Cheapest way to get to Spain.

[trevoriv]

Right, i know the cheapest way would probably be dover to calais and then ride down through France and down into spain.

However i dont fancy the ride through france or over the mountains, i just want to blast through spain to the southern caost to meet my parents at their gaff. I have seen a return ferry from plymouth to bilboa for around £269 for me and the bike, does that sound reasonable?

Ive never ridden my bike much further south than manchester so its gonna be something new to me, any advice for a riding in spain?

[Handsome]

Swim or hide in a Box.....
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

[map]

Liverpool to Madrid via SleezyJet (sorry that's easyYet) for around £50 and sort out bike when get there?
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[Itchy]

hagg a lift with that European track days company they transport your bike from the UK to Cadiz or something in spain where you play about on track for 4 days includes hotel for £900 , if you are in it for bike transport only you may be able to haggle a much lower price £150 and a £50 easy jet flight = easy! ,
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[EuropeanNC30R...]

It's a bit up in the air whether riding through France is cheaper at all. A lot of it depends on your fuel consumption tyre wear and accomodation preferences.

Book a ferry well in advance for the cheapest price. Three main companies operate to Spain iirc - Brittany Ferries, P&O and AT Ferries, when I booked Brittany was the most expensive and AT the cheapest.

Make sure you ring up for a quote as there is sometimes a promotional offer going which you won't get (or even be aware of) if you book online.

[natv4]

https://www.aferry.to

Goto the above site. I've just been pricing up tickets for Portsmouth to Bilbao for £174 return (AT Ferries). 2 berth cabin outward and return journeys.

Hurry, the deals won't last long.

Cost through France is:
Ferry (£35-45)
1 days hard ride (£65 petrol)
and therefore
1 nights accomodation (£20)
You also will require an extra days travel (since you sleep on the ferry and therefore arrive fresh at the top of Spain).

Total:
Dover/Calais Ferry - £240 return
Porstmouth/Bilbao - £174 return

Hope that helped.
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Travelling around the world...a bit at a time. Where am I now? / Visit my BLOG
Bike: Blue Honda VFR800fi (*NEW*) Mileage: 22k Countries visited: GB/F/D/CZ/PL/E/I/B/A/HR/H/Rus/E/MA
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[Nath]

If you can get a return ticket for around the £200 mark then it will definitely be cheaper to get the direct ferry. If you'd be paying nearer £400 then it's cheaper to ride down, but of course you have the massive discomfort that's involved.

Why don't you want to ride "over the mountains"? The Pyrenees contain some of the best riding you'll ever experience! Fantastic views, fantastic twisty roads free of traffic...
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[Itchy]

I'd double petrol and tyre costs though Trev's riding style is very fast and rev the bollox off the 636 all the time.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[natv4]

[EuropeanNC30R...]

The roads around Andorra can be congested as hell though, I regret not taking another route through the Pyrennes.

Still good roads though, I agree the Alps/Pyrennes ranges are usually one of the most fun bits of trips, seeing the mountains getting bigger until they are looming in front of you is always exciting.

[natv4]

I found a good way to locate nice roads, look on the map for the highest passes you can find. I got one which I think was 2200m ish. Very nice. Lots of lovely corners. I have to go back there soon.
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Travelling around the world...a bit at a time. Where am I now? / Visit my BLOG
Bike: Blue Honda VFR800fi (*NEW*) Mileage: 22k Countries visited: GB/F/D/CZ/PL/E/I/B/A/HR/H/Rus/E/MA
West Europe...2004, East Europe...2005, Russia/France...2006, Morocco...2007

[trevoriv]

Cheers kids, looks like that £269 is a good deal, will give em a ring see if i can get it slightly cheaper although i think im going when its half-term thus prices may be that bit higher.

Would love to go through the pyrenees but this is my first time riding abroad so i dont want to tour i just want to get to Mazarron in southern Spain as cheaply/quickly as possible on the bike.

Itchy im going to be cruising on the motorway for most of it in fuel saving mode

[motoman]

i've just booked portsmouth-bilbao for £172 in june (acciona ferries)



Itchy im going to be cruising on the motorway for most of it in fuel saving mode
some of the spanish motorways are toll roads payed per km!

[trevoriv]

That's pretty cheap motoman, will have a look around at that route.

I assumed there would be toll roads. Still trying find out where and how much!

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Relax, I only remember using one toll road in 3000 miles of Spain on my trip last summer, that was the Costa Del Sol motorway in order to avoid the congested alternative.

Chances are that going to Murcia you won't have to use one, most Spanish motorways are free and if there is a toll road there's usually a reasonable alternative running parallel.

Spanish a-roads are very good and fast anyway, if they're more direct use them

[JGY6000]

i took the ferry from portsmouth to bilbao, stayed the night in bilbao and set of the next dat at 9ish i was at home in murcia at 9pm

same on the way back up set of at 6ish in the morning and was waiting at the ferry at 4-5pm

[trevoriv]

Thanks for the response kiddies just had a word with my dad and he said he's only ever come across one toll mway and it was 1.49 euros

[quik_d]

I'm going the opposite way and catching the ferry from Bilbao to portsmouth; i got it for £95 with the cancellation insurance thrown in. i'm suprised the opposite way is near double?

With acciona (at ferries)
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[motoman]

[quote="quik_d" i'm suprised the opposite way is near double?

With acciona (at ferries)[/quote]

my price is for a return journey portsmouth-bilbao..£172

[Modo]

There are toll roads in Spain

https://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_results.jsp?country=Spain

[natv4]

Looks like AT ferries have stopped their deal for the moment. You may still be able to get it cheap if booking for a trip in late summer, but all the ones I have been looking at are back to £270 return.
____________________
Travelling around the world...a bit at a time. Where am I now? / Visit my BLOG
Bike: Blue Honda VFR800fi (*NEW*) Mileage: 22k Countries visited: GB/F/D/CZ/PL/E/I/B/A/HR/H/Rus/E/MA
West Europe...2004, East Europe...2005, Russia/France...2006, Morocco...2007

[greatmoorred]

Isnt there a ferry to santander from portsmouth ?
Might be worth a look.

[natv4]

[Jamie S]

might take a while but the cheapest way to get there is walking

[natv4]