Driving to Berlin from Galway

johnny osbourne

has anyone done this or similar?

i thought originally it is best to go from Cork via ferry to france, and then direct to berlin,

however, g.maps.planner says galway>dublin>holyhead>dover>calais? etc.

how does that make sense,?

anyone any tips or advice? much appreciated.

i'll be going next week

incase any one asks car is a good '97 petrol vento, slow but economical

CiniO

johnny osbourne wrote: »

has anyone done this or similar?

i thought originally it is best to go from Cork via ferry to france, and then direct to berlin,

however, g.maps.planner says galway>dublin>holyhead>dover>calais? etc.

how does that make sense,?

anyone any tips or advice? much appreciated.

i'll be going next week

incase any one asks car is a good '97 petrol vento, slow but economical

Yes, I drive from Mayo to eastern Poland every year - sometimes twice so I'm well used to that route. I've been doing it for last 6 years.

I personally prefer Dublin-Holyhead-Dover-Calais route.
Went once an a ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg and said to myself - never again.
Over 20 hours on a ferry bouncy as hell. I never had sea/travel sickness before but this time it kicked in hard time. It was in the winter though in stormy weather so because of that ferry was much slower as well. Normally it's about 16 hours.

In general though you are saving about 50km driving by going through Rosslare-Cherbourg instead of Dublin-Holyhead-Dover-Calais. In exchange you get to pay about €30 extra on motorway tolls in France (500km) + you loose lots of time on a ferry (16h+).

In relation to route I'd recommend M6-M4 to Dublin. Ferry to Holyhead. A55 (towards Chester)-M56 (towards Manchester)- M6-M1 (towards London)- M25 - M20 to Folkestone/Dover.
Then Ferry to Calais or Dunkirk or train to Calais. And then towards Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Duisburg, Dortmund, Hanover, Magdeburg, Berlin.
I normally from Dortmund to towards Kassel, Lepizig and Dresden as this is towards my destination.
Very nice route anyway.

Any questions - ask -I'll try to help.

johnny osbourne

CiniO wrote: »

Yes, I drive from Mayo to eastern Poland every year - sometimes twice so I'm well used to that route. I've been doing it for last 6 years.

I personally prefer Dublin-Holyhead-Dover-Calais route.
Went once an a ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg and said to myself - never again.
Over 20 hours on a ferry bouncy as hell. I never had sea/travel sickness before but this time it kicked in hard time. It was in the winter though in stormy weather so because of that ferry was much slower as well. Normally it's about 16 hours.

In general though you are saving about 50km driving by going through Rosslare-Cherbourg instead of Dublin-Holyhead-Dover-Calais. In exchange you get to pay about €30 extra on motorway tolls in France (500km) + you loose lots of time on a ferry (16h+).

In relation to route I'd recommend M6-M4 to Dublin. Ferry to Holyhead. A55 (towards Chester)-M56 (towards Manchester)- M6-M1 (towards London)- M25 - M20 to Folkestone/Dover.
Then Ferry to Calais or Dunkirk or train to Calais. And then towards Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp, Eindhoven, Duisburg, Dortmund, Hanover, Magdeburg, Berlin.
I normally from Dortmund to towards Kassel, Lepizig and Dresden as this is towards my destination.
Very nice route anyway.

Any questions - ask -I'll try to help.

thanks cinio you summed it all up in one there.

do you book the 2 ferries in advance or can u pay cash/card when u turn up?

i'll be taking the ferry from dover to france,

garrixfan

How much gas would such a journey cost? Gana be going to nice next summer

CiniO

You can normally just buy tickets in the port, but that will most likely come more expensive.
What I normally do, is book through Stena line - landbridge to Europe offer.
http://www.stenaline.ie/ferries-to-britain/europe-by-car
I think Irish ferries have similar offer.

You book with them, and they provide ferry from Dublin - Holyhead and ferry from Dover to Calais/Dunkirk or tunnel from Folkestone to Calais (there are other options available as well). You can only book it over the phone.
Adventage though is that prices are set, and if you are going on 29th September or later, you are entering low season so this comes really cheap (cheapest is €105 for both ferries one way for car+driver). Prices are set according to price list, so it doesn't matter when you book. I usually book only few days before the journey and if there are spaces they will give it to you at prices listed.
I usually go through the tunnel (which used to come about €35 more expensive - I see now it's €52 more expensive). It's much more convenient, but if you have time and are not in hurry, ferry from Dover to Calais/Dunkirk will do you fine no problem.
Dublin-Holyhead it's about 3.5h crossing. Dover-Calais - about 1.5h. Dover-Dunkirk - about 2h, but then less driving as you end up more east in France.

