hallii Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 We fancy going to Norway by the direct route, Stavanger / Bergen or whatever. There are some freight ferries but I wonder if anyone has used them? Do they "allow" mororhomes? How long is the crossing? How much etc. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 hallii - 2012-02-12 3:56 PM We fancy going to Norway by the direct route, Stavanger / Bergen or whatever. There are some freight ferries but I wonder if anyone has used them? Do they "allow" mororhomes? How long is the crossing? How much etc. H Are the freight ferries roll-on roll-off ? I've not heard of anyone going direct since the Newcastle - Bergen route packed up. ( That used to to a 24 hour trip ) :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I suggest you have a look at DFDS Seaways website. It seems they run a ferry twice a week from Immingham to Brevik ( Norway ) and the freight includes trailers / trucks/ cars. I'm sure you could get a quote. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 malc d - 2012-02-12 4:03 PM Are the freight ferries roll-on roll-off ? I've not heard of anyone going direct since the Newcastle - Bergen route packed up. ( That used to to a 24 hour trip ) :-| I don't know anything about the freight ferries, but they are basic, (only 14 cabins) and I have read that if you book and a big truck books after you, they simply give the big truck your cabin and make you wait until the next one (3 Days). I have been on the old Stavanger route and it was fine. I don't fancy driving all through Europe so no ferry means no visit. Anyone fancy starting a ferry to Norway?I can sail a dinghy so if you have the money I will be Captain :-D H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Couldn't you go Harwich - Esbjerg, then a ferry from north of Denmark ( Hirtshals) to Norway ? Not such a long drive that way. If ever I think of returning to Norway that's the route I would look at. ( I once went on a camping trip to Norway - Newcastle/Bergen - and to my surprise my car was crane loaded at each port ! Not good for stress levels ). ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 malc d - 2012-02-12 4:19 PM I suggest you have a look at DFDS Seaways website. It seems they run a ferry twice a week from Immingham to Brevik ( Norway ) and the freight includes trailers / trucks/ cars. I'm sure you could get a quote. ;-) Thanks Malc, I have just phoned them, 12 cabins and if you are booked you can still get thrown off and have to wait 3 days for the next one. There does not seem to be a way of getting a firm 100% booking for a cabin. The cost is £1200 return 8-) So it a non starter for us. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Was looking at this a few weeks back and decided it would have to wait until we had plenty of time for a long tour of northern europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 We used DFDS when they operated the Newcastle to Stavanger (and Kristiansand) routes and when they stopped we drove via France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. No problem with the long drive provided that you are not on a tight time budget. To get the Sweden from Denmark you can either use the bridge(s) or ferry(s). From the point of view of cost, we calculated that driving was about £100 cheaper than the ferry and that was from our home in the Manchester area. From a cost point of view there was nothing in it really, just the extra time of about a week when driving. Slightly off topic, but it may help you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 spospe - 2012-02-12 6:38 PM We used DFDS when they operated the Newcastle to Stavanger (and Kristiansand) routes and when they stopped we drove via France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. No problem with the long drive provided that you are not on a tight time budget. To get the Sweden from Denmark you can either use the bridge(s) or ferry(s). From the point of view of cost, we calculated that driving was about £100 cheaper than the ferry and that was from our home in the Manchester area. From a cost point of view there was nothing in it really, just the extra time of about a week when driving. Slightly off topic, but it may help you decide. I have to agree with "spopse". We have in the past twice taken a 'van to Norway, using the Newcastle - Bergen route. Though expensive, it had the distinct advantage of (for us) a relatively easy drive to the ferry, and then an immediate start to the "real" holiday on disembarking in Bergen. Given it's demise, however, for sheer ease of planning and booking (there is very limited space availability on the Esbjerg ferry) I would take a short-sea crossing and drive (and, as Malc has highlighted, use one of the ferries from Hirtshals into Norway, which, though not cheap are not entirely exhorbitant). Whilst it is certainly a good distance to drive, our main break in Denmark this year has shown us that the roads are (generally) not bad and it is not difficult to get to Denmark from Calais with one overnight stop. With long days driving, we tend to like to take a day off; so a two night stop near Tecklenberg on the way out, and a similar break in Munster on the way back, both good days, made the journey quite enjoyable. I reckon I could do this somewhre in the order of £200 less than the Esbjerg ferry (or more in prime season), but it would cost up to a week extra in travelling (some of which, though, would be part of the "real" holiday, not driving). