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Brittany Ferries' flagship, the superb Pont Aven. Photo courtesy of Brittany Ferries... Watch the video...Book online at Brittany-ferries.co.uk |
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A cabin on the Pont Aven. At Santander, it's just a 7 minute walk to the railway station for a high-speed Alvia train to Madrid... |
Cruise to Spain with www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
Why not cruise to Spain, on a luxury ferry that has more in common with a cruise liner than old-fashioned Channel ferries? Brittany Ferries operates three direct ferry routes from the UK to Spain with a time-effective crossing time from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao of 2 nights, 1 day. With ferry passenger numbers growing whilst airline passengers to Spain have been falling. For much of the year, Brittany ferries now offer an unprecedented 5 cruise ferry sailings a week direct to Spain. You can take your car, of course, and on this page I'll explain the options for travel as a foot passenger with train connections.
Video: Madrid to London
via Brittany Ferries
What's it like on board the
ferry to Spain?
Train travel between the UK & Spain
Which ferry route to choose?
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Portsmouth to Santander is usually operated by one of Brittany Ferries' newest ships, the Galicia.
It offers the most frequent sailings, normally twice a week all year round taking 2 nights, 1 day. It's bookable online at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
Santander is a pleasant seaside town, the ferry terminal is right in the city centre an easy 7 minute walk from the mainline rail station.
Local trains run from Santander to Bilbao. High-speed trains run from Santander to Madrid.
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Plymouth to Santander is also a good route, it runs April-October only, usually operated by the older Pont Aven, one of the very best ferries serving the British Isles, with the wider range of facilities, including the prestigious (and popular) Commodore Class cabins with lounge area, satellite TV and private balcony.
Also bookable online at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
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Portsmouth to Bilbao is usually operated by another new ship, the Salamanca.
It also operates twice a week all year, taking 2 nights, 1 day.
In Bilbao the ferry terminal in a suburb, you'll need a taxi to the nearest metro station then a metro train into the city centre.
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, and has direct trains not only to Madrid but to San Sebastian, Zaragoza & Barcelona.
About travel as a foot passenger
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The ferries to Spain carry motorists & freight, and usually foot passengers too. But be aware when booking at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk:
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Some sailings carry foot passengers with a full range of cabins available. In this case, no problem, go ahead and book!
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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! The solution here is to book with a bike or motorbike added, then turn up as a foot passenger, explaining you decided to leave the bike at home. You could try calling Brittany Ferries afterwards and seeing if they'll remove the bike for you, though I doubt this will succeed. You may just have to bike the bullet and pay a bit extra for a bike you won't be taking.
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A few sailings may not carry foot passengers at all. 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
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This is usually the easiest and most frequent route for train+ferry passengers, unless you live in the West Country when a sailing from Plymouth to Santander may be more convenient.
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Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Santander all year round, usually twice a week leaving Portsmouth on Mondays & Fridays at 21:30, arriving Santander at 08:00 two nights later. However, sailing days & times vary so check online at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
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Enjoy the departure from Portsmouth Continental 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'. In Santander, the ferry docks right in the city centre, a short walk from Santander's mainline railway station for trains to Madrid and Alicante.
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Train connection from London to Portsmouth: Trains run from London Waterloo to Portsmouth & Southsea station every half hour, journey time 1hour 35 minutes, see www.nationalrail.co.uk to check UK times & fares. No reservation possible or necessary, just turn up and buy a ticket on the day. You should use Portsmouth & Southsea station as this is closest to the Continental Ferry Terminal, not Portsmouth Harbour. A taxi from Portsmouth & Southsea to the Continental Ferry Port costs around £6. 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. See the UK page for train information within Britain. There are also direct trains from Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton, Southampton and Reading to Portsmouth.
