# Ferry - Harwich to Hoek van Holland



## iLB (14 Mar 2016)

Anyone got any experience? Recommend the overnight one or not? 

Should be jumping on either Wednesday morning or evening, then heading for eastern Europe and beyond.


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## hopless500 (14 Mar 2016)

Daytime crossing was fine. Booked a cabin for the daytime to put panniers and stuff in. Cheap and very useful. 
Left it too late for the night crossing.. it got booked rather quickly due to the TdF.
Ferry was late leaving but arrived on time.


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## Hill Wimp (14 Mar 2016)

^^^ wot she said.

Would certainly book a cabin again as it lets you have a snooze in peace from the crowds.


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## Glow worm (14 Mar 2016)

Overnight was brilliant. Lovely comfortable cabin. Happy with where they let me lock my bike down below. First on and first off the ferry too. Nice clean ship with plenty to do on board. Best of all, you wake up in lovely Holland on the way out. All good!


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## newfhouse (14 Mar 2016)

iLB said:


> Anyone got any experience? Recommend the overnight one or not?
> 
> Should be jumping on either Wednesday morning or evening, then heading for eastern Europe and beyond.


I used the evening sailing when I rode to Copenhagen last summer and for me it was the right choice. It meant I was was fresh on arrival and ready for a full day of riding. I wouldn't go for their over-priced breakfast again, would have been better stopping somewhere en route.


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## MichaelW2 (14 Mar 2016)

I used daytime crossing and had a leisurely amble to the first campsite a few km N of Hague.


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## tonyg52 (14 Mar 2016)

I used the night time crossing arrived fresh and rested after a goodnight sleep.


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## slowmotion (14 Mar 2016)

I've been on the overnight Stena ferry several times and it's great fun. The cabins are very comfortable, with a shower and a loo, and the Dutch staff are delightful. The food is good too. It's worth taking a couple of 400mm lengths of nylon cord to tie your bars to the slightly strange bike racks.


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## derrick (14 Mar 2016)

Overnight, Just enough time in the morning for a good Breakfast, Sets you up for the day.


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## db7db7 (14 Mar 2016)

Overnight last year for my mini Euro tour. Cabin, showers, bed, electric all worth the cost. I thino you have to book a cabin on the overnight crossing. One tip: take a snack for any food or breakfast you need - the facilities were rammed so i did this and got off to bed early and (suprisingly) there wasn't a cafe or similar open near tue Dutch port so i had to wait until Rotterdam before a substantial feed.


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## slowmotion (14 Mar 2016)

db7db7 said:


> Overnight last year for my mini Euro tour. Cabin, showers, bed, electric all worth the cost. I thino you have to book a cabin on the overnight crossing. One tip: take a snack for any food or breakfast you need - the facilities were rammed so i did this and got off to bed early and (suprisingly) there wasn't a cafe or similar open near tue Dutch port so i had to wait until Rotterdam before a substantial feed.


There's a café on Pastoor Onderwaterstraat, very close to Hoek van Holland Haven train station, only a few yards from the ferry terminal exit/entrance. It's always been open early when I've passed by.


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## Tigerbiten (14 Mar 2016)

Another vote for the night ferry.
Unless you've cycled for a few days to the port and need a rest day, I don't see any point in taking a day doing nothing.
You're only looking at an extra £32 for the cheapest overnight cabin, which is not bad for a bed


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## steveindenmark (14 Mar 2016)

I think it's nice to relax and have a beer, get a good nights sleep and breakfast. It's a good way to start a holiday. Especially if your trip involves wild camping.


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## jefmcg (14 Mar 2016)

Do they still play "Don't worry, be happy" at an unnecessarily early hour and unnecessarily loud volume to make sure you get up in time to buy breakfast?


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## doog (14 Mar 2016)

jefmcg said:


> Do they still play "Don't worry, be happy" at an unnecessarily early hour and unnecessarily loud volume to make sure you get up in time to buy breakfast?




The early morning breakfast call was a right royal pain in the arse. We were all late on (10pm) after queuing on the ramp for ages in the cold. Take off the hour time difference, that daft early call and the overnight sailing was a bit of a squeeze time wise after a quick beer / snack upstairs...

Having camped for 3 days earlier I was thankful for a decent bed so cant complain but I understand loading times can be quite a bit earlier..1930hrs or thereabouts would have been ideal.


