UK to Portugal Ferry Route?

[miguel_gp]

Mentioned on BBC News this morning.

Because of Portugal's place on the UK green travel list there are rumours that Brittany Ferries may introduce a service between Plymouth and Porto (Leixões) from as early as May 21st. Travel time will be somewhere between 24 and 30 hours.

Brittany Ferries To Launch England - Portugal Ferry Service? - niferry.co.uk

New ferry service could cater for demand for holidays in Portugal.

www.niferry.co.uk

 

[diverdavey]

That would be brilliant...a good rest on the overnight boat, then straight on the Camino...

 

[IngridF]

That's great news, however it does not mention foot traffic, only with in car.

 

[lt56ny]

That's great news, however it does not mention foot traffic, only with in car.

I am no expert by any means regarding this but I have taken a few ferries over the years especially between Ireland and Wales and England and the European mainland and there has always been a combination of both foot and vehicle riders.

 

[Isca-camigo]

I am no expert by any means regarding this but I have taken a few ferries over the years especially between Ireland and Wales and England and the European mainland and there has always been a combination of both foot and vehicle riders.

I don't know for definite but I had this problem in the middle of last year when I tried to advance book for Plymouth to Santander this Summer, they were not taking foot passengers, they changed that back but I was sufficiently wary to have a wait and see attitude before making a booking.

 

[Hugh Larkin]

In 2013, we did an overnight ship crossing from Lisbon to Le Havre across the outer reaches of the Bay of Biscay/"edge" of the Atlantic. That was the worst night I have ever experienced. We were aboard a small 500-person + 350-crew, 600-700-foot ship that got tossed like a feather in a storm. The seas were such that the bow would break the surface and then crash down. I would rather fly direct or ferry directly across the Channel and train to Lisbon.
BC, Hugh

 

[Isca-camigo]

I have done the Santander journey twice both in Summer and the sea has been smooth, close friends would regularly cross to Roscoff and they had conditions like you had, not sure how I would feel about that, probably sick.

 

[lt56ny]

I don't know for definite but I had this problem in the middle of last year when I tried to advance book for Plymouth to Santander this Summer, they were not taking foot passengers, they changed that back but I was sufficiently wary to have a wait and see attitude before making a booking.

That’s why I am no expert hahaha

 

[Rozenn]

Mentioned on BBC News this morning.

Because of Portugal's place on the UK green travel list there are rumours that Brittany Ferries may introduce a service between Plymouth and Porto (Leixões) from as early as May 21st. Travel time will be somewhere between 24 and 30 hours.

Brittany Ferries To Launch England - Portugal Ferry Service? - niferry.co.uk

New ferry service could cater for demand for holidays in Portugal.

www.niferry.co.uk

Living close to Roscoff I have very often taken the ferry to Santander via Plymouth
and there was no restriction for foot passengers ,
Roscoff Bilbao is shorter of course to get to north of Spain but unfortunately doesn’t take foot passengers
It would be too bad for us pilgrims having a new line to Porto ...only for cars or trucks !!
During a few years there was a line Saint Nazaire Gijon , sometimes they speak of réactualising it !

 

[naplesdon]

My only ferry experience was highlighted by the fact that I could not book a sleeping accommodation. Thus I was trying my best to sleep on a padded bench in a lunge room full of noisy revelers.

 

[miguel_gp]

Porto is obviously great for the Portugues route but also has regular bus connections and a less frequent but passable train connection to Santiago so could be a gateway to other Camino routes, not just the Portugues.

 

[Kathor1]

In 2013, we did an overnight ship crossing from Lisbon to Le Havre across the outer reaches of the Bay of Biscay/"edge" of the Atlantic. That was the worst night I have ever experienced. We were aboard a small 500-person + 350-crew, 600-700-foot ship that got tossed like a feather in a storm. The seas were such that the bow would break the surface and then crash down. I would rather fly direct or ferry directly across the Channel and train to Lisbon.

I gave you a "like" because I sympathise. April 2019, out of Coruña on the way to Le Havre, on a larger 2,100-person + 900-crew, 960-foot ship, when the wind started to "pick up", you could feel the rolling against the waves, restaurants remained largely empty and, as by magic, small plastic bags had been put in holders throughout the public spaces to be used in case of necessity. It wasn't too bad for me, and I was actually a bit thrilled that the Bay of Biscay delivered what I knew about this sea.

I guess ferries take the most direct route, so this potential Plymouth-Porto ferry will sail through those areas and will not sail as close to land as current ferries to Bilbao and Santander do.

Oh well, getting seasick on the way to Hispania will be a much more "authentic" and traditional pilgrimage experience.

