Using MyFerryLink out of Dover, tips?

[w00hoo_kent]

Hi, I have a couple of friends taking advantage of this

https://www.myferrylink.com/ferry-offers/national-bike-week-2015?packedargs=site=SF_Pax_Uk

to do a day trip over in a few weeks, but MyFerryLink don't seem to be very helpful with cyclists (possibly because they don't do foot passengers at all). They've asked about getting to the ferry and have been told the only option is to cycle with all of the car traffic through the port. One of the cyclists involved isn't particularly confident, and the idea of cycling up the vehicle ramp around the port amidst heavy traffic is likely to make them cancel the trip.

I've suggested they talk to the port direct for advice rather than the ferry company, but I also said I'd mine peoples knowledge to see if I could give them any advice on navigating Dover and Calais ferry ports.

Hence, asking this here :-)

 

[sight-pin]

I would think they'd segregate cyclist, I've made the Dover/Calais ferry trip many times, but never noticed if any cyclist was boarded first tbh, They do segregate the lanes of traffic etc so it wouldn't surprise if bikes was separated.

Edit, My wife seems to remember their being walk up ramps? Just a quick phone call may solve the problem

 

[ianrauk]

@Flying Dodo will have some good pointers for you.

It is a bind and you do have to mix it will the traffic. There is a red line that cyclists follow (inc. up and over the vehicle ramp) into and around the port. They do allocate a separate lane for cyclists before boarding the ferry and the ferry workers are very helpful .

 

[Flying Dodo]

Dover is a bit of a pain, mainly due to the sheer volume of traffic going into the port. However, with a little advance knowledge, it can be navigated safely and smoothly.

In the town centre, make use of the shared use path along Marine Parade, which then uses the pelican crossing to get across the A26 near East Cliff, then cycle along the separate northern section of Marine Parade which runs parallel to the A26 to drop down past the roundabout at the entrance to the port, carrying on the shared use path shown on the left hand side here.

Carry on to the pelican crossing shown just in front of the lorry in that link, beneath the board saying departures, then cross to the right hand lane of those 2 entrance lanes shown, and there's a red line you have to follow. It goes up a slope, then down again, and wiggles round (on rather rough concrete) until you get to a cabin with a barrier. You have to pop in to see the person inside and confirm which ferry company you're traveling with. You're given a slip of paper with that ferry company name scribbled on it, and just past the barrier on the right hand side there's a concrete building where you find the ferry company staff and confirm your ticket number, and then you're given a paper strap to put on your bike and told the lane number to queue in. As the actual road along to the holding lanes has at least 2 lanes then you could easily cycle 2 across if you wanted to, to make it easier for the less confident rider. Then when you've found the right lane, you sit and wait........and wait. Once you're eventually called, even if you're in the same lane as some cars, the cars will be going wide past you up the concrete access ramp to the boat as there's loads of room. You'll be told to actually walk onto the boat's metal ramp anyway, and you'll be going up one side to be directed to the bike parking area.

Leaving the ferry at Calais, you'll be told to wait until all the vehicles are off, and then you just follow the exit signs. Returning to the port, it's the same thing - go up to the first barrier, show your passport, then onto the next barrier to confirm your details and get a lane number to queue in. Calais splits the lorries so you shouldn't have heavy traffic.

Once you arrive back in Dover, again you'll be last off, and then you follow the red line around the lanes. At one point it ends at a metal fence door, so you press the buzzer and ask to be let out, and then carry on following the red line towards the exit, and then you use the crossing mentioned above to get back onto the shared use path to exit the port, then back on Marine Parade and then cross on the A26 and pick up the other part of Marine Parade back.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Yeah, it's really nothing to worry about. You generally get sent to the front, with the first car following behind. Once you get to the ramp (which is really wide), you're directed to walk up the side.

 

[TheDoctor]

IME it's easy to miss the red line on the way into the port, but not disastrous if you do. It really isn't problematic, as the port and ferry try to keep cyclists away from traffic as far as possible.

 

[classic33]

Have you contacted Stena, who own the port, as well as being a ferry operator, with regards their rules on cyclists?
It's normally a wide enough steel ramp onto the ferry nowadays. Gone are the days of narrow wheel ramps.

Most ferry company loaders will want cyclists to be among the first on and off. Which might put them at odds with company rules.

 

[Brains]

Done ferries in several ports, the only one that took some doing was Harwich, where you have to ride up a narrow flyover, potentially with a car behind you, he cant over take so no need to hurry.

Dover is not an issue, you follow the bike lanes, you park with the cars in your own lane
you are usually first on (and you walk up the ramp to the ship)
The all the cars follow, but only once you are where they want you
at the other end the bikes are usually last off, and you walk down the ramp.

I've done it, four times, with a group of teenagers, so see no issue with a couple of adults

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Thanks for all of this, I've passed it on and it's made them a lot less panicky.

 

[classic33]

Stena generally want you, as a cyclist, to be first on & first off.

The loaders tend to realise that exhaust fumes don't sit well with many.

 

[TheDoctor]

Stena haven't sailed that route for years. P&O get you on first, usuallly off last. I've not used MyFerry so can't speak for them. But genuinely, it's easy. Have a good time!

 

[Milkfloat]

Things have changed since my youth - trips to France with a mate, him without a passport (don't ask), both of us aged 14. In those days you got to mix with all the cars and lorries, no segregation at all, you had to race up the loading ramps before you got squished. I even remember one trip being directed down the middle row on the ship with cars either side and being told to just lie my bike down and they would lash it down. How it did not get run over I have no idea. This was only 25 years ago.