Few logistics questiona about going to the Continent.

CiniO

I'm driving to the Continent in the nearest future.
I have my ferry booked at 2:15am from Dublin Port to Holyhead. First I have to travel almost 300km from my place to the Port.

I was thinking as petrol is more expensive in the UK, I would like to fill'er up to the top in Dublin. Is there any petrol station open 24h close to the Port with relatively cheap petrol?
I live in very rural area, and we don't have any 24h petrol stations in here , but from what I've seen, they are usually prepay during the night... (you pay first and then they turn on the pump).
How does it work if I want to fill it to the top? I just don't know how much petrol will go in my tank, until I fill it in. So how can I prepay as I don't know how much...
Anyone can explain it to me?

Also in UK which is the best way to get from Holyhead to Dover?
Is it better to take A5 from Holyhead to Birmingham, or maybe go with A55 to Chester, then A51 towards Stroke on Tent, and then M6 to Birmingham. Also is it worth taking tolled M6 in Birmingham, or can I easily go on the free M6? It will be Saturaday monrining, so probably traffic won't be too bad.
What then? Is it better to take M1 to London, and then pass through M25 northbound to M2 to Dover, or maybe from Birmingham take M40, and pass London through M25 southbound to M20 toward Dover...
Anyone experienced with it?

Thank's for any info...

delly

Regarding petrol, there is a big 24hr topaz just as you come into Dublin port.

vdriver

I've went from Holyhead to Dover and on to the continent last year. I'ts not a big deal...Filled up a full tank of diesel in Dublin, got a ferry at 20.30(left after 9) and at 00.30 I was in Holyhead.By the time I left Holyhead it was 01.00 and got to Dover in 5 hours and 15 min(Had a ferry for France booked at 07.00).Took this route..A56-M56-M6-M1-M25-M20. I did not pay the toll in Birmingham as I was there before 6AM(You pay after 6). Got all the way to Holland with a single tank of diesel....If you drive during the day you may get traffic in Birmingham and London.
Good luck

DubDani

Please be aware if you drive to or through Germany you need Winter Tyres. It's the law since last month, and as far as I am aware they are really checking that at the moment, especially on foreign registered cars.

CiniO

CiniO wrote: »

How does it work if I want to fill it to the top? I just don't know how much petrol will go in my tank, until I fill it in. So how can I prepay as I don't know how much...
Anyone can explain it to me?.

Tell the person at the hatch your intention, give them loads of cash (€100 for instance) or your credit card before you attempt to fill up. They then give you back the balance Simple

CiniO

delly wrote: »

Regarding petrol, there is a big 24hr topaz just as you come into Dublin port.

Thanks for that. I'll fill up there.

vdriver wrote: »

I've went from Holyhead to Dover and on to the continent last year. I'ts not a big deal...Filled up a full tank of diesel in Dublin, got a ferry at 20.30(left after 9) and at 00.30 I was in Holyhead.By the time I left Holyhead it was 01.00 and got to Dover in 5 hours and 15 min(Had a ferry for France booked at 07.00).

Bit tight here

Took this route..A56-M56-M6-M1-M25-M20. I did not pay the toll in Birmingham as I was there before 6AM(You pay after 6). Got all the way to Holland with a single tank of diesel....If you drive during the day you may get traffic in Birmingham and London.
Good luck

I assume A55-M56-M6.
That's quite good idea, as you're avoiding single carriageways. Even it's probably bit further, it might be worth it. Cheers...

DubDani wrote: »

Please be aware if you drive to or through Germany you need Winter Tyres. It's the law since last month, and as far as I am aware they are really checking that at the moment, especially on foreign registered cars.

I've already written about it on this forum.
It's the law since end of last week. And they are compulsory only if you are driving on snow or ice or aftersnow mud. Not on dry or wet surface.
If you get caught without them you pay €40 fine. If you cause a blockage on the road because you don't have winter tyres you pay €80 fine. Beside, you don't really need winter tyres - all season tyres are enough. It just they need to have M+S marking. And all-seasons do.

But it doesn't really matter to me, as I have a nice set of Nokian winter tyres.

RoverJames wrote: »

Tell the person at the hatch your intention, give them loads of cash (€100 for instance) or your credit card before you attempt to fill up. They then give you back the balance Simple

Heh nice, but if I wanted to pay by card, what then?
I just find it strange, as all over Europe you can normally fill a car during the night without any hassle. Seems only in Ireland that is the problem.
Anyway - I'll just take cash then.

