Posted: Thu Dec 3, 2020 9:38pm
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Driving from UK to Spain – Routes & Tips
Are you desperate for some Spanish sun but don’t want to fly? With great routes across Europe, it’s easy to drive to Spain by car, arriving refreshed and unstressed from the comfort of your own vehicle.
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Can I drive to Spain at the moment? If you’re planning a road trip to Spain from UK, check the UK Foreign Office website regarding driving to Spain before setting off. Their advice on driving abroad and foreign travel is updated regularly as the coronavirus situation changes in Europe, and their guidance should always be followed.
Ideally, you’ll be doing this trip in your own car. If you don’t own a car and don’t want to fly or use public transport, your only option is car hire, but this is the most expensive way of all the options to get to Spain.
Crossing the ChannelEuroTunnel Le Shuttle
The fastest route is using the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle from Folkstone to Calais. The crossing under the channel takes 35 minutes, with a slick check in and loading / unloading process, you can be in France proper in an hour.
This crossing is Ideal if you are driving to Spain from UK with a dog or just want to get to the other side as quickly as possible.
SEARCH & BOOK EUROTUNNEL NOWDover to Calais
Certainly the quickest way by ferry is the Dover-Calais route, on which both P&O and DFDS operate up to 40 crossings between them a day in July and August. Taking just an hour and a half, you’ll have time on board for a meal or drink and perhaps a quick snooze. Getting on and off can take a while though, as they have to piece all the vehicles together like a jigsaw puzzle. Not as quick as the shuttle, but very possibly a bit cheaper, especially if you can be flexible
Portsmouth to Caen / Cherbourg
More expensive and quite a bit longer than the Dover-Calais route, the Brittany Ferries crossings from Portsmouth may prove to be cost effective in fuel and toll costs if you don’t live in the south east of England. The Caen route operates three crossings a day, one of them overnight, meaning you’ll arrive in France refreshed (but will have to book a cabin or reclining seat) and ready for a full day’s driving. The Cherbourg route crosses at least 12 times a week and uses a fast catamaran service, taking just three hours port to port.
SEARCH & BOOK FERRIES FROM PORTSMOUTH NOW