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## Brains (15 Mar 2016)

Done both day and night runs. 
Harwich/Hook is our preferred route to northern Europe and soooo much nice than Dover/Calais

Living in London the night run is really good as you can get to Harwich, get a decent meal in the town, get on the ferry as soon as they let people on at about 20.00 and then an early night in a nice cabin.
(Or if you are not the first driver then eat on board, good, but quite expensive, the restaurant is open until about 23.30 when the ship departs, advance booking recommended)

Up with the lark in the morning, the ship gets in around 06.30 local time (05.30 body time!) don't get the ship breakfast (as it's a bit of a bun fight), you will be clear of customs before 8am Dutch time, get an hour down the road (Delft is good) and then get breakfast.
You can be in Germany for an early lunch and Berlin by early evening (with two drivers) 

The day run is fine, but a bit of a waste of a day


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## snorri (15 Mar 2016)

The overnight sailing suits me, but the very early morning call is a right pain, and I don't think it can be silenced, I fell asleep again on one occasion and was wakened by the cleaning staff which caused me a degree of panic. No breakfast and last through customs.
If you cant find a cafe in the Hoek, there is one in central Maassluis (if you are heading along the Nieuwe Waterweg).


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## slowmotion (15 Mar 2016)

jefmcg said:


> Do they still play "Don't worry, be happy" at an unnecessarily early hour and unnecessarily loud volume to make sure you get up in time to buy breakfast?


I once managed to sleep through that and emerged from my cabin to find all the other passengers had already disembarked. It was a bit strange to dash down to my bike to find a completely empty car deck. Fortunately I found the café by the station and fuelled up.

Edit: Sorry, cross-post with @snorri.


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## steveindenmark (15 Mar 2016)

I like the early morning call. It gives me time to get up and have a shower, get out on deck and get breakfast. You get to see the land coming closer and what promises to be the start of a new adventure.

If you find it hard to get up early, go to bed earlier.


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## ianrauk (15 Mar 2016)

Mr @iLB 's. Good luck and God speed on your journey.
He hasn't said because he's that type of guy. Harwich is his first port of call of many for his ride, as he cycles all the way to India.


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## StuartG (15 Mar 2016)

Its been mentioned before but take spare bungee cords. The cycle provision was designed for Dutch bikes that don't normally feature low dropped handlebars so the 'fit' into the slots can be a bit awkward with the front of your bike pointing precariously at the ceiling. Otherwise Harwich-Hook is brilliant. Hook-Harwich isn't. Well it is until you disembark!


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## andym (16 Mar 2016)

Tigerbiten said:


> You're only looking at an extra £32 for the cheapest overnight cabin, which is not bad for a bed



I went to the Stena site because I thought 'is that for a bed in a shared cabin?' - but no it's a single inside cabin. So probably the same price as an overnight stay in a B&B in Harwich. Given the early departure time (08:00) of the day ferry, it looks like that's the way to go unless you live close to Harwich.


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## SavageHoutkop (16 Mar 2016)

We've done it, think we have done overnight and overday (we've certainly overdayed on one ferry). Onboard food is not very exciting at all; would sort your own. There might still be an oriental style teppanyaki joint on the Dutch side if you are after supper, that was quite good. Brittany ferries, now, that has good food 

We were asked to prove where in the Netherlands we were staying by the border guards once. Luckily I had a B&B printout but I was quite miffed - what if we were backpacking or something?


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## toffee (16 Mar 2016)

StuartG said:


> Its been mentioned before but take spare bungee cords. The cycle provision was designed for Dutch bikes that don't normally feature low dropped handlebars so the 'fit' into the slots can be a bit awkward with the front of your bike pointing precariously at the ceiling. Otherwise Harwich-Hook is brilliant. Hook-Harwich isn't. Well it is until you disembark!



You don't happen to have a photo of he do you?
Going that way in July and it would be good to see what we need to do. 

Derek


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## e-rider (16 Mar 2016)

iLB said:


> Anyone got any experience? Recommend the overnight one or not?
> 
> Should be jumping on either Wednesday morning or evening, then heading for eastern Europe and beyond.


done this route loads of times by car and bicycle - day takes about 6-7 hours, overnight is more enjoyable - go to the bar, then to bed, and then have breakfast before heading off the ferry in the morning


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## slowmotion (16 Mar 2016)

@toffee, here's a photo. The cradles that take drop bars tend to snag the gear/brake cables.


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## SavageHoutkop (16 Mar 2016)

[QUOTE 4197775, member: 45"]Will you all please stop it?? You've got me and my bike trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to get from the South West over to Harwich.[/QUOTE]
Train from Liverpool Street...