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 have been up this way to Sweden 3 times. if esberg to expensive for you. Harwich - hook of Holland - Hamburg - cheap short ferry to Denmark - then bridge or ferry to Sweden and drive up the west coast (beautiful!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 If it helps, the drive from Calais to Oslo is about 1100 miles all on free dual carriageway and motorway and is a comfortable 3 day run as long as you have an Aires / Stellplatz book to find suitable overnight halts when you have had enough and before it gets dark. It's about another 300 miles to Bergen mainly on single carriageway roads but is a comfortable day's run if you feel the need to press on Northwards. So the round trip of 2800 extra miles needs about 8 days. We came back down from the Nordkapp via the Baltic coast of Sweden and the total round trip from Calais back to Calais was about 6000 miles. It's a bloomin long way - but we loved it and hope to go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 One thing to bare in mind Norway is a VERY expensive country, so I guess fuel would be expensive. i know food is PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Tracker - 2012-02-12 7:29 PM If it helps, the drive from Calais to Oslo is about 1100 miles all on free dual carriageway and motorway and is a comfortable 3 day run as long as you have an Aires / Stellplatz book to find suitable overnight halts when you have had enough and before it gets dark. ....AFAIK, there is no way of driving the whole route without paying tolls (the Storabaelt Bridge, €49 each way, or €96 if over 3500kg). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks all,one of the reasons for wanting to use a ferry is to cut down on the hours on road. We have, in years gone by, been able to do the miles (Spain, Portugal etc) and have been to Norway and Denmark before, so know it can be expensive. Our problem is, Mrs H has had surgery and during the recovery stage cannot manage the long hours in the cab. So without a dependable direct ferry I think we will give it a miss for now. In time I may do the road trip and use the Malmo bridge. So it looks like France and Cornwall for 2012. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Robinhood - 2012-02-12 8:01 PM ..AFAIK, there is no way of driving the whole route without paying tolls (the Storabaelt Bridge, €49 each way, or €96 if over 3500kg). Yes quite right - I forgot to say that - in fact if memory serves there are two toll bridges the other being the Oresund which was slightly more expensive - but still cheaper than driving around the long way. We were under 3500kg and under 6 metres and the return cost for both bridges was around £100 in 2008 and is no doubt more now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Tracker - 2012-02-13 9:56 AM Robinhood - 2012-02-12 8:01 PM ..AFAIK, there is no way of driving the whole route without paying tolls (the Storabaelt Bridge, €49 each way, or €96 if over 3500kg). Yes quite right - I forgot to say that - in fact if memory serves there are two toll bridges the other being the Oresund which was slightly more expensive - but still cheaper than driving around the long way. We were under 3500kg and under 6 metres and the return cost for both bridges was around £100 in 2008 and is no doubt more now! ...I was keeping the Oresund bridge in reserve, as yes, it is more expensive. ;-) (I also crossed the Storebaelt last year so have a view of the costs). The probable charge for most 'vans being €86 each way, it makes an overall return cost for the two bridges of €270 (or €364 if over 3500kg). From a quick check, A return ferry from Hirtshals into Norway (avoiding all toll roads and bridges) in June will be about €250 (for a 7m van). If you are heading for fjord land, it also knocks 300+ miles off the driving. So, if, say, Bergen is the initial target, Malc's original suggestion of the Hirtshals ferry is probably better (and the bit of research I've done here confirms what I've mentally filed away from previous checks, preparing for our return sometime in the near future). If the mileage doesn't matter, you want to see a bit of Sweden, and/or you want the flexibility of not booking a crossing, then the bridges are fine, but somewhat more expensive, especially if over 3500kg.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Robinhood - 2012-02-13 11:03 AM If the mileage doesn't matter, you want to see a bit of Sweden, and/or you want the flexibility of not booking a crossing, then the bridges are fine, but somewhat more expensive, especially if over 3500kg.. Fair comment - we felt that the Southern part of Sweden is not particularly scenic and unless you want to see some of the sights of Goteborg or Oslo on the way the ferry does seem a better alternative route to the more scenic parts of Norway although you may lose some flexibility by having to pre book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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