I'd normally just look at regular timetable of Stane line crossings from Dublin-Holyhead, choose option which suits me, and then ask for suitable crossing from Uk to France.
I.e. Dublin 8:20a - Holyhead 11:50am. I normally need about 6-7 hours to drive from Holyhead to Folkestone/Dover so I ask them over the phone from train tunnel crossing/ferry at around 9pm (2-3 hours later just in case of delays). If I'm earlier they'd usually let me go on earlier train/ferry.

Jesus.

You sure that Vento is up to the task?

CiniO

garrixfan wrote: »

How much gas would such a journey cost? Gana be going to nice next summer

Google maps show that from Galway to Berlin is just under 2000km.
Assuming modern diesel with average fuel consumption 6 l/100km it will be 120 litres each way, so at diesel average price €1.15 it comes at €138.
Only tolls on the way are M6 - Balinasloe €1.90 , M4 - Enfield €2.90, and Dartford Crossing £2.50.
Optionally around £5 for M6 toll around Birmingham if driving at rush hours to escape congestions on free M6.

mrsoundie

CiniO wrote: »

Google maps show that from Galway to Berlin is just under 2000km.
Assuming modern diesel with average fuel consumption 6 l/100km it will be 120 litres each way, so at diesel average price €1.15 it comes at €138.
Only tolls on the way are M6 - Balinasloe €1.90 , M4 - Enfield €2.90, and Dartford Crossing £2.50.
Optionally around £5 for M6 toll around Birmingham if driving at rush hours to escape congestions on free M6.

Take the M6 Toll around Birmingham anytime, I was caught there at half ten at night road works right on top of two Motorway merges. Nightmare.

johnny osbourne

ah sound it's looking easy already

johnny osbourne

Jesus. wrote: »

You sure that Vento is up to the task?

99.99%

mrsoundie

johnny osbourne wrote: »

99.99%

Are you sure that's not how bad it will fail the emissions test?

crosstownk

I've driven to Germany on several occasions - usually to Baden Wurttemburg.

Each time, I have taken a morning ferry from Dublin and driven through Wales/England to Hull. From there I get the ferry to Rotterdam (P&O Ferries).

It suits me as the ferry gets into Holyhead around noon and gives me ample time to drive to Hull where the overnight ferry leaves for Rotterdam around 9pm. This means I can overnight on the ferry rather than stop at a hotel - at least I'm moving while I eat, drink and sleep. The food and drink on the P&O ferry is OK so the evening passes pleasantly enough. I prefer the quieter piano bar upstairs but other forms of entertainment are on offer. The ferry arrives in Rotterdam around 8am which leaves the whole day for the onward journey.

It's probably a little more expensive than going via Calais but it suits me.

There is also another option of a ferry from Norwich to the Hook of Holland which is a shorter crossing. A trucker buddy of mine swears by it.

Cool_CM

Obviously whilst the Germans aren't really in a position to preach about emissions at the moment, I'd still have a look at this!
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/article/berlin-s-environmental-zone

johnny osbourne

mrsoundie wrote: »

Are you sure that's not how bad it will fail the emissions test?

it's petrol :eek:

Jesus.

johnny osbourne wrote: »

incase any one asks car is a good '97 petrol vento, slow but economical:D

When you're caning that Vento on the Autobahn your economy is going to fall to sh1t Johnny!

johnny osbourne

Jesus. wrote: »

When you're caning that Vento on the Autobahn your economy is going to fall to sh1t Johnny!

don't worry jesus, i'll be drafting behind an artic

MJI

Just fly Ryanair Berlin Schönefeld to Dublin. Then get a Bus Eireann Airport express direct to Galway city

Jesus.

johnny osbourne wrote: »

don't worry jesus, i'll be drafting behind an artic

:pac:

crosstownk

MJI wrote: »

Just fly Ryanair Berlin Schönefeld to Dublin. Then get a Bus Eireann Airport express direct to Galway city

I know Michael O'Leary has gone more cuddly recently but Ryanair don't allow VW Ventos as carry on luggage.

George Dalton

I agree with the other posters regarding the Dover-Calais route being the way to go.