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## Tigerbiten (16 Mar 2016)

User said:


> It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.


All the ferries on the Harwich-Hoek night route that I've used had that hook system.
On the Newcastle-Ijmuiden route ferry it's was tie your bike to the railings.


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## toffee (16 Mar 2016)

slowmotion said:


> View attachment 121806
> View attachment 121805
> @toffee, here's a photo. The cradles that take drop bars tend to snag the gear/brake cables.


Thanks for the info @slowmotion . Did you also lock the bike to the rack?

Derek


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## slowmotion (16 Mar 2016)

User said:


> It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.





toffee said:


> Thanks for the info @slowmotion . Did you also lock the bike to the rack?
> 
> Derek


I did. Most people didn't.


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## newfhouse (16 Mar 2016)

StuartG said:


> Its been mentioned before but take spare bungee cords. The cycle provision was designed for Dutch bikes that don't normally feature low dropped handlebars so the 'fit' into the slots can be a bit awkward with the front of your bike pointing precariously at the ceiling.


Good advice. I also had to remove my lights and GPS mount to get a reasonably secure fit.



toffee said:


> Did you also lock the bike to the rack?


Definitely yes. There will be lots of vans and lorries on board and it wouldn't take much effort for an opportunist to put your bike in the back of one. I was carrying a long cable lock anyway.


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## jefmcg (16 Mar 2016)

steveindenmark said:


> If you find it hard to get up early, go to bed earlier.


I didn't see any notices about being woken up by obscenely loud annoying music an hour before a reasonable person would set an alarm. If I had, I might have gone to bed earlier. We went to bed at a sensible time for getting up according to the schedule disembarkation time. 

The breakfast offerings were unappealing and over priced, and as we were catching the train to Amsterdam (this wasn't a cycling holiday) decided to forgo them for a better breakfast in the city.

It was clear to me the wake up call was to sell breakfast. I doubt many people would have planned to be out of their cabins in time to eat, if they had been left to their own devices.


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## slowmotion (16 Mar 2016)

User said:


> It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.


 The ramp has steel corrugations that make it extemely hard to make any forward progress, rather like riding through treacle. I've never managed to make it to the top without walking.


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## CopperBrompton (18 Mar 2016)

Overnight crossing is great bar the extremely loud (and unnecessarily early) PA announcements trying to sell you breakfast.

Cabins:


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## TheDoctor (19 Mar 2016)

Are they still playing Don't Worry Be Happy as a wake-up call?
It made me quite unreasonably unhappy last time...


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## jefmcg (19 Mar 2016)

TheDoctor said:


> Are they still playing Don't Worry Be Happy as a wake-up call?
> It made me quite unreasonably unhappy last time...


OK. We can close this thread. It's gone around full circle.


jefmcg said:


> Do they still play "Don't worry, be happy" at an unnecessarily early hour and unnecessarily loud volume to make sure you get up in time to buy breakfast?


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## srw (19 Mar 2016)

I think every overnight ferry I've ever been on has piped music into the cabins an hour before docking. They presumably assume that everyone is going to be hungover and need shocking out of bed.


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## e-rider (19 Mar 2016)

User said:


> It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.


that's not true, both ships have both systems - depends what you get directed to by the staff


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## e-rider (19 Mar 2016)

jefmcg said:


> I didn't see any notices about being woken up by obscenely loud annoying music an hour before a reasonable person would set an alarm. If I had, I might have gone to bed earlier. We went to bed at a sensible time for getting up according to the schedule disembarkation time.
> 
> The breakfast offerings were unappealing and over priced, and as we were catching the train to Amsterdam (this wasn't a cycling holiday) decided to forgo them for a better breakfast in the city.
> 
> It was clear to me the wake up call was to sell breakfast. I doubt many people would have planned to be out of their cabins in time to eat, if they had been left to their own devices.


I had breakfast included in my deal, and it was nice enough. i did notice that it was quite expensive though, although what would you expect - £3.99 IKEA price???


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## doog (19 Mar 2016)

Didnt see any fancy racks, in truth the staff couldnt cope with amount of cyclists so best avoid a Friday night as it was a free for all.

I think weve clarified the breakfast call is very intrusive and serves one purpose.....to sell food.

Earplugs wont work either..


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## andym (19 Mar 2016)

No doubt the people who've used this service before know this, but looking at their site there's a £4 option that gives you a flexible ticket:



> Pay no amendment fees for changing your booking
> 
> Full refund* up to 24 hours before day of departure
> 
> ...