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Train connections from Santander to Madrid & the rest of Spain: In Santander, the ferry arrives at the Estación Maritima right in the city centre, an easy 7 minute (500m) walk from the Renfe mainline station and the FEVE narrow-gauge station. Three daily high-speed Alvia trains run from Santander to Valladolid & Madrid, journey time 4½ hours, one or two going all the way through to Alicante, see www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards) for times, fares & booking. You should ideally book in advance - booking should open 60 days ahead - as reservation is compulsory and there are cheap advance-purchase fares from around €28 if you pre-book. I recommend allowing several hours between the ship's arrival and any onward train booking, if necessary staying in Santander overnight, to allow for transfer time and any delay to the ship. The FEVE narrow-gauge station is next to the Renfe station and has local trains several times daily to Oviedo and Bilbao, see www.renfe.com and search for FEVE (FEVE has now been absorbed into Renfe).
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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.
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Luggage storage in Santander: There are no left luggage lockers at the station, but you'll find luggage lockers on the lowest level of Santander bus station.
London ► Spain via Portsmouth-Bilbao
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The Portsmouth- Bilbao ferry route operates twice a week from late March to early November, sailing on Thursdays at 19:01 (arriving Bilbao at 08:01 on Saturday) and on Sundays at 21:31 (arriving in Bilbao at 08:01 on Tuesday).
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Sailings on this route are operated by the new Salamanca. On departure from Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port, the ship sails right past Portsmouth's historic naval dockyard with Nelson's HMS Victory and then ironclad HMS Warrior clearly visible from her decks. For train connections between London & Portsmouth, see the previous section.
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Train connections in Bilbao
In Bilbao the ferry docks at Zierbena, 16 km northwest of central Bilbao. It's a 5 km, €20 taxi ride from the ferry terminal to Santurtzi metro station, ask Brittany Ferries staff to call you a taxi (in the other direction when heading for the ferry, walk from Santurtzi station to the tourist information centre and ask them to call you a taxi, 3 minutes walk, see walking map).
Suburban metro trains run every few minutes from Santurtzi station to Bilbao Abando station in the city centre, taking 21-23 minutes and costing a few euros, see www.metrobilbao.net.
There are two daily high-speed trains from Bilbao Abando station to Valladolid & Madrid, journey time to Madrid 4 hours 50 minutes, and two direct daily trains to Zaragoza & Barcelona, journey time, 6 hours 40 minutes, see www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $) or www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly) for times, fares & online booking. I'd recommend allowing several hours between the ship's arrival and any onward train booking, to allow for transfer time and any delay to the ship.
Bilbao's Matiko station has hourly narrow gauge trains to San Sebastian (Donostia-Amara) every hour or half-hour, journey time 2 hours 35 minutes, see www.euskotren.eus.
London ► Spain via Plymouth-Santander
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This route operates from mid-March to early November, once or twice a week. Operated by Brittany Ferries flagship, the excellent Pont Aven.
How much does it cost?
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Fares vary by departure date, rather like air fares, and according to the cabin accommodation you choose. However, ferry fares to Spain start at around £246 return for two people travelling together in an inside 2-berth cabin (in other words, £123 each return), or £276 with an outside cabin ('outside' means with window, well worth the extra cost), rising to £646 return for two people sharing a Commodore Class suite with private balcony. Prices for solo passengers start at around £228 return with sole occupancy of an inside cabin.
How to buy tickets
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You can buy ferry tickets to Spain online at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk, whether you're a foot passenger or motorist, with a selection of cabins - but see the section about foot passengers above.
Or call 0330 159 7000, lines open 09:00-18:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-16:30 Saturdays & Sundays.
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You can buy train tickets to Portsmouth & Southsea or to Plymouth from anywhere in Britain online as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk
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To buy train tickets or simply check train times & fares within Spain, go to either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, prices in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (Renfe's own site, in €, much more fiddly, can struggle with overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it).
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.
On board the ferry to Spain
The ferries offer a choice of restaurants & bars, standard & deluxe 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 types: All cabins have a private shower & toilet, with bedding, towels, soap & shampoo provided. On the Pont Aven you'll find 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).
Hotels in Spain
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!