 |
|
|
Brittany Ferries' flagship, the superb Pont Aven. Photo courtesy of Brittany Ferries. Watch the videoBook at Brittany-ferries.co.uk |
|
 |
|
|
Club cabin on the Pont Aven. At Santander, it's just a 6 minute walk to the station for a fast Alvia train to Madrid. |
Sail to Spain with www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
You can cruise to Spain on a luxurious ferry that's more like a liner than a traditional Channel ferry. Brittany Ferries now operates an unprecedented 5 sailings a week direct to Spain for much of the year on 3 different routes. Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao takes just 2 nights, 1 day. You can take your car of course, but on this page I explain the options for foot passengers with train connections.
Video: Madrid to London
via Brittany Ferries
On other pages: UK to Spain by
train
Which ferry route to choose?
-
Portsmouth to Santander
This is the ideal route for train+ferry travellers (unless you live closer to Plymouth), because the ferry-to-train arrangements in Santander are so easy.
Santander is a pleasant seaside town, the ferry terminal is right in the city centre just 6 minutes walk from the station for a fast train to Madrid or narrow-gauge train to Bilbao or Oviedo.
The Salamanca & Santoña operate this route twice a week all year taking 2 nights, 1 day. Check sailing dates & book at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. See details of the train+ferry journey.
-
Portsmouth to Bilbao
Bilbao is a larger and more industrial centre than Santander, but on the other hand it's home to the famous Guggenheim Museum of modern art, well worth a visit.
In Bilbao the ferry terminal in a suburb, you take a taxi to the nearest metro station then the metro into the city before boarding a fast train to Madrid. So not as easy as Santander. However, Bilbao is well-connected, with direct trains to San Sebastian & Barcelona as well as Madrid.
The Salamanca, Santoña & Galicia operate this route twice a week all year, taking 2 nights, 1 day. Check sailing dates & book at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. See details of the train+ferry journey.
-
Plymouth to Santander is the route to use if you live in the West Country.
The superb Pont Aven operates this route, sailing once a week from April to October. The Pont Aven is older but arguably the nicest ferry serving the British Isles, with a wide range of facilities including prestigious Commodore Class cabins with satellite TV and private balcony.
Check sailing dates & book at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. See details of the train+ferry journey.
About travel as a foot passenger
-
The ferries to Spain carry motorists, cyclists, freight and foot passengers.
-
Most sailings carry foot passengers with a full range of cabins available. In this case, no problem, go ahead and book!
-
Some sailings carry foot passengers, but departures mysteriously show all cabins 'sold out' - only reclining seats seem to be available. Now re-run the enquiry with Bicycle or Motorcycle selected rather than On foot - Aha, cabins magically appear, they are clearly not sold out at all! In my opinion, foot passengers' money should be just as good as motorists.
-
A few sailings may not carry foot passengers. You'll see foot passenger option missing (or the sailing dates missing) when booking online. You can try an alternative route or date, or you can try calling Brittany Ferries to see if a foot passenger place can be booked by phone.
London ► Spain
Via Portsmouth-Santander
-
Step 1, travel from London to Portsmouth by train
Trains run from London Waterloo to Portsmouth & Southsea twice an hour taking 1h30.
Look up ferry times first, then use a website such as tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com to check train times & fares. You should leave London Waterloo at least 4h before the ferry sailing time, for example at 15:00 for a 19:00 sailing or at 19:30 for a 23:59 sailing.
There are also direct trains from Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton, Southampton and Reading to Portsmouth & Southsea.
No reservation necessary on the trains, you can buy a ticket on the day if you like. However, there may be cheap advance fares if you pre-book and commit to a specific departure. Get off at Portsmouth & Southsea station for Portsmouth International Ferry Port, not Portsmouth Harbour.
A taxi from Portsmouth & Southsea station to the International Ferry Port costs around £7 or it's a 26-minute 1.1 mile walk, see walking map.
There's a 45 minute minimum check-in for the ferry, but always allow plenty of time between train and ferry in case of any delay.
-
Step 2, sail from Portsmouth to Santander by ferry
Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Santander twice a week for most of the year, leaving Portsmouth on Thursday & Friday evenings arriving Santander at 08:00 two nights later. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
The ships on this run are the modern 40,000 ton Salamanca and Santoña. All cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
Enjoy the departure from Portsmouth International Ferry Port as the ship sails right past Portsmouth's historic naval dockyard with Nelson's flagship HMS Victory and then Victorian ironclad HMS Warrior clearly visible from the ferry, as well as Portsmouth's new 'Spinnaker Tower'.