Which is attractive if, like me, you are setting off with only a rough idea of when you are coming back.


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## snorri (19 Mar 2016)

toffee said:


> You don't happen to have a photo of he do you?
> Going that way in July and it would be good to see what we need to do.


You don't need to use these silly racks, there are also rails at various points on the vehicle decks which provide secure fixing points without having to "squeeze" your bike in between others onthe racks, an important point for touring bikes laden with panniers. I prefer short lengths (2metre) of light line rather than bungees to secure the bike.
Top tip, Do take a slip of paper off the pad as you leave the vehicle deck and enter the lift/stairwell. This provides you with a reminder of where your bike is stowed,--deck number and access door--, for when you want to find your bike in the morning.


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## slowmotion (19 Mar 2016)

Some of the posts on this thread make me feel unusually un grumpy. You are going on an adventure. Why dwell on the tiny little niggles? I always find it to be great ship if you are in the right frame of mind.


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## snorri (19 Mar 2016)

[QUOTE 4197775, member: 45"]Will you all please stop it?? You've got me and my bike trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to get from the South West over to Harwich.[/QUOTE]
Assuming you are travelling via London, I would suggest you take a train from there out beyond the urban sprawl that is London. If taking the train to Harwich, make sure you are on a direct train otherwise you may have to change at Manningtree which involves change of platform and carrying bike down and up one flight of stairs. Or, you could cycle from Manningtree to Harwich, a pleasant cycle run with eateries along the way.


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## snorri (19 Mar 2016)

slowmotion said:


> Some of the posts on this thread make me feel unusually un grumpy. You are go on an adventure. Why dwell on the tiny little niggles? I always find it to be great ship if you are in the right frame of mind.


Well said slomo, I couldn't just "Like" your post, that would have been inadequate.


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## psmiffy (19 Mar 2016)

I like the load "breakfast call" - Im a bit deaf so it gives me time to go out on deck and decide if I need longs to start off with and pick up a cup of coffee, get showered and ready for the off - Harwich I always try to be last bicycle so mine is most accessible - I always take the train from Liverpool Street - I have never managed to find a second lift (the obvious one only seems to work half the time) down to the platform - taking a fully loaded bike down the escalator is "interesting"


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## andym (20 Mar 2016)

psmiffy said:


> I  I always take the train from Liverpool Street - I have never managed to find a second lift (the obvious one only seems to work half the time) down to the platform - taking a fully loaded bike down the escalator is "interesting"



The station plan shows a 'sloping footpath' on the Broadgate side of the station which presumably goes to street level. Looking at Google Maps I'm guessing that it comes out on Pindar Street. Never used it, but might be worth checking out.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/SME/html/NRE_LST/plan.html?rtnloc=LST


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## psmiffy (20 Mar 2016)

Ive only ever taken recourse to the escalator the once - was a bit short of time for exploring - subsequently checked that map to see if there is a second lift and seen that "sloped footpath" but haven't been back to check it out"

As an aside the Colchester to Harwich line is a bit susceptible to line closures at weekends with bus replacements


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## jefmcg (20 Mar 2016)

The broadgate street entrance is at platform level


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## andym (20 Mar 2016)

jefmcg said:


> The broadgate street entrance is at platform level



Yes I remember now, and there's a slope down to it past a sculpture (a bull? Or am I thinking of somewhere else?).

Anyway here's the map.There's an entrance onto Broadgate and then the Broadgate Link which leads to the 'sloping footpath'. The Broadgate entrance is probably the easiest.


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## jefmcg (20 Mar 2016)

andym said:


> Yes I remember now, and there's a slope down to it past a sculpture (a bull? Or am I thinking of somewhere else?)


It's children. I think it might be Kindertransport

Edit http://www.frank-meisler.com/kindertransport/

The artist has done matching statues in Gdansk, Berlin and (on topic) Hook of Holland.


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## iLB (20 Mar 2016)

I bagged some desert in the evening and an espresso in the morning in the truckers lounge. Thumbs up.


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## psmiffy (20 Mar 2016)

my memory is playing tricks on me - I have been back - however the lift was working so I used it


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## andym (20 Mar 2016)

Has anyone used this to try to book a single journey back from the Netherlands?

According to the FAQ on the Stena Line site:



> *Q: How do I book the Dutchflyer starting in the Netherlands? *
> 
> *A: *Simply visit our Dutch site at www.stenaline.nl/ferry/londen/ and go through the booking process. Unfortunately if you switch the site to ‘English’ you will only be able to book the Dutchflyer from the Hook of Holland (we’re working on this!) so please leave it in Dutch.