 

[Rozenn]

I gave you a "like" because I sympathise. April 2019, out of Coruña on the way to Le Havre, on a larger 2,100-person + 900-crew, 960-foot ship, when the wind started to "pick up", you could feel the rolling against the waves, restaurants remained largely empty and, as by magic, small plastic bags had been put in holders throughout the public spaces to be used in case of necessity. It wasn't too bad for me, and I was actually a bit thrilled that the Bay of Biscay delivered what I knew about this sea.

I guess ferries take the most direct route, so this potential Plymouth-Porto ferry will sail through those areas and will not sail as close to land as current ferries to Bilbao and Santander do.

Oh well, getting seasick on the way to Hispania will be a much more "authentic" and traditional pilgrimage experience.

I worked as a stewardess on board the first ferry

I gave you a "like" because I sympathise. April 2019, out of Coruña on the way to Le Havre, on a larger 2,100-person + 900-crew, 960-foot ship, when the wind started to "pick up", you could feel the rolling against the waves, restaurants remained largely empty and, as by magic, small plastic bags had been put in holders throughout the public spaces to be used in case of necessity. It wasn't too bad for me, and I was actually a bit thrilled that the Bay of Biscay delivered what I knew about this sea.

I guess ferries take the most direct route, so this potential Plymouth-Porto ferry will sail through those areas and will not sail as close to land as current ferries to Bilbao and Santander do.

Oh well, getting seasick on the way to Hispania will be a much more "authentic" and traditional pilgrimage experience.

i was a stewardess on board Brittany ferry the old ‘ Armorique ‘ in the 70’s sailing Roscoff-Cork-plymouth -Santander ! It was epic! Especially in the biscay bay of course !!
Poor passengers ..! The toughest ones were the Irish truck drivers who wouldn’t leave the bar all night playing cards and drink shandy beer and whisky!!!

I gave you a "like" because I sympathise. April 2019, out of Coruña on the way to Le Havre, on a larger 2,100-person + 900-crew, 960-foot ship, when the wind started to "pick up", you could feel the rolling against the waves, restaurants remained largely empty and, as by magic, small plastic bags had been put in holders throughout the public spaces to be used in case of necessity. It wasn't too bad for me, and I was actually a bit thrilled that the Bay of Biscay delivered what I knew about this sea.

I guess ferries take the most direct route, so this potential Plymouth-Porto ferry will sail through those areas and will not sail as close to land as current ferries to Bilbao and Santander do.

Oh well, getting seasick on the way to Hispania will be a much more "authentic" and traditional pilgrimage experience.

i was a stewardess on board the old ferry Armorique from Brittany ferries , in the 70’s sailing Roscoff-Cork-Plymouth -Santander ... it was epic!! Especially in biscay bay of course! Poor passengers !
The toughest ones were the Irish truck drivers..staying all night in the bar playing cards and drinking shandy beer and whisky!!
There was no boat stabilisers..and ropes were attached everywhere in the corridors to grab when the ferry would slide from I e side to another !
I was never anymore seasick after that experience !!

 

[Rozenn]

The crew were all Breton and when the Spanish line opened we had mixed crews and of course the Spansh were from north( Gallegos Asturias is and from Cantábria

 

[David with new Kit!]

I've done the Bay of Biscay twice now ands my advice is book a cabin close to the centre of the ferry in order to experience minimal movement, have a very light dinner, go to bed early and sleep through the worst. You might even feel like breakfast in the morning.

Oh yes, good quality motion sickness pills are wonderful these days

 

[David61]

Could I point out that, from the UK, this does not really help anyone wishing to walk any Camino to Santiago. Yes, we can currently go to Portugal but Santiago is in Spain as I recall!

 

[wjohnk]

I think that the idea is to travel to Piortugal (permitted by UK after May 17th) - walk or bus into Spain - return to Portugal and back to UK. The problem is that at present Portugal wont let UK citizens in!

 

[David61]

I think that the idea is to travel to Piortugal (permitted by UK after May 17th) - walk or bus into Spain - return to Portugal and back to UK. The problem is that at present Portugal wont let UK citizens in!

I know what the intent is but that would actually be against the rules and current UK law.

 

[David61]

I know what the intent is but that would actually be against the rules and current UK law.

To be more accurate, once Spain allows us to visit until the UK government change the rules we would have to isolate on our return. That is what people travelling to Portugal want to evade once Portugal allows us to visit

 

[Rozenn]

I think that the idea is to travel to Piortugal (permitted by UK after May 17th) - walk or bus into Spain - return to Portugal and back to UK. The problem is that at present Portugal wont let UK citizens in!

Yes and they won’t let french citizens either or from any other EU country if the rate of less than 150 Covid cases / 100000 is not maintained , it is wise