Catamaran to France/ Calais

[DrYazz]

I used to regularly take a 45-60 minute crossing to and from Dover and Calais.

Believe these were catamaran or hovercraft type vehicles, as opposed to ferries.

Are these still running? If not, what is the quickest you can get from Dover to Calais?

2.5 hour on the ferry does not appeal.

[Puggit]

Ummmm, the tunnel (if it's working...)

Cats suffer badly when the sea isn't flat

[LaserTam]

I dont think the cat runs any longer. It has changed operators a couple of times over the last few years but finally folded a year or so ago I think. Shame, because I used it a couple of times and it was a good swift service. As said above though, one of the times it was a bit sick inducing.

So tunnel is quickest, or relax a bit more on a boat.

[Silver993tt]

Dover to Calais on the ferry is 75mins not 2.5 hrs

[Craigyp79]

As above, the tunnel is the fastest, but generally more expensive option. Crossing times from Dover to Calais are around 75mins, Dover to Dunkerque is 2 hours as is Dover to Boulogne-sur-mer (Both are 30mins driving on the autoroute either side of Calais which makes up for the longer crossing time).

The last fast-cat to operate was the Norman Arrow, which was operated by LD Lines on their Dover-Boulogne route, but has been pulled for the winter and will be servicing the Portsmouth-Le Harve route in Spring (3 hour crossing IIRC).

The latest generation Incats aren't that bad in bad weather (The Arrow could sail in Force 9's, you just wouldn't want to be on it!) The big problem is the extra strain on the 4 engines when there is bad weather, which invarably means one of the engines goes, putting more strain on the other 3.

HTH.

[DrYazz]

Silver993tt said:

Dover to Calais on the ferry is 75mins not 2.5 hrs

Sorry, had a Jade Goody moment - did not factor in the 1 hr time difference for France.

[DrYazz]

Puggit said:

Ummmm, the tunnel (if it's working...)

Cats suffer badly when the sea isn't flat

Thanks for the reminder - I for some reason thought the EuroTunnel went to Bolougne rather than Calais, which was a stupid misconception, but it does indeed go to Calais and therefore, I have booked a Folkestone-Calais crossing.

30 minutes. Pretty good.

[Targarama]

DrYazz said:

Puggit said:

Ummmm, the tunnel (if it's working...)

Cats suffer badly when the sea isn't flat

Thanks for the reminder - I for some reason thought the EuroTunnel went to Bolougne rather than Calais, which was a stupid misconception, but it does indeed go to Calais and therefore, I have booked a Folkestone-Calais crossing.

30 minutes. Pretty good.

Plus if you're coming down the M20 then the Eurotunnel terminal is 10 miles or so North of Dover, saving another 20 minute+ on a round trip. It also spits you out onto the motorway just fine in France too.

[minimoog]

Targarama said:

Plus if you're coming down the M20 then the Eurotunnel terminal is 10 miles or so North of Dover, saving another 20 minute+ on a round trip. It also spits you out onto the motorway just fine in France too.

Bloody marvelous invention, and the non-flexible fares are very reasonable.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

DrYazz said:

Silver993tt said:

Dover to Calais on the ferry is 75mins not 2.5 hrs

Sorry, had a Jade Goody moment - did not factor in the 1 hr time difference for France.

You must have thought the return leg was super fast then!

[Busamav]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

DrYazz said:

Silver993tt said:

Dover to Calais on the ferry is 75mins not 2.5 hrs

Sorry, had a Jade Goody moment - did not factor in the 1 hr time difference for France.

You must have thought the return leg was super fast then!

[Puggit]