Calais to Dover Questions

[endymion6942]

I am taking my family (Wife, myself and two sons ages 12 & 16) to Paris for a few days before our cruise out of Dover.

My wife wants to go from Paris to Calais for a day and then take a ferry to Dover.

I have been looking at the different sites but I am confused.:confused:

 

1. Are you allowed to bring luggage with you on a ferry if you are a walk on?

2. Do they offer luggage check in, or do you just carry all you can?

3. Has anybody ever tried this routine?

4. Is this a bad idea?

 

Any and all help would be most appreciated.:)

[h3rjp]

I cannot say I have ever tried it as a foot passenger (i.e. without a car).

 

I would imagine that anything you take on board with you, you'll have to carry with you. Presumably when you arrive in Dover, you will have to drag your bags around with you the whole day too, before you get on the ship

 

Have you considered a tour or bus service that we take you from Paris to Dover (and all of your bags).

 

As I say I'm not sure, so someone correct me if I'm wrong please?

[Globaliser]

It's been a while since I last did a cross-channel ferry, but IIRC you can bring luggage with you as a foot passenger, but you have to carry it yourself.

 

So unless there is some really good reason for going to Calais for a day, I wouldn't do this.

 

An alternative way, if you really do want to go to Calais for some reason: Take the Eurostar from Paris to Ashford (I think there are about three trains a day that stop at Ashford) a day earlier. Go to Dover (by train or taxi) and check into a hotel. Then buy a day return ticket for the ferry - these can sometimes be very cheap - and go over to Calais for the day as a foot passenger, unencumbered by luggage.

[John Bull]

No problem taking luggage on the cross-channel ferries as a foot-passenger - I believe there is an (insecure) area for luggage but the trip is only 75 to 90 mins so perhaps best to keep it with you. I think you'll have to haul your luggage yourselves. At the Dover end, there's a shuttle-bus (I think its free) from ferry to ferry terminal. Then a short taxi ride (mebbe 5-10 mins/ £5 to £10) to the cruise terminal at the other end of town.

 

Rail service from Paris to Calais (but not Eurostar) & presumably coaches (try Eurolines, but their UK-bound coaches use the tunnel & dont have a stop in Calais)

Your problem surely is your luggage while you explore Calais, don't know if there's a facility at the station. It's a pleasant enough town, with a large but bland out-of-town shopping complex called Cite Europe. The town & complex get plenty of visitors, but mainly shoppers, by car or tour bus. And illegal immigrant hopefuls:)

There's really nothing outstanding about the place. Can be done - but is there a special reason?

Regards, John Bull