Difference between revisions of "Calais"

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== Extra information ==
 
== Extra information ==
When on the ferry try to find the Commercial Drivers Restaurant on one of the floors. From there you can get a free drink(hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soft drink), however if you wish to buy food it will cost you.
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* When on the ferry try to find the Commercial Drivers Restaurant on one of the floors. From there you can get a free drink(hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soft drink), however if you wish to buy food it will cost you.
 +
 
 +
* Whilst waiting in the queue for your time to board the ferry, after the passport check, you can try to change rides in order to get on an earlier boat. Just walk around asking people that have an earlier leaving time than yours. Since you passed passport check they should not be afraid to take you. You can see it on the paper that is usually on their car or truck windows. This can save you a lot of time.
 +
 
 +
* You can also change rides inside the ferry, especially when it has arrived in the port and people are getting to their cars and waiting to exit. Just go around looking at number plates and asking around.
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==

Revision as of 12:25, 3 July 2010

Calais is a port town in the north west of France at the English Channel. with just 34 km from the British port of Dover, Calais is the closest port to mainland Britain and one of the busiest cross-channel ports on continental Europe. Regular ferry services operate from Calais to Dover (P&O and Seafrance, each with over 20 crossings per day).

Hitching Out

<map lat='50.95' lng='1.848' zoom='11' view='3' float='right'/>

North-West towards Dover, England

Try to get a ride before getting on the ferry, as hitchhikers can get over for free because drivers often only pay for their vehicle and up to a certain amount of included passengers with a car while the limit is two with a lorry. If you are searching for a lift you often have to tell people about this possibility first – otherwise they often don't take you with them just because they think it's too complicated or they'll have to pay. The best way to do so, is by waiting in front of the ticket office. When buying a ticket, the driver has to produce a passport or ID card of every person in the car, so you should be going with him into the office.

Most people will already have bought their tickets online. The number of passengers is on the ticket and the ticket inspectors sometimes go crazy if the number on the ticket doesn't match with the number of passengers in the car.

Besides the ferries there is also the tunnel as a possibility to get over. Cars and lorries get loaded onto a train which takes them over. The price is also the same for each vehicle, not matter how many persons are in the car. However, it is very difficult to get a ride at the tunnel entrance itself, because the road has about 15 lanes coming directly from the motoway, the cars are going quite fast and the drivers will concentrate on finding their correct lane, so most of them won't see you. Also the staff is quite unfriendly and you will be sent away (remember though that this also applies if you try to hitch too much into the port. Most people are being told that hitching by the tunnel entrance is illegal (which is probably doubtful).

So the ferry is definitely the much better option but whatever option, it is definitely better to manage its crossing 'before' arriving in Calais.

Important to know: the trucks park in the ferry so close that it's not possible to open the doors. That means that you'll spend more than 1.5 hour closed in a box with a stranger and the driver can only take one person legally - and they check your IDs on the entrance so none of them will take the risk of a fine there. I don't know if it is like this on every ferry and all the time, but it's not recommended to go with any trucks on a ferry!

Regarding what is written above: Truckdriver on the ferry between calai and dover do not havr to stay in the truck over the whole ride, in fact they havt to get out of the truck and go up deck and you will have to go up with them: Acording to me hitching with trucks over the channel is the best option, at least if you are on your own,


Important for Non-EU Nationals (including US citizens)

There are UK passport controls in Calais and if you do not have the proper papers, you may encounter a lot of hassle, including being denied entry. Worse, the friendly driver who gave you a ride might also face delays.

Upon arrival in Dover, UK customs also have a tendency to check far more cars than any other EU country, the UK is not part of the Schengen Agreement, so you might consider leaving the ferry as a foot-passenger to save your driver a potentially substantial delay! (Not possible if you arrived using Norfolklines)

If you look respectable, are from a respectable country, USA, Australia, New Zealand, to name a few, you are unlikely to have any problems entering the UK, even as a hitchhiker. Show a passport from Somalia, Pakistan or Iran, to name a few that are somewhat less respectable in the eyes of the UK government, expect lots of hassle, including being denied entry.

If you think you will fall in the latter category, you might consider spending the money to buy a foot-passenger (return) ticket yourself to avoid causing trouble for your driver, although that does not in any way reduce the risk that you're denied entry either in France or upon arrival in Dover. Note theres not foot-passenger ferries during the night, till 6-7am and the terminal building is closed for night.

As with any border crossing, it helps if you look respectable, even if you come from the EU or respectable countries, and have money (or better, a credit card) to support yourself.

Dunkerque might be an alternative to cross the Channel. Norfolklines sails to Dover, but does not carry foot-passengers and sailings are less frequent, only every two hours.

South, East towards everywhere

Near Calais on the motorway, few kilometres from the ferryport, there is a huge lorry park from where you can easily get direct lifts to many places all over Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, England, Germany, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria and Turkey should be easily possible). Be aware that a truck is legally only allowed to have one driver and one passenger, so it's a lot harder to find a ride for two people hitching together. If you are just hitching into Belgium you're probably better off finding a ride while on the ferry, to a petrol station in Belgium.

Turkish lorry drivers are often very kind and help you searching for a lift. You often ask one of them and he talks to all his fellow countrymen – you often ask all of them by asking one, end up having dinner with them :-). Their German is often better than their English but they really try to do their best to communicate.

There is also a service station with free showers.

The best trick is to walk out the ferry terminal, and follow the signs for the motorway to Lille and eventually you'll be on a big roundabout with the road leading uphill with a bay that vehicles can stop on next to the "no people" signs that all the other hitchers have written all over :) stand by the signs and you'll get a brave trucker stop for you. Almost all car traffic head south Paris wise, and its a nightmare getting back on the motorway if you come off there, so try to flag someone with a sign saying D or PL.

Somewhatofftheway waited about four rainy hours here for a ride to Reims so if you are in a hurry, try to get a ride on the ferry by asking people on the boat. Standing at the roundabout itself is quite interesting as you will be watching immigrants trying to get into England constantly running up and down trying to sneak into a truck.


Extra information

  • When on the ferry try to find the Commercial Drivers Restaurant on one of the floors. From there you can get a free drink(hot chocolate, tea, coffee, soft drink), however if you wish to buy food it will cost you.
  • Whilst waiting in the queue for your time to board the ferry, after the passport check, you can try to change rides in order to get on an earlier boat. Just walk around asking people that have an earlier leaving time than yours. Since you passed passport check they should not be afraid to take you. You can see it on the paper that is usually on their car or truck windows. This can save you a lot of time.
  • You can also change rides inside the ferry, especially when it has arrived in the port and people are getting to their cars and waiting to exit. Just go around looking at number plates and asking around.

Links