-
Step 3, travel from Santander by train
In Santander, the ferry arrives at the Estación Maritima right in the city centre, an easy 6 minute (450m) walk from the Renfe mainline station and the FEVE narrow-gauge station, see walking map. Map of Santander showing ferry terminal & stations.
I recommend allowing several hours between the ship's arrival and an onward train to allow for any delay to the ship.
For Madrid, An Alvia train leaves Santander at 14:35, change at Valladolid, arriving Madrid Chamartin 18:55. Or there's a direct Alvia train leaving Santander at 19:00, arriving Madrid Chamartin 23:07.
Or stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia just across the road from the ferry terminal and 6 minutes walk from the station. On Mondays-Saturdays the 07:05 Alvia train from Santander arrives Madrid Chamartin 11:19.
Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly).
Book these trains in advance as reservation is compulsory and there are cheap advance-purchase fares from around €28. Spanish high-speed trains can sell out so don't leave it to the last minute. Booking should open 60 days ahead, but often less.
For Alicante, stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia. On Mondays-Saturdays the 07:05 Alvia train from Santander goes direct to Alicante, arriving 14:43. Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.renfe.com.
For Bilbao, Oviedo or Gijon, take a narrow gauge local train formerly run by FEVE, now part of Renfe. The narrow-gauge station is next to the Renfe standard-gauge station and local trains run several times a day to Bilbao and to Oviedo with connections for Gijon. You won't find these trains on normal booking systems, go to www.renfe.com, look for Cercanias (commuter) then Cercanias-AM (AM = Ancho Metrico, metre gauge).
For Barcelona, Seville, Malaga: Travel to Madrid Chamartin as shown above and transfer to Madrid Atocha by local train. Stay overnight in Madrid, see suggested hotels near Atocha. Then take a train from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona, Seville, Malaga or anywhere else in southern Spain. Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly).
Luggage storage in Santander: There are no luggage lockers at the station, use the lockers on the lowest level of Santander bus station.
Via Portsmouth-Bilbao
-
Step 1, travel to Portsmouth by train
Trains run from London Waterloo to Portsmouth & Southsea twice an hour taking 1h30.
Look up ferry times first, then use a train operator website such as tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com to check train times & fares. You'll need to leave London Waterloo around 4h before the ferry sailing time, for example at 18:00 for a 21:45 sailing or at 18:30 for a 22:30 sailing.
There are also direct trains from Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton, Southampton and Reading to Portsmouth.
No reservation necessary on the trains, you can buy a ticket on the day if you like. However, there may be cheap advance fares if you pre-book and commit to a specific departure. Get off at Portsmouth & Southsea station for Portsmouth International Ferry Port, not Portsmouth Harbour.
A taxi from Portsmouth & Southsea station to the International Ferry Port costs around £7 or it's a 26-minute 1.1 mile walk, see walking map.
Remember there's a 45 minute minimum check-in for the ferry, but always allow plenty of time between train and ferry in case of any delay.
-
Step 2, sail from Portsmouth to Bilbao by ferry
The Portsmouth- Bilbao ferry operates twice a week from late March to early November, usually leaving Portsmouth in the evening on Tuesdays & Sundays, arriving Bilbao at 08:00 two nights later. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
Sailings on this route are operated by the 40,000 ton Salamanca, Santoña & Galicia. All cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
Enjoy the departure from Portsmouth International Ferry Port as the ship sails right past Portsmouth's historic naval dockyard with Nelson's flagship HMS Victory and then Victorian ironclad HMS Warrior clearly visible from the ferry, as well as Portsmouth's new 'Spinnaker Tower'.
-
Transfer from the ferry terminal to Bilbao
The ferry docks at Zierbena, 16 km northwest of central Bilbao, see map showing ferry terminal & stations.
Take a taxi from the ferry terminal to Santurtzi metro station, the 5 km taxi ride costs around €20, ask Brittany Ferries staff to call you a taxi.
Then take a metro train from Santurtzi to Bilbao Abando station in the city centre, these run every few minutes taking 27 minutes, it costs only a couple of euros, see www.metrobilbao.eus.
-
Step 3, travel from Bilbao to Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona by train
For Madrid, an Alvia train leaves Bilbao Abando at 17:35 daily except Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 22:10.
Or stay overnight in Bilbao: An Alvia train leaves Bilbao Abando at 07:00 daily except Sundays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 11:28.
Check times and buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
For Barcelona, an air-conditioned Alvia train leaves Bilbao Abando at 14:11 weekdays, 15:20 weekends, arriving Barcelona Sants 22:20.