-Corkie-

Give them the card before you fill. Afaik some pumps have a facility where you put your CC in the pump.:)

Go the M56. Dont mind them single carrigeways. All the HGV`S use that route and there speed limit is 60kph on that road.

Henry Ford III

Buy or borrow a decent sat nav.

CiniO

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Buy or borrow a decent sat nav.

I have one.
But having a sat nav is one thing, and knowing where to go is another one.

CiniO

I just checked, and it's 40km further going through M56, comparing to A5. So it might acutally be faster to go through A5, as in UK you can do only 112km/h on motorways...

Just additional question - how do I get to the port in Dublin from M4.
I suppose I just go straight towards centre, pass Heuston station on my left, and follow the main street near river going straight ahead all the time... And that way I should reach port... Am I right?

P.C.

CiniO wrote: »

I just checked, and it's 40km further going through M56, comparing to A5. So it might acutally be faster to go through A5, as in UK you can do only 112km/h on motorways...

The A5 is a loverly road. I have driven that road twice in my car, and three times on my bike.

BUT, it will take you a lot longer than the M56. The A5 is a windy narrow road which goes through the maoutains of Wales. You can not go very fast, it goes through all the towns, and there is not much oportunity to overtake slower vehicles.

-Corkie-

Well if you decided to go your own way and not listen to me you will surley figure the rest out.;)

L1011

CiniO wrote: »

I just checked, and it's 40km further going through M56, comparing to A5. So it might acutally be faster to go through A5, as in UK you can do only 112km/h on motorways...

M56 is far faster even in the dead of night. I've done that drive (off the late Irish Ferries boat) more times than I care to imagine...

CiniO wrote: »

Just additional question - how do I get to the port in Dublin from M4.
I suppose I just go straight towards centre, pass Heuston station on my left, and follow the main street near river going straight ahead all the time... And that way I should reach port... Am I right?

Yes. Stay along the North Quays until you reach the Point Depot/02 (you run out of road here anyway) and then follow the signs for the ferry company you want. If you're going to the 24h Topaz its well signed too (its inside the Port complex).

Stinicker

Don't forget to carry the essentials as listed here by the AA; also give your insurance company a ring to see if you are covered on the Continent.

CiniO

Stinicker wrote: »

Don't forget to carry the essentials as listed here by the AA; also give your insurance company a ring to see if you are covered on the Continent.

Heh with my insurance company it's always funny. I was writing about it here few times before.
On my policy, shedule, etc it's stated that cover is valid in EU (not any time limit specified). I heard different versions through customer service, but I wrote an email to them with few questions including question about EU cover. I got an answer that I'm covered for up to 90 days. Where did they take that limit as it's not written on any documents - I don't know.
Recently I was ringing them to notify about some changes, and I actually mentioned that I'm going to continent. Lady told me that I was covered only for 30 days. I said that can't be true, as I got an answer from their customer advisor, that I'm covered for 90 days.
She consulted someone else, and then told me, that she was wrong, as there was actually no limit at all, but I have to be still resident in Ireland to keep my cover.
So there's a big confusion with this, as they don't know themselves how it is....
Anyway - third party cover can't be limited, because it's required by law that third party cover must be valid within all EU through all the period of the policy. That's the law.
About comprehensive cover it all depends on insurance company, but according to their terms and conditions, the policy, etc, there isn't any limit. Accorign to the email I got from them limit is 3 months.
It's still longer then I'm going for, so there's no problem.

The other thing with AA website you gave me - they are giving false information.
All that listed equipment is required from cars registered in there.
According to Road Traffic Convention from 1968 in Vienna, all cars in international traffic has to be equipped according to requirement from their county of registration.
And in Ireland we don't need any of things from this list.
Besides - there are mistakes on this list anyway - so it's really worth nothing.

But thanks for advice.

L1011

Is your insurer Quinn by any chance?

The most clarity I ever got from them was that TPFT was unlimited; Fully Comp was 90 days (and unlimited in the UK); and you didn't need to notify them.

vdriver

CiniO wrote: »

I just checked, and it's 40km further going through M56, comparing to A5. So it might acutally be faster to go through A5, as in UK you can do only 112km/h on motorways...

Just additional question - how do I get to the port in Dublin from M4.
I suppose I just go straight towards centre, pass Heuston station on my left, and follow the main street near river going straight ahead all the time... And that way I should reach port... Am I right?

