DB offers dirct bus to/from LONdon

[dutchflyer]

For a train of them one has to wait+wait. But, just for 3 weekends around Xmas, FROM 20/12 till 4/1/15, ONLY SAT and SUN, overnight, to ANTwerpen (19eur)-Eindhoven (14 eur)- to Dusseldorf (29 eur). can combine with some shrewd planning in IC-trains to points further in DE for same price.
If yuou plan to come back other days, EUROLines and Megabus (to Cologne, Antwerpen) can help too, or of course the EURO** trains. Book via bahn.de

 

[radamfi]

That's great. I'm probably going to give it a go, and hopefully there will be a more regular DB service to London in the future.

 

[Greenback]

Sounds interesting, what are the journey times like?

 

[radamfi]

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/tr...8&seqnr=2&ident=e8.030332248.1416998048&rt=1&


+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+
| Station | Arrival | Departure | Train |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+
| London Victoria Coach Station | | 20:15| BUS42261|
| Calais Ville | 01:45| 01:45| |
| Tourcoing(fr) | 03:08| 03:08| |
| Antwerpen Centraal (Konigin Astrid| 04:35| 04:40| |
| Mol | 05:22| 05:22| |
| Eindhoven Stationsweg | 05:55| 06:00| |
| Venlo(Gr) | 06:52| 06:52| |
| Düsseldorf Hbf ZOB | 07:38| | |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+

+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+
| Station | Arrival | Departure | Train |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+
| Düsseldorf Hbf ZOB | | 21:30| BUS42262|
| Venlo(Gr) | 22:09| 22:09| |
| Eindhoven Stationsweg | 22:55| 23:05| |
| Mol | 23:37| 23:37| |
| Antwerpen Centraal (Konigin Astrid| 00:18| 00:25| |
| Tourcoing(fr) | 01:52| 01:52| |
| Calais Ville | 03:15| 03:15| |
| London Victoria Coach Station | 07:00| | |
+-----------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+

 

[radamfi]

The service has been extended to run until the end of January. There have been technical problems with the website, meaning that the website was offering a single fare of 120 euros.

http://www.treinreiziger.nl/actueel...lijk_duurder_door_technische_problemen-146681

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it using Eurotunnel? The overnight towards London would be horrible if you had to get off the coach at 3am for the ferry.

Neil

 

[gordonthemoron]

don't coach passengers on coaches using eurotunnel have to get off for passport control?

 

[radamfi]

Is it using Eurotunnel? The overnight towards London would be horrible if you had to get off the coach at 3am for the ferry.

I used Megabus when their service to Amsterdam started in 2012 and they used the ferry then. I don't know if they still do so. They have changed the route since so it may be different now.

I have used iDBus (SNCF) a number of times to Paris and Amsterdam in the last year and they always used the tunnel.

IC Bus haven't started yet so we don't know whether or not they are using the tunnel, although I'll find out when I use it in a few weeks.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

don't coach passengers on coaches using eurotunnel have to get off for passport control?

Towards France the driver talks to the French immigration and then may or may not ask to see passports. You don't normally get off.

Towards the UK everyone gets off to go through French passport control, then gets back on again. Then the coach drives to the UK passport control where everyone gets off and on again.

 

[Bletchleyite]

don't coach passengers on coaches using eurotunnel have to get off for passport control?

Though having to get off to show your passport briefly is less of a big thing than having to spend an hour and a half off the coach.

Neil

 

[anme]

Though having to get off to show your passport briefly is less of a big thing than having to spend an hour and a half off the coach.

Neil

Getting off the coach on the ferry is a big plus. You can usually find somewhere to lie down and get some sleep - much better than the cramped, uncomfortable coach seat.

 

[radamfi]

Getting off the coach on the ferry is a big plus. You can usually find somewhere to lie down and get some sleep - much better than the cramped, uncomfortable coach seat.

I don't have a problem sleeping on the coach, especially on the way back to the UK. I usually fall asleep during the Eurotunnel journey and wake up at the first red traffic light on the approach to central London.