Check times and buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
For San Sebastian, Bilbao's Matiko station has hourly narrow gauge trains to San Sebastian (Donostia-Amara) run by Euskotren, journey time 2h35, check train times & fares at www.euskotren.eus. No need to book, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.
Via Plymouth-Santander
-
Step 1, travel to Plymouth by train
Check train times to Plymouth at tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com.
In Plymouth, the ferry terminal is a 31-minute 1.4 mile walk from the station (see walking route) or take a taxi.
There's a 45 minute minimum check in for the ferry, but allow a couple of hours, never cut things fine.
-
Step 2, sail from Plymouth to Santander by ferry
This route operates from mid-March to early November, once or twice a week, sailing in the afternoon and arriving the following afternoon. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
This route is operated by Brittany Ferries' excellent Pont Aven, all cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
-
Step 3, travel from Santander to Madrid by train
In Santander, the ferry arrives at the Estación Maritima right in the city centre, an easy 6 minute (450m) walk from the Renfe mainline station and the FEVE narrow-gauge station, see walking map. Map of Santander showing ferry terminal & stations.
I recommend allowing several hours between the ship's arrival and an onward train to allow for any delay to the ship.
An Alvia train leaves Santander at 19:00, arriving Madrid Chamartin at 23:07.
Or stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia just across the road from the ferry terminal and 6 minutes walk from the station. Next morning, the 07:05 Alvia train from Santander arrives Madrid Chamartin 11:19 & Alicante 14:43.
Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly).
Book these trains in advance as reservation is compulsory and there are cheap advance-purchase fares from around €28. Spanish high-speed trains can sell out so don't leave it to the last minute. Booking should open 60 days ahead, but often less.
For Alicante, stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia. The 07:05 Alvia train from Santander goes direct to Alicante, arriving 14:43. Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.renfe.com.
For Bilbao, Oviedo or Gijon, take a narrow gauge local train formerly run by FEVE, now part of Renfe. The narrow-gauge station is next to the Renfe standard-gauge station and local trains run several times a day to Bilbao and to Oviedo with connections for Gijon. You won't find these trains on normal booking systems, go to www.renfe.com, look for Cercanias (commuter) then Cercanias-AM (AM = Ancho Metrico, metre gauge).
Spain ► London
Via Santander-Portsmouth
-
Step 1, travel to Santander by train
Check ferry times and sailing dates first, at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. The ferry sails at lunchtime, too early for safe same-day connections from Madrid, so you need to travel the day before:
From Madrid, An Alvia train leaves Madrid Chamartin at 13:40, arriving Santander 17:47. Another leaves Madrid Chamartin at 19:08, arriving Santander 23:12.
Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
Stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia, 6 minutes walk from the station and just across the road from the ferry terminal. Map of Santander showing station, hotel & ferry terminal.
From Alicante, an Alvia train leaves Alicante at 10:26 arriving Santander 17:47, then stay overnight in Santander. Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.renfe.com.
From Bilbao, Oviedo or Gijon, take a narrow gauge local train to Santander, formerly run by FEVE, now absorbed into Renfe. In Santander, the narrow-gauge station is next to the Renfe standard-gauge station. You won't find these trains on normal booking systems, go to www.renfe.com, look for Cercanias (commuter) then Cercanias-AM (AM = Ancho Metrico, metre gauge). A same day connection may or may not be possible, never cut it fine when catching a ferry.
From Barcelona, Seville, Malaga: Take a train to Madrid Atocha and transfer to Madrid Chamartin by local train, I'd allow at least 2h between trains in Madrid. Then travel from Madrid Chamartin to Santander as shown above. Check train times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
-
Step 2, sail from Santander to Portsmouth by ferry
Brittany Ferries sails from Santander to Portsmouth all year round, usually twice a week leaving Santander at lunchtime on Saturdays & Sundays, arriving Portsmouth in the evening next day. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
The ships on are the modern 40,000 ton Salamanca and Santoña. All cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
Make sure you're on deck for the arrival into Portsmouth, past the Spinnaker Tower and naval dockyard, past HMS Warrior & HMS Victory.
-
Step 3, travel from Portsmouth to London by train
A taxi from Portsmouth International Ferry Port to Portsmouth & Southsea costs around £7 or it's a 26-minute 1.1 mile walk, see walking map.
Trains link Portsmouth & Southsea with London Waterloo twice an hour taking 1h30. Buy a ticket on the day and hop on the next train.
There are also direct trains from Portsmouth & Southsea to Brighton, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol & Cardiff.
Check times using a train operator website such as tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com.