Even if is further you are going a lot faster on M56. Form Holyhead to Dover I was doing a constant 130-140 km/h and even at that speed after I passed Birmingham almost everybody was passing me... That was night driving....during the day it may not be posible

-Corkie-

vdriver wrote: »

Even if is further you are going a lot faster on M56. Form Holyhead to Dover I was doing a constant 130-140 km/h and even at that speed after I passed Birmingham almost everybody was passing me... That was night driving....during the day it may not be posible

I emphasised the same thing. You wont get over 60kph on the other roads even at night. A know all told me that way was a lot quicker. I was a bigger fool to listen to him. I could have throttled him..:(

CiniO

vdriver wrote: »

Even if is further you are going a lot faster on M56. Form Holyhead to Dover I was doing a constant 130-140 km/h and even at that speed after I passed Birmingham almost everybody was passing me... That was night driving....during the day it may not be posible

Did you not receive any speed camera pictures afterwards?
Or they never bother finding you in Ireland?

I got flashed last year in Germany (doing 105 on 80 limit) and never got a letter. I thing I also might have got few pictures in Poland, and as well never got anything. But I thought, that they do bother sending them from UK.

CiniO

-Corkie- wrote: »

I emphasised the same thing. You wont get over 60kph on the other roads even at night. A know all told me that way was a lot quicker. I was a bigger fool to listen to him. I could have throttled him..:(

OK. I got that eventually.
Thanks for your advice.
I'm going to take M56

Henry Ford III

CiniO wrote: »

...as in UK you can do only 112km/h on motorways...

Legally yes, but in reality nearer 80mph or 128.75kph won't land you in any trouble.

Conditions permitting obviously.

CiniO

MYOB wrote: »

Is your insurer Quinn by any chance?

The most clarity I ever got from them was that TPFT was unlimited; Fully Comp was 90 days (and unlimited in the UK); and you didn't need to notify them.

No. It's Allianz Direct actually.

L1011

CiniO wrote: »

Did you not receive any speed camera pictures afterwards?
Or they never bother finding you in Ireland?

I got flashed last year in Germany (doing 105 on 80 limit) and never got a letter. I thing I also might have got few pictures in Poland, and as well never got anything. But I thought, that they do bother sending them from UK.

The route I take from Holyhead to the Tunnel has only got SPECS cameras for two short distances. The bulk of it - A55, M56, M6, M40, M20 - have nothing at all. The M6 Toll sometimes has manned speed checks as people treat it as a private runway, I've been overtaken at significant speed while doing significant speed on it before...

I've also never got anything from when I've been flashed by GATSOs in Brighton. Frequently.

vdriver

CiniO wrote: »

Did you not receive any speed camera pictures afterwards?
Or they never bother finding you in Ireland?

I got flashed last year in Germany (doing 105 on 80 limit) and never got a letter. I thing I also might have got few pictures in Poland, and as well never got anything. But I thought, that they do bother sending them from UK.

No , got no fines...I got flashed in Germany as well...but no ticket..:)

-Corkie-

CiniO wrote: »

Did you not receive any speed camera pictures afterwards?
Or they never bother finding you in Ireland?

I got flashed last year in Germany (doing 105 on 80 limit) and never got a letter. I thing I also might have got few pictures in Poland, and as well never got anything. But I thought, that they do bother sending them from UK.

Keep her flat to the maker....:)

Piri

I have got flash last summer in Köln Germany
Nothing happened since
But : Be careful on UK motorways. Lots of unmarked Police/Heddlu cars patrolling on motorways. I think max speed is 120 km/h Do not go over this!

If they stopping you and you too fast they can bring you to court as well .Same in Belgium.

L1011

Piri wrote: »

I have got flash last summer in Köln Germany
Nothing happened since
But : Be careful on UK motorways. Lots of unmarked Police/Heddlu cars patrolling on motorways. I think max speed is 120 km/h Do not go over this!

If they stopping you and you too fast they can bring you to court as well .Same in Belgium.

Limit is 112km/h in the UK; the level after which they'll generally look to prosecute for dangerous driving is 160km/h.

Piri

Heddlu told me last time It is 80 mph...
Maybe he just wanted to frighten me

L1011

Piri wrote: »

Heddlu told me last time It is 80 mph...
Maybe he just wanted to frighten me

Yes.

80mph (130km/h) is the average running speed on the M40 and northern stretches of the M1/M6 etc; if they were taking to court and banning people doing it there'd be no drivers left.

