Can anyone help me with
a) driver checklist - before I leave (ie emergency equipment, green card ins. etc)
b) best route to Valencia from UK
c) best route via ferry to France - Dover / Portsmouth / Tunnel ■■? Midlands based in the UK
It seems I have the choice of routes / ferries as the guy I’m working for has left it up to me, we dont leave for a month, then a regular trip each week for 2 months ! Its sort of a private removal or so !! In an articulated vehicle
If any drivers can help it would be very much appreciated. I use to drive abroad regularly, know semi retired, not been away for over 12 yrs !!!
Ferries, broad as it`s long. Probably just as quick to go Dover-Calais, although you get a bit of a rest on the South Coast routes.
From Calais I would go Rouen Evereux Dreux Chartres Clermont-Ferrand Millau and drop onto the motorway a coupla hours north of the border at La Jonquera.
This is the current favoured route. There is a new motorway being pushed through the region, almost complete except for a bit around Millau where the World`s longest viaduct is currently being built which will complete it. There is in interesting site here a75.com/viaducengl.html about it.
Apart from the Abbeville-Rouen section and the bit around Orleans, the whole route is toll-free. It`s a beautiful drive- The scenery around Millau is stunning, every bit as beautiful as a drive over the Blanc, say.
It takes no more than 30 minutes more than going via Lyon, which is expensive and boring.
Hello Jim and welcome to TruckNet. I’ve knocked up a list of the things you should have or are at least advisable to have with you document and equipment wise.
Documents
Vehicle registration document (Form V5) – original.
Certified copy of Community Authorisation.
Vehicle nationality sticker/plate (GB).
Green Card International Insurance Certificate.
Full Valid Passport.
Driving Licence
Written authority to drive if the driver is not the owner of the vehicle.
Tachos. The French prefer that the chart should be left in to record the full 24 hours and a letter of attestation confirming rest periods should be carried if charts are not available for all of the week and the last day of the previous week
For France
Proof of employment status if you are an employee. Suitable documents would be a copy of a pay slip, contract of employment or an appropriate statement may be included in the written authority to drive.
Equipment
Breakdown Warning Triangle
Spare Bulbs
First Aid Kit
Many. Many thanks for the quick response chaps.
One other question if you will !!
I intend to keep within the law, what would be a good stopping point to aim for at the end of my first 9 or 10 hour shift from B’ham via Dover/ Calais - How far do you think I would reach on a normal day ■■ and is it possible to do Valencia or Barcelona within 2 shifts ■■?
Calais-Barcelona is 17 hours, Calais-Valencia is 21 hours, so from Brum, Valencia is 2½ shifts, maybe a little more, depending on your journey to Dover.
If you could drive 6 hours from Calais, then I guess you would get to Orleans, or half-way between Paris and Lyon if you chose to go that way but really you need to wait for a WM trucker to come along to give you specific advice on this, and on best places to park etc.
Ask anything you want, that`s what this site is for.
As an alternative, you have the Portsmouth-Caen (Brittany Ferries)route … this is superb now as it is Motorway the whole way but the toll is only from Nantes to Bordeaux. Price is €63 or about £42. If you use this route, then you have the oppurtunity of 6 hours on the ferry… which includes meals and a cabin. Along with your meal, you also get a free half bottle of wine or soft drink. The advantage of going this way is this… if you time it from Brum that you arrive at least 4 hours before the ferry sails, then you can use the 4 hours plus the time on the ferry as a daily rest! You can get a good sleep on the ferry in comfort! Then when you come off the boat, you can make Valencia in 2 hits!!
I did this journey regular last winter. Day one from the boat was as follows.
Leave the port and drive for 3 hours… this took me just past Rennes to a service area (forget the MSA’s here…Eurpoean ones are much different). Think the area is called Trelliaires or something like that. Then a 4 hour drive from there down past Nantes, Niort etc took me to a big services not far before Bordeaux. (Can’t remember the name of this one either lol). Then the last 2 hours would be from there down past Bordeaux, thro the “Forest” to the Routiers at Castets (bet thats spelt wrong too).
Next day, you leave there heading for the Spanish border at Irun (tobacco alley…cheaper than Belgium). via Bayonne.
From Irun, you can either be adventerous and go over the mountain road (the N121) or follow the motorway signs (the A15) for Pamplona. From Pamplona, follow the signs for Zaragossa using the A15 and A68. From Zaragossa, follow the A330 then the A234 for Teruel. After Teruel, keep following the A234 and it puts you just north of Valencia. Its a hard drive but doable in 2 shifts from Caen.One other tip…use the motorways in Spain!!! Although they are tolled, the authorities are doing their best to get the trucks onto them… hence it is three times as dear for a car to use as a truck. The tolls from Irun to Valencia is about €4!! One section costs you something €1.60 but €5.8 for a car!!! Lots of the motorways are built beside the national roads yet they are empty! Any further queries, don’t hesitate to contact me :o)
These are the kind of prices you should be looking at for a one-way crossing. These prices are through a bulk buyer, not directly from the companies named below.
Sea France £160
Tunnel £190
South Coast £260- £340 depending on the port and wether you take a day or night boat.
I’ve been paying £18 per metre P&O Calais/Dover, booked through HS— last two runs out were with a rigid + trailer, which I declared at 15m (9.2 + 6.4 equals 15, doesn’t it?).
I have considered using the tunnel — but a little concerned I might make a complete mess of getting on/off! With the ferry, I only worry if they put me close to the wall at the front, and don’t leave me much room to swing out.
Hi Solo one i have read the answers to your topic and the only thing missing is you need a reflected jacket in spain,i live in the valencian region so email me if you need any help your directions will only be to pleased to help.
alf apsey
They are the prices we pay for an artic through a bulk buyer, but my boss has asked me not to say who that is, so I Dont Say
Dont worry about driving onto the train though, its not that difficult. Just watch the truck in front of you, and copy him. Take a wide swing going on, then just keep your offside tyres a few inches from the “kerb” as you drive down the train and you`ll be fine.
i only go as far as orleans and we go newhaven dieppe going via rouen evreux dreux chartres then orleans takes 4hours 20 mins with fuel stop but as its already been mentioned this is very popular route to spain as there is always loads of spanish and portugease on it