Via Bilbao-Portsmouth
-
Step 1, travel from Madrid, Barcelona or San Sebastian to Bilbao by train
From Madrid: On days when the ferry sails in the evening, leave Madrid Chamartin 07:05, arriving Bilbao Abando 11:47. On days when the ferry sails at lunchtime, leave Madrid Chamartin at 17:38 the evening before arriving Bilbao Abando at 22:21 and stay overnight in Bilbao.
Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
From Barcelona, an Alvia train leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:38 arriving Bilbao Abando 15:36. On days when the ferry sails in the evening, a same-day conne3ction is possible. When the ferry sails at lunchtime, travel the day before and stay overnight in Bilbao.
Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
From San Sebastian, take an hourly narrow gauge train from San Sebastian's Donostia-Amara station to Bilbao's Matiko station. The line is run by Euskotren, journey time 2h35, check train times & fares at www.euskotren.eus. No need to book, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train. A same-day connection is possible for all sailings.
-
Transfer from Bilbao city centre to Bilbao ferry terminal
The ferry terminal is in Zierbena, 16 km northwest of central Bilbao, see map showing ferry terminal & stations
Take a metro train from Bilbao Abando station in the city centre to Santurtzi metro station, these run every few minutes taking 27 minutes, it costs only a couple of euros, see www.metrobilbao.eus.
Walk from Santurtzi station to the tourist information centre (3 minutes, see walking map), and ask them to call you a taxi.
Take a taxi from Santurtzi tourist information centre to the ferry terminal at Zierbena. The 5 km taxi ride costs around €20.
-
Step 2, sail from Bilbao to Portsmouth by ferry
Brittany Ferries sails from Bilbao to Portsmouth all year round, usually twice a week leaving Bilbao at lunchtime on Tuesdays or early evening on Thursdays, arriving Portsmouth in the evening next day. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
The ships on are the modern 40,000 ton Salamanca, Santoña & Galicia. All cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
Make sure you're on deck for the arrival into Portsmouth, past the Spinnaker Tower and naval dockyard, past HMS Warrior & HMS Victory.
-
Step 3, travel from Portsmouth to London by train
A taxi from Portsmouth International Ferry Port to Portsmouth & Southsea costs around £7 or it's a 26-minute 1.1 mile walk, see walking map.
Trains link Portsmouth & Southsea with London Waterloo twice an hour taking 1h30. Buy a ticket on the day and hop on the next train.
There are also direct trains from Portsmouth & Southsea to Brighton, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol & Cardiff.
Check times using a train operator website such as tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com.
Via Santander-Plymouth
-
Step 1, travel from Madrid to Santander by train
Check ferry times and sailing dates first, at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. The ferry usually sails late afternoon, arriving the following day.
An Alvia train leaves Madrid Chamartin at 07:45, arriving Santander 11:50.
Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $) or www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly).
From Alicante, an Alvia train leaves Alicante at 10:26, arriving Santander 17:47, then stay overnight in Santander. Times may vary, check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.renfe.com.
From Bilbao, Oviedo or Gijon, take a narrow gauge local train to Santander, formerly run by FEVE, now absorbed into Renfe. In Santander, the narrow-gauge station is next to the Renfe standard-gauge station. You won't find these trains on normal booking systems, go to www.renfe.com, look for Cercanias (commuter) then Cercanias-AM (AM = Ancho Metrico, metre gauge). A same day connection should be possible, but never cut it fine when catching a ferry.
-
Step 2, sail from Santander to Plymouth by ferry
This route operates from mid-March to early November, once or twice a week, sailing late afternoon and arriving the following day. Sailing days & times vary so check at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
This route is operated by Brittany Ferries' excellent Pont Aven, all cabins have shower & toilet, there are restaurants, bars, children's play areas, sun deck, cafe, shops, cinema.
-
Step 3, travel from Plymouth by train
Check train times from Plymouth to anywhere in Britain at tfw.wales or www.thetrainline.com.
In Plymouth, the ferry terminal is a 31-minute 1.4 mile walk from the station (see walking route) or take a taxi.
How much does it cost?
-
London to Portsmouth by train starts at £9.70 each way if you pre-book an Advance ticket.
These are advance-purchase fares good for the specified train only, the price varies with limited availability at each price level. However, I wouldn't buy an Advance fare on an inward journey to the UK in case the ferry is late or rescheduled, unless you allow many hours buffer time.
If you buy on the day, a one-way ticket costs £39.90 Super Off-Peak or £47.40 Anytime.
A return ticket costs £52.60 Super Off-Peak Return valid for a month or £94.80 Anytime Return if you need to travel in the Monday-Friday morning peak hours. No advance reservation is necessary for Super Off-Peak, Off-Peak or Anytime fares.
