route (depending when travelling) would be Eurolines (bus network in Europe, National Express is part of it).

 

http://www.eurolines.com/index.php?id=113&L=0

 

Ron

Thanks.

 

Amsterdam to Brussels/Lille arrive in early afternoon, then overnight ( 10pm )train arrives London 6 am. Doesn't say it stops in Dover.

This is quite convoluted, I guess the Dover part really poses a hurdle.

[tak2]

The best that I can come up with off the top of my head is train from Amsterdam to either Brussels or Lille, changing to the Eurostar to Ashford International, then a taxi to Dover. But relatively few Eurostars now call at Ashford, so it may take a little work with timetables to find the best connection.

 

If I go your suggested route, how far /cost is it to Dover from Eurostar station?

Where is it best to stay overnight , of all places between Ashford station and Dover cruise terminal, just prior to cruise embarkation the next morning, bearing in mind we will not be going around sightseeing that evening or next morning?

 

Thanks.

[Globaliser]

Amsterdam to Brussels/Lille arrive in early afternoon, then overnight ( 10pm )train arrives London 6 am. Doesn't say it stops in Dover.

The train from either Brussels or Lille will not stop at Dover. This is why (if you can) you need a train that stops at Ashford.

 

Also, if you are looking at an overnight train, there is something wrong. There are no overnight Eurostar trains.

 

Ashford is about 25 miles from Dover. At a guess, it shouldn't cost more than £30 or so for a cab from Ashford to Dover - although I haven't seen any reliable reports of how much it actually costs.

 

Personally, I would recommend staying in Dover rather than Ashford. There really is nothing in Ashford. You would have time to visit Dover Castle in the morning before going to the ship, if you want.

[Globaliser]

Also, if you are looking at an overnight train, there is something wrong. There are no overnight Eurostar trains.

In fact, I've just had a look at the Eurostar timetable for tomorrow (as an example).

 

The following trains go direct from Lille to Ashford:-

1009 arrive 1006

2038 arrive 2037

 

There are no direct Brussels -> Ashford trains. But there are connections via Lille on the following trains:-

0859 arrive Lille 0932

1859 arrive Lille 1935

 

But there are no direct trains from Amsterdam to Lille (the station you need there is Lille Europe). There are, however, direct trains from Amsterdam to Brussels (the station you need there is Brussels Midi). So it looks like it's a two change journey by train, however you do it.

 

Blu*Donau's suggestion of using the Eurolines coach is a good one. It looks like there are generally direct services, although only twice a day: once departing at 0800, and once departing 1930 (which doesn't arrive in Dover until the middle of the night).

[tak2]

Thanks, I appreciate all this info. My mistake, I meant to type overnight BUS.

 

I shall look into the Eurostar Lille/Brussels to Ashford timetable and see if it'll work well with Amsterdam-Lille/Brussels. I assume Ashford taxis don't mind going to Dover.

[Lair Bear]

Here is another option that is quicker:

 

Take the train from Amsterdam to Dunkerque via Paris Nord. Total travel time about six hours.

Then the ferry from Dunkerque to Dover. Check out www.norfolkline.com

[tak2]

In fact, .........(which doesn't arrive in Dover until the middle of the night).

 

Somehow , this post showed up AFTER I had written post # 8.

Thanks for the suggestion.:)

[tak2]

Here is another option that is quicker:

 

Take the train from Amsterdam to Dunkerque via Paris Nord. Total travel time about six hours.

Then the ferry from Dunkerque to Dover. Check out www.norfolkline.com

 

Which train company? I looked at the map of the Dunkerque terminal, can't figure out how far away, or where, is the train station. Can you point this out to me?

Thanks.

[Lair Bear]

From Amsterdam take a Euro train as described below (Sorry it is so long but I hope it will come through --- if not delete most of the last part and enter your own information):

 

http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/point_to_point/results.htm?cobrand=public&fn=fsRequest&c=USD&itemId=-1&WT.mc_id=CJ.fares_schedules.affiliates&r=0&F0=Amsterdam&T0=Dunkerque&m0=7&d0=2&t0=afternoon&nA=1&nC=0&nY=0&nS=0&s=Search

 

Then the ferrry info is below (and I have no idea about how to get from the train station to the ferry, but I think that might be included in what I have hereL:

http://www.directferries.co.uk/dunkerque.htm

 

 

Whowww, why do you want to go from one great city (Amsterdam) to another one?

[scottbee]

I will embark in Dover. Having been to London twice, I am entertaining the idea of visiting Amsterdam pre-cruise ( flying straight to Amsterdam ), and crossing the channel to stay overnight in Dover before embarkation.

There doesn't seem to be an easy route, bearing in mind that we will have three pieces of luggage plus carry-ons for the two of us, so we may have difficulty in keeping our belongings really close to us.

Welcome any suggestions. Thanks.

 

A cheap flight from AMS (or RTM?) to LGW/London Gatwick should only be $100. (a little less on easyjet, but serious luggage restrictions)

 

Then rail LGW->London Victoria->Dover Priory

[tak2]

From Amsterdam.........

Whowww, why do you want to go from one great city (Amsterdam) to another one?

 

It's amazing the info you've collected and shared with me.

Thanks very much.

 

Now I understand it'll take more than a day to go from point A to D, since I really don't want to take a late ferry to arrive in Dover.( train arrives Dunkerque 7 pm, probably can barely make the 8 pm ferry if there's one, and then there's a 1 hr 55 min crossing time.)