CiniO

Thanks everyone for all your help.
I finally made the whole trip.
I filled my petrol to the top on dublin port petrol station, but considering the current cost of petrol in Ireland it was not much saving comparing to UK prices.
In UK as adviced I took A55 - M56 - M6 to Birmingham.
Unluckily there was some accident and I spent almost 2 hours in traffic jam on M6.
Then I went on toll-free M6 around Birmingham, and took M1 - M25 north - M20 to Dover.
Again next accident and another 1hour in traffic jam before London on M1.
So the whole journey through UK took me almost 9 hours.
I had a stop for the night then, and next morining headed to Calais, to do almost 1000 miles through the Continent to my family place in Poland. All journey went great, except from one incident in Belgium when on Antwerp ring some crazy driver started tailgating me and flashing that I move to the right. But I don't know how did he expeced me to do it, as the lane I was on was the only lane leading to the direction I was going to. Then he overtook me on the right, and went straight in front of me to slam on the brakes. Very nice. I always thought, that such things might happen in Russia, etc, but not in Europe. Anyway - except from this journey was great. Through Germany I flied keeping 160 - 180km/h almost all the time. In the East part of Germany weather started to be much colder and it stared snowing strongly, which keept all the motorway in snow. Anyway - we were all traveling nice and steady. Winter tyres did a great job. Here in Poladn is plenty of snow and -5 to -10 degrees all the time. Most main roads all cleared by now, but all secondary roads are completely covered in snow, but it's pretty easy to drive on is, as it's a dry snow.

So far I'm not missing Irish rain. I'll see it again in a month time

Piri

CiniO wrote: »

Thanks everyone for all your help.
I finally made the whole trip.
I filled my petrol to the top on dublin port petrol station, but considering the current cost of petrol in Ireland it was not much saving comparing to UK prices.
In UK as adviced I took A55 - M56 - M6 to Birmingham.
Unluckily there was some accident and I spent almost 2 hours in traffic jam on M6.
Then I went on toll-free M6 around Birmingham, and took M1 - M25 north - M20 to Dover.
Again next accident and another 1hour in traffic jam before London on M1.
So the whole journey through UK took me almost 9 hours.
I had a stop for the night then, and next morining headed to Calais, to do almost 1000 miles through the Continent to my family place in Poland. All journey went great, except from one incident in Belgium when on Antwerp ring some crazy driver started tailgating me and flashing that I move to the right. But I don't know how did he expeced me to do it, as the lane I was on was the only lane leading to the direction I was going to. Then he overtook me on the right, and went straight in front of me to slam on the brakes. Very nice. I always thought, that such things might happen in Russia, etc, but not in Europe. Anyway - except from this journey was great. Through Germany I flied keeping 160 - 180km/h almost all the time. In the East part of Germany weather started to be much colder and it stared snowing strongly, which keept all the motorway in snow. Anyway - we were all traveling nice and steady. Winter tyres did a great job. Here in Poladn is plenty of snow and -5 to -10 degrees all the time. Most main roads all cleared by now, but all secondary roads are completely covered in snow, but it's pretty easy to drive on is, as it's a dry snow.

So far I'm not missing Irish rain. I'll see it again in a month time

Did police stop you during the journey?
Did you see any speed checking ?

corktina

If you do 112km/h on the mway in the UK you'll be amongst the slowest on it.... the Police are conspicuous by their absence (you may see Highways Agency patrols but they are NOT cops) and speed around 90 mph are tolerated quite happily

Cops only really appear if their is a problem spotted by CCTV or HA patrol. If they are around (maybe unmarked) they are looking for criminals mostly.Stolen Cars/Drugs) Of course. they will stop you if you are acting the maggot....

CiniO

Piri wrote: »

Did police stop you during the journey?
Did you see any speed checking ?

No. Police didn't stop me anywhere during the journey. Even more I don't think I saw any single police car.
There were few speed camera warning signs - mostly in Belgium, so I slowed down a bit where they were.
In UK on most roadworks there was limit to 50MPH and cameras measuring average speed on some certain distance. In there everyone was doing exactyly 50MPH. Anywhere else it's pretty much as corktina said 80 to 90MPH is normal traveling speed on motorways.
In France most drivers were doing between 110 - 130 km/h. I was going about 135 and was overtaking almost everyone.
In Belgium and Holland limit is 120, but most people would keep 130, some will go as fast as 150 or even more.
In Germany whenever there is speed limit, people seem to go about 10km/h above the limit. Where there is no speed limit, it's really different between drivers. Some still go only 120, and there was few cars that were overtaking me with big speed difference while I was doing 180km/h.
So I assume they had to have over 250km/h.
In Poland limit is 130km/h on motorway (from January 2011 is going to be changed to 140km/h). On the snow there was barely anyone going faster. But I know that during the summer on clear road, you can easily spot someone doing 200km/h or more.