-
Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao starts at around £120 each way per person.
You need to add the cost of either a reclining seat (from £9) or a private cabin. The cheapest 4-berth inside cabin starts at £99 (per cabin, not per person). However, fares and cabin prices vary just like air fares, so check prices at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
-
Santander to Madrid starts at €33 in standard class, €44 in comfort class.
Fares vary like air fares, book a few weeks ahead to get the cheapest fares. Explanation of how Spanish fares & classes work.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, book the ferry at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
Booking opens up to a year in advance. Book early as sailings to Spain are popular and cabins can sell out. The Commodore and Club cabins and Commodore lounge access sell out first, inside 4-berths and reclining seats are the last to sell out.
-
Step 2, buy a train ticket to Portsmouth & Southsea or Plymouth at any train operator website such as tfw.wales.
If you want a cheap Advance ticket, book a few weeks ahead. Flexible Off-Peak & Anytime tickets can be bought on the day of travel, no need to commit your money in advance. However, I would not recommend booking a train-specific Advance ticket in connection with a ferry arriving in Portsmouth or Plymouth as the ferry might be late or rescheduled.
-
Step 3, buy train tickets in Spain at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, prices in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (Renfe's own site, in €, more fiddly, can struggle with overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
Renfe opens bookings days or weeks ahead, not months & months, so I'd book a month ahead, tops. Beyond that, data is often incomplete with some trains missing until closer to departure date. But it's worth booking a few days or weeks ahead as the morning and evening trains between Santander or Bilbao and Madrid can become fully-booked close to departure date. Explanation of how Spanish fares & classes work.
Route map
Travel tips
-
Bikes
The ferry takes bikes, just add one to your booking at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. Bikes travel for free on most British trains see the information here. Bikes can be taken on some Spanish trains, for more details see here.
-
Dogs & pets
You can take you dog if you take your car on the ferry. Brittany Ferries offer pet-friendly cabins, but book early as these sell out fast. However, foot passengers cannot take dogs.
-
Wheelchair users
Brittany Ferries offer wheelchair-accessible cabins on these ferry routes. The trains are also wheelchair-accessible.
-
Sailing updates
Always check the Brittany Ferries sailing updates page the day before your sailing.
What's the journey like?
The ferries offer a choice of restaurants & bars, cabins, sun decks & cinema. All cabins come with en suite toilet & shower, a small dressing table, and 2-pin European type power sockets for recharging laptops, cameras or mobiles. The Pont Aven even has a small indoor swimming pool with poolside bar, two cinemas, and free WiFi internet access (in public areas but not in cabins). These ships make getting to Spain as much a cruise as a ferry crossing. A great way to reach Spain with or without your car, flight-free.
Cabin range on the Salamanca, Santoña & Galicia: 4-berth inside, 4-berth outside (meaning with window), 2-berth outside club cabins (tea/coffee making facilities and access to the Commodore lounge included) and Commodore suite with double bed (tea/coffee making facilities and access to the Commodore lounge included). All cabins have a private shower & toilet, with bedding, towels, soap & shampoo provided. They have USB and UK+European power outlets. Wheelchair accessible cabins are also available.
Cabin range on the Pont Aven: Standard inside cabins (1 or 2 berths), standard outside cabins (1-4 berths with window), Club cabins (similar to standard outside cabins but with two lower berths, satellite TV with several UK channels, and tea/coffee facilities), Deluxe cabins (with TV/DVD player, tea/coffee facilities, twin beds, complimentary continental breakfast served in the cabin) and Commodore Class cabins (similar facilities as the Deluxe cabins but significantly larger & with private balcony).
Video guide: Madrid to London with Brittany Ferries
See for yourself how straightforward and comfortable a journey via Brittany Ferries can be! This shows a northbound trip from Madrid Atocha to London Waterloo, on Brittany ferries Pont-Aven from Santander to Portsmouth. This route is now operated by the Galicia & Salamanca.
Hotels in Spain
In Santander: If you need to stay overnight in Santander, I recommend the Hotel Bahia, a modern hotel directly across the road from the ferry terminal and a 6-minute walk from the railway station.
Backpacker hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & VPN
|
|
|
|
|
Always take out travel insurance
You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit. These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection and gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
|
|
Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. There's no need to buy a physical SIM card! Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
|
|
Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards. And you can get a Curve card for free.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
|
|
Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I also get some commission to help support this site.
|
|
Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone. You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com.
Touring cities? Use hill walking shoes!
One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa. They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities. My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!