I would also like to re-iterate that you should book a tunnel crossing allowing yourself plenty of leeway and then if you get there early they will just let you on the next train. If you just rock up to the tunnel with your credit card you will get reamed. I know from experience!

CiniO

Cool_CM wrote: »

Obviously whilst the Germans aren't really in a position to preach about emissions at the moment, I'd still have a look at this!
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/article/berlin-s-environmental-zone

Indeed OP will need to get a green sticker (no. 4) to be able to drive into environmental zones in Germany (Umweltzone).
Such sticker can be obtained at any car dealer in Germany for about 5 euro. Vehicle registration certificate will be required for that.
OP's car fulfills requirements for highest (most eco friendly sticker - green - no 4).

Seanieke

Jeasus I wouldn't start from there.....

CiniO

George Dalton wrote: »

I agree with the other posters regarding the Dover-Calais route being the way to go.

I would also like to re-iterate that you should book a tunnel crossing allowing yourself plenty of leeway and then if you get there early they will just let you on the next train. If you just rock up to the tunnel with your credit card you will get reamed. I know from experience!

Normally they let you take earlier train through the tunnel within 2 hours.
Sometimes they might let you take bit earlier one on some occasions.
But normally anything earlier than 2 hours before scheduled departure, will have to be paid extra - usually that much that it's not worth it.
That's at least my experience within last 2 years.

Also cheapest way to book tunnel crossing seems to be through stena line landbridge to europe which I mentioned above, if you are booking not much in advance. At least I never found a cheaper option.

MJI

Drive to Hamburg, Ferry to Dover, Drive to Hollyhead, Ferry to Dublin, Drive to Galway

CiniO

MJI wrote: »

Just fly Ryanair Berlin Schönefeld to Dublin. Then get a Bus Eireann Airport express direct to Galway city

MJI wrote: »

Drive to Hamburg, Ferry to Dover, Drive to Hollyhead, Ferry to Dublin, Drive to Galway

Well. I don't think you read where OP actually want to go to and where from.

johnny osbourne

CiniO wrote: »

Normally they let you take earlier train through the tunnel within 2 hours.
Sometimes they might let you take bit earlier one on some occasions.
But normally anything earlier than 2 hours before scheduled departure, will have to be paid extra - usually that much that it's not worth it.
That's at least my experience within last 2 years.

Also cheapest way to book tunnel crossing seems to be through stena line landbridge to europe which I mentioned above, if you are booking not much in advance. At least I never found a cheaper option.

sound cinio thanks

Fred Swanson

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166man

Avoid Rosslare-Cherbourg whatever you do.

Stena line were a complete joke.

Alun

With regard to the Hull-Rotterdam ferry somebody mentioned above, that can get pretty hairy in the winter too if weather conditions are bad. At least on the Dublin-Holyhead and Dover-Calais routes the ferries are a bit larger and the time you're on them is kept to a minimum. I was once stuck on an overnight Hull-Rotterdam ferry once that had an engine breakdown and spent over 14 hours in a force 10 gale which wasn't fun I can tell you.

Del2005

CiniO wrote: »

Normally they let you take earlier train through the tunnel within 2 hours.
Sometimes they might let you take bit earlier one on some occasions.
But normally anything earlier than 2 hours before scheduled departure, will have to be paid extra - usually that much that it's not worth it.
That's at least my experience within last 2 years.

Also cheapest way to book tunnel crossing seems to be through stena line landbridge to europe which I mentioned above, if you are booking not much in advance. At least I never found a cheaper option.

A friend turned up a day early for the tunnel and was let on for no charge, he was on a bike maybe cars for different.

Carawaystick

If you were considering going Cork to Roscoff its 1600km to Berlin, and 23 euros in Tolls and about 150 for the Ferry one way.
You'd be starting at about 7am on a Sunday and trucks aren't allowed on Motorways on Sundays* in France so you should make decent time til Belgium.

*trucks with fresh goods are allowed

Fred Swanson

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sunnysoutheast

Personally I'd prefer to avoid Dover<->Calais at the moment in case things flare up again.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Carawaystick

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

You're probably on the quieter routes so, the A9 at 10:01 at the spanish border is something else to drive along.

Marcusm

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Personally I'd prefer to avoid Dover<->Calais at the moment in case things flare up again.

No issue on the Euroyunnel on Wednesday and despite the death last night, no real issue expected. There are fewer people rambling around the roads near the entrance than there were in May. This is a quiet time of year for car traffic and I certainly wouldn't worry about the "migrant" aspect.