Which is all very well, but if you go to the Dutch site there doesn't seem to be any way to book a bike ticket - the system says that the tickets can only be sold to foot passengers, while the UK version lets you book a person and a bike. I'm assuming that it's not a problem buying a bike ticket at Hoek van Holland but in the end I decided I'd just buy a ticket for the ferry crossing as this seems the most straightforward option.

Thanks.


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## slowmotion (20 Mar 2016)

iLB said:


> I bagged some desert in the evening and an espresso in the morning in the truckers lounge. Thumbs up.


I never had the nerve to try the truckers canteen


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## slowmotion (20 Mar 2016)

The vegetarian buffet for supper on the ferry is really quite a good deal........and I would normally shudder in horror at the prospect of a meal described thus.


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## ceepeebee (21 Mar 2016)

I'm off on this in 3 weeks time, for my 5th year running. I just love it, and like it's been said above, it's all an adventure. For me, the glorious tones of Bobby mcferrin mean that in a couple of hours I'll be heading north on the deity of your choice's own cycle path, the LF1. If you can ride an hour or so without breakfast there's a good bakery at the far end of Scheveningen (left side of main drag, just before you turn right down to where you go back into the dunes). I usually stock up there with krentenbollen and kaasbroodjes.


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## mmmmartin (24 Mar 2016)

andym said:


> Dutch site there doesn't seem to be any way to book a bike ticket - the system says that the tickets can only be sold to foot passengers.


you buy the Rail/Sail ticket for a foot passenger (this means your train journey to L'poo St is much cheaper) then email or phone the nice Dutch people and arrange to arrive at the Hoek terminal and pay a few euros extra to take the bike on the boat. Thus you get the ferry journey and cabin plus train fare. 
And at L'poo St bikes can be wheeled through the western entrance without using lift or stairs. 
Finally, I have found the food on the ferry to be very good, and a reasonable price. Certainly enough for a morning's cycling to a shop. 
Netherlands is cycling heaven.


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## ianrauk (24 Mar 2016)

ILB's is fair way into his trip, currently in Germany, on his way to Berlin. Enjoying life on the road.


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## andym (24 Mar 2016)

Heads up for anyone looking to travel this weekend it looks like there's a bus replacement service over the Easter break.



mmmmartin said:


> you buy the Rail/Sail ticket for a foot passenger (this means your train journey to L'poo St is much cheaper) then email or phone the nice Dutch people and arrange to arrive at the Hoek terminal and pay a few euros extra to take the bike on the boat. Thus you get the ferry journey and cabin plus train fare.



Thanks for that, surprisingly it didn't look like there was much of a saving: the fare I was being quoted was (IIRC) 67€ (plus I would have had to buy a bike ticket for the Dutch bit), compared with £43 for the ferry-only deck-passenger ticket. Advance tickets for Harwich to Liverpool Street are £10.80 and Amsterdam - Hoek van Holland was (again, IIRC) 17€. I guess compared with the full walk-up fares there may be some saving —or is there something I've misunderstood?

The Dutch version of the website didn't seem to offer the flexible ticket, so, all things considered, I decided I might just as well buy the flexible ferry-only ticket from the UK site and buy the other tickets when I have definite dates.


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## mjr (20 Dec 2019)

News for cyclists using Harwich:

1. One of the boats in 2019 was playing something other than Don't Worry Be Happy as the wake-up call but I can't remember what it was.
2. If you don't mind losing an hour or so potential riding time, the cafe next to the tourist info in the market square of Hook of Holland does a good breakfast deal and opens soon after you'll have got through the port controls.
3. If you're taking the trains in the Netherlands, the ferry arrives at 8am, but you cannot take bikes on the metro to Schiedam before 9am, whereas The Hague's stations are only 12 miles away by a direct route and have trains to more destinations.
4. If you're cycling between Harwich and Ipswich or Bury St Eds, there's a new cycleway recently opened between Brantham/Cattawade and Manningtree station, which improves Manningtree's connection to Suffolk Cycle Route B (and thence to the signed routes network). I've not tried it yet.
5. Although it's a footpath, it looks like the gates/stiles have gone from the mostly-soft-surfaced Essex Way / Ray Lane between Refinery Road Parkeston and B1352 Wrabness Road so it may be cycleable again, cutting a mile off and avoiding the choice between busier roads or the obnoxiously substandard National Route 51 link (exemplified by the unmarked high kerb across it right by the port exit). I've not tried it yet.


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