Piri

Ok
I see It is just Irish heritage to stop motorists
I was driving big part of EU + Switzerland and nobody is stopping cars just here :mad:

Marcusm

CiniO wrote: »

I'm driving to the Continent in the nearest future.
I have my ferry booked at 2:15am from Dublin Port to Holyhead. First I have to travel almost 300km from my place to the Port.

I was thinking as petrol is more expensive in the UK, I would like to fill'er up to the top in Dublin. Is there any petrol station open 24h close to the Port with relatively cheap petrol?
I live in very rural area, and we don't have any 24h petrol stations in here , but from what I've seen, they are usually prepay during the night... (you pay first and then they turn on the pump).
How does it work if I want to fill it to the top? I just don't know how much petrol will go in my tank, until I fill it in. So how can I prepay as I don't know how much...
Anyone can explain it to me?

Also in UK which is the best way to get from Holyhead to Dover?
Is it better to take A5 from Holyhead to Birmingham, or maybe go with A55 to Chester, then A51 towards Stroke on Tent, and then M6 to Birmingham. Also is it worth taking tolled M6 in Birmingham, or can I easily go on the free M6? It will be Saturaday monrining, so probably traffic won't be too bad.
What then? Is it better to take M1 to London, and then pass through M25 northbound to M2 to Dover, or maybe from Birmingham take M40, and pass London through M25 southbound to M20 toward Dover...
Anyone experienced with it?

Thank's for any info...

There's a petrol station in Dublin POrt; I imagine that it's open 24hrs.

On arrival in Holyhead, do not take the A5 as it's mostly a 2 lane road and in parts is like going over the Sally Gap in Wicklow. The A55 is 70mph for nearly it's entire length. 2 weeks ago there was a short diversion onto the A5 on Angelsey but get back on the A55 as soon as you can.

Personally I prefer to use the M6 toll rather than the normal M6.

Unless there's an accident, I would recommend taking the M40 to London and then the M25 anticlockwise (not usually referred to as northbound/southbound as it's an orbital) as there is often significant congestion at the Dartford end on a Saturday - especially at this time of year as Lakeside/Thurrock are two of the largest shopping centres in Europe and based on opposite sides of the Dartford crossing.

I would take the M20 rather than the M2 as it's motorway for longer. But beware if there are problems with the channel crossings, the M20 becomes car park for trucks. By this I don't mean that it gets congested but it is actually used as a carpark.

Good luck with the current weather. Also I'd get a cabin if you're on the Ulysses.

On no circumstances try to cross London, use the M25.

Berty

I did the Journey from Limerick to Dublin - Dover and back back in June.

I crossed London from the Extreme West right the way across to just south of the M25 East Crossing. I had a work commitment in Central London so drove in. (DONT DO IT)

I drove the Sat Nav route. Stay on the Motorway. Do use the M6 Toll. Do use the Eastern Dartford Crossing.

I topped up the tank in Dublin before I left and filled in a Sainsburys in Folkestone. French fuel is beyond expensive. I was shocked. :mad:

CiniO

Piri wrote: »

Ok
I see It is just Irish heritage to stop motorists
I was driving big part of EU + Switzerland and nobody is stopping cars just here :mad:

Not really.
I had a feeling that there is no garda checks at all in Ireland, when I moved here.
I remember back in Poland where I used to live before, random checks were quite often especially during the night in the cities. I remember one night I got stopped 3 times, just for documents check, brethylising, and check of car equipment and condition (warning triangle, fire extinguisher, tyres, lights, etc)...
In Ireland during 4 years, I was stopped only twice. Once for brethylising, and once he was checking the discs on the windscreen. One of in near Dublin, another in Galway city. Never in Mayo where I live. And I do over 40k kms every year in Ireland.
I wouldn't call it then often checks.

Piri

CiniO wrote: »

Not really.
I had a feeling that there is no garda checks at all in Ireland, when I moved here.
I remember back in Poland where I used to live before, random checks were quite often especially during the night in the cities. I remember one night I got stopped 3 times, just for documents check, brethylising, and check of car equipment and condition (warning triangle, fire extinguisher, tyres, lights, etc)...
In Ireland during 4 years, I was stopped only twice. Once for brethylising, and once he was checking the discs on the windscreen. One of in near Dublin, another in Galway city. Never in Mayo where I live. And I do over 40k kms every year in Ireland.
I wouldn't call it then often checks.

I have never been in Poland yet