 

When one adds up all the time in travelling, plus the various modes of transportation , it does make sense to consider scottbee's suggestion. I just didn't think of flying as I wanted to avoid airports plus same day train to train, but changing from train to train to train to ferry to cab doesn't sound any easier. Scottbee, thanks for opening my eyes. BTW, what airline should I look at?

[scottbee]

It's amazing the info you've collected and shared with me.

Thanks very much.

 

Now I understand it'll take more than a day to go from point A to D, since I really don't want to take a late ferry to arrive in Dover.( train arrives Dunkerque 7 pm, probably can barely make the 8 pm ferry if there's one, and then there's a 1 hr 55 min crossing time.)

 

When one adds up all the time in travelling, plus the various modes of transportation , it does make sense to consider scottbee's suggestion. I just didn't think of flying as I wanted to avoid airports plus same day train to train, but changing from train to train to train to ferry to cab doesn't sound any easier. Scottbee, thanks for opening my eyes. BTW, what airline should I look at?

 

BA and Easyjet fly AMS-LGW. LGW/Gatwick being the key here, don't go into LHR/Heathrow (which is the wrong side of London). Easyjet is cheaper, but charge for luggage over 20kg (in a big way), so do the math and decide who's cheaper (with addl luggage charges). BA was $120 , Easyjet about half that at $65

 

Another option is to fly into LCY/London City airport (from AMS or RTM on VLM airlines), but that would require a somewhat annoying tube transfer from LCY to London Bridge or Charing Cross to then get to Dover.

[Lair Bear]

It's amazing the info you've collected and shared with me.

Thanks very much.

 

Don't thank me, thank Google. It only took a couple minutes after I thought that the best way to get to Dover was by ferry; and trains are a good way to travel from Amsterdam to Dunkerque. Too bad the timing is not good for you.

Have a great trip.

[Lair Bear]

BTW there is also a ferry service from Calais to Dover. Perhaps that might be worth considering:

 

http://www.directferries.co.uk/calais_dover_ferry.htm

 

Again I have no idea what the timing of that would be. But at least you would not have the hassle of train, bus and/or taxi connections in England.

[Globaliser]

This is from memory, but I think that someone posted fairly recently that the train station in Calais is a long way from the ferry terminal, so not good for people with luggage.

 

I don't know how the situation is for Dunkerque.

[Lair Bear]

This is from memory, but I think that someone posted fairly recently that the train station in Calais is a long way from the ferry terminal, so not good for people with luggage.

 

This from the ferry web site:

 

Rail Directions:

Trains run daily between Calais and Amiens, Boulogne, Etaples, Le Touquet, Lille and Paris. A free bus service connects the train station in Calais with the ferry port.

 

http://www.ferrybooker.com/ferry_port/calais.asp

 

Like I said earlier, this may not be convenient either and perhaps a flight from Amsterdam to London (and then the rest) is possible, but also has some drawbacks and involves more connections and transfers with luggage.

[tak2]

I didn't know it can get so complicated. Thanks to all your very detailed info.:)

[Red Fox]

Your best bet for getting a ferry across to the Dover is the route from Calais. The Dunkerque ferry runs from Dunkerque Ouest which is quite far from the city, it also doesn't take foot passengers.

 

As has already been said there is a bus from Calais-Ville station to the ferry terminal, the fare is €1.50 per person according to the ferry companies. Make sure you go to Calais-Ville station and not Calais-Fréthun, Calais-Fréthun is on the high speed line near the Channel Tunnel terminal and is sort of in the middle of nowhere.

 

For the Calais-Dover ferry you have a choice of either P&O or SeaFrance, both have there own websites which you can book though. Quickly checking on their prices it seems both are charging around €19 per person for a single but this is dependant on day and sailing time. If you go by SeaFrance and you have flexibility in your sailing times I'd go for a sailing operated by the SeaFrance Rodin or SeaFrance Belioz which are their best ships at the moment, another new ship will be joining their fleet in July called the SeaFrance Molière which will probably be to the same standard. By P&O the Pride of Kent and Pride of Canterbury are probably their best ships on the route.

 

Ferries from Calais arrive at the Dover Eastern Docks, cruise ships use the Western Docks, it is a short taxi ride between the two.

[Globaliser]

I hope it's not putting a spanner in the works, but I should point out that from Amsterdam to Calais Ville, it looks like a minimum of two changes of train. For someone with luggage, this does need to be factored in.

[nedfree1]

I have been checking this thread.

We are planning flying to Paris for a few days next August (2009) then cruising on Carnival Liberty to the Baltic out of Dover. It looks like the Eurostar goes from Paris to London and stops in Ashford. Then we would connect from there to Dover and reverse the process 12 days later when we come back into port. There is a nice B&B close to the train station and cruise port (can't remember the name! Found on TripAdvisor.)

Is this the best; any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Ned

[Globaliser]

Then we would ... reverse the process 12 days later when we come back into port.

For Paris to Dover, your plan is hard to beat. Hopefully you have enough flexibility to deal with the relatively small number of Eurostar trains that now call at Ashford.

 

Are you planning to spend more time in Paris at the end of the trip? If not, you might want to think about flying to Paris at the beginning, but back from London. The main downside to this is that it tends to consign you to flying on a US airline, but it may be that you don't have any choices about this anyway.

[nedfree1]

Thanks for your quick reply!

 

There was an AM and PM train, I think, to London that stops in Ashford.

I'll check on the return to Utah flight from London. I haven't bought/negotiated flights yet.

 

Ned