What's the cheapest way to cross the English Channel?

[JVS]

I'm up near Birmingham, I want to get to the Netherlands in a while (in almost 2 months). I have plenty of time, but prefer to save money and I don't much like flying. I found a 1 pound ticket to London on a bus. Another 1 pound ticket should be able to get me to a city with a ferry service or something. Any advice?

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. On foot, you might get a good deal from any of the companies going from Dover

Try:

Norfolk Line to Dunkerque - http://www.norfolkline.com/ferry/ - in France, but close to the Belgian border - looks to be about £10 each way

or Stena - http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/ - to Calais, which is a larger port than Dunkerque, and may have better connections to the Netherlands. They also do Harwich to Hook of Holland - £22 each way for a foot passenger, but it will get you straight there (from Birmingham, you might get a coach straight to Harwich rather than via London)

or SpeedFerries - http://www.speedferries.com/ - Dover to Boulogne - fast catermaran, but Boulogne is a little further away from the Netherlands. Also looks to be £10 each way.

Since you have time, be sure to look for off-peak fares - 2 months time will be the height of the holiday season, and they may charge extra for the popular times, eg Friday-Sunday (though that may not apply to you as a foot passenger - it tends to be cars that limit them, I think).

Can't help with transport from France to the Netherlands, I'm afraid. You might also get something with the Eurostar train - http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/index.jsp - London to Brussels, which leaves you with a very easy way to get to the Netherlands (trains or, undoubtedly, coaches). That looks like you can get a fare about £30 each way (they'll quote prices in US dollars too, but it looks to me as if the exchange rate they use isn't good for you)

[emad]

2. Swim.

Or go for free as a passenger on those family tickets where up to five travel for the price of three.

[insanity]

3. Ferry

I remember a ferry from like Newcastle to the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland). Might be worth checking out.

[mwooldri]

4. Take Eurolines.

eurolines.co.uk - european coach network.

I looked up prices for end of June from London to Amsterdam: £15.00 return tickets available.

That's some incredible price!

[JVS]

5. thanks

[JVS]

6. When I put in my dates round trip is between 44 pounds and 58 pounds, but that's tolerable.