I recently - a few months ago - wrote a review about Ferris Coach Holidays. Some things about the journey have changed that could effect some peoples thoughts about wanting to go with Ferris.
Journey there:
OK as usual, you will get picked up at your selected pick-up-point and then you might experience extra pick-up-points to pick up more customers. Normally, during peak times, the coach will be full but sometimes it's not always full. Once the crew have picked up all their customers you will make the journey down to Folkestone to catch the EuroTunnel crossing to Calais - normally making one scheduled stop at services prior to the EuroTunnel crossing - (Ferris don't use the Ferry crossing due to rising costs and they find the EuroTunnel cheaper and reduces
travelling times). The EuroTunnel crossing takes around 25-35 minutes. The EuroTunnel is one of the things some people are frightened of so I thought I'd make this new review.
Once you arrive in Folkestone the driver will turn off heading to the EuroTunnel check-in. Once you've been checked in, the driver will come on the microphone and tell you what time the expected train will leave Folkstone. It could be 45 minutes away so there's a EuroTunnel service station where you can buy some food or souvenirs.
It's not common for passport control in the UK to ask to see passports but on the return journey home you will most likely have to get off the coach in Calais and go through a small building and show your passport.
Once arriving in Calais, you will stop around 40-45 minutes later so the drivers can fuel up and get some water. Passengers can get off and go into the service station or have a cigarette. That stop is for around 10-15 minutes.
From Calais, you will head down south to a place called Reims. Takes around 4-5 hours to get there from Calais and that stop will normally last for around 45-60 minutes. That's your evening meal stop but if you leave on the Friday - as you leave later the restaurant is closed but the snack bar is open.
From Reims, you will head south again passing Troyes, Dijon then going straight through the city Lyon passing a river.
During the night, drivers will make scheduled stops to fuel up and water up but will not announce on the microphone - like they would usually - as most passengers will be sleeping. Passengers are asked to take full advantage of the facilities at the service stops.
You will then head south yet again stopping in a place called Neims so the drivers can get off and a new driver will get on to drive you down to the south of Spain into Costa Brava. The host/ess will stay on companying you to your hotel.
If you choose to depart on the Monday the traffic through the night and at the Spanish border tolls are quiet. But if you choose to depart on the Friday (which means you leave at a later time) the traffic through the night and at the Spanish border tolls are horrendous which adds duration to travelling times and could mean you arrive at your hotel around 3-4PM when you should arrive 11-12AM (that's on the Friday). The Monday is a few hours before 11-12AM.
Journey home:
If you are returning on the Tuesday (the coaches left on the Monday) the chances of the traffic being bad on the way down are slim so you should get picked up fairly early - 12-1PM (could even be earlier). If your getting picked up on the Saturday (the coaches left on the Friday) the chances of the traffic being bad on the way down are high so you could get picked up very late. I got picked up 5:30PM but some coaches picked up a few hours earlier.
From your hotel, you might pick up in other hotels and other resorts. Then you will head for the AP-7 which takes some time. Traffic should be fairly OK coming out of Spain but horrendous coming into Spain, so nothing should be to worry about.
Once you're in France, you will pass Perpignan heading for a place called Neims where the driver will get off and the 2 drivers who drove the coach down the day before will get on and drive you back to the UK. Normally, before this you will stop for around 30-40 minutes.
Then you will head through the night making one 15-20 minute stop before mid-night. Then you will head for Lyon, Dijon, Troyes then a breakfast stop in Reims (if you left Spain on the Saturday).
If you left Spain on the Tuesday, you will arrive in Calais 8-9AM. If you left Spain on the Saturday you will arrive in Calais around 11AM-12PM. You will definitely get off the coach and go through passport control then head to the train to go to the UK.
Then you'll make 1 service stop to let your relatives know what time you will arrive home. Then you make your way home!
Lol. Long review. But hope it helped you guys.
Kevin xx
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I did this trip with Ferris 20 years ago as my first holiday abroad, never, never again, I found it way too long, absolute torture, give me a 2 hour plane journey any day. Good review though. Nic x
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