Can someone tell me the pros and cons on the different routes to Madrid and the difference in cost?
Isn’t it very cost effective to use the direct ferries to spain? Any help would be appreciated !
I have just returned from Madrid – I am an owner driver and obviously look at costs closely.
I use the companies shipping account that I work for and unfortunately they only use dover --calais. I can use portsmouth or poole but that costs me £174 pounds extra --which comes of the rate – the extra miles does not cost that in fuel so its not too bad.
My total costs to Irun is just the toll charges from Bordeaux to the Border which is about euros 20 and the the 3 euros the other side . Then to Madrid is free on the national road. As regards route – calais – abbeyville - rouen-le mans-then down to Poitiers pick up the National to Bordeaux and then national and m-way to Irun.
Hope the above is of help and please if u need more i am available --off again on Wednesday
Regards
Trevor
forgot -as regards the ferries to Spain -if u can find a company that will pay the ferry to santander or bilboa and then still have some cash to pay you then go for it!!! round trip frerry costs by this route is about as much as you would get for the trip!!!
trevor
Once you get to Irun, you can go via either Pamplona or Bilbao, if you want to avoid ALL tolls take the N121A from the border to pamplona, then Agreda, Almazan, Medinacelli, Guadalajarra, you will need nerves of steel though for the first 10 or 15 Km on the N121A - its very narrow, windy with some impressive drops, and my Spanish colleagues love to go at it full tilt!!
Personally I go via the N1 to Burgos, then pick up the AP1 for a short time (about 9 Euros) then A1 south from Burgos to Madrid.
You can do the centre routier at barbizieux on the N10 (45 minutes north of the Bordeuax ring road to Lerma (about 25Kms south of Burgos) in a ten hour card. From there madrid city centre is about 230Kms.
When going to Spain, we always ship Portsmouth - St Malo. You can get to San Sebastian services, the first services in Spain in a ten hour drive. Then head to Burgos and drop down to Madrid. From memory San Sebastian to Madrid is about 6 hours (could be wrong!!)
We stick to motorways but the tolls are not huge.
Coxy, how do you get from Calais to Poitiers without paying a toll please?
calais – montreuil - abbeyville - rouen - alencon - le mans - la fleche – samurs - poitiers then N10 to bordeaux --followed by national to just south of Castets then that will be the first section of Peage.
regards
Trev
jdc:
We stick to motorways but the tolls are not huge.
You’ll find several sites with information on routes and tolls in the Euro Drivers Info Point (A sticky at the top of this forum).
coxy52uk:
calais – montreuil - abbeyville - rouen - alencon - le mans - la fleche – samurs - poitiers then N10 to bordeaux --followed by national to just south of Castets then that will be the first section of Peage.
regards
Trev
I have done the bit from Alencon to Poitiers via La Fleche on the toll free roads though as I was just under 40 tons, it absolutely hammered my fuel consumption (It was 5.9 from Caen-LeMans-La Fleche-Samur) but I can’t see how you get from Calais to Alencon. I have always seemed to end up on the toll roads.
TheBear:
coxy52uk:
calais – montreuil - abbeyville - rouen - alencon - le mans - la fleche – samurs - poitiers then N10 to bordeaux --followed by national to just south of Castets then that will be the first section of Peage.
regards
TrevI have done the bit from Alencon to Poitiers via La Fleche on the toll free roads though as I was just under 40 tons, it absolutely hammered my fuel consumption (It was 5.9 from Caen-LeMans-La Fleche-Samur) but I can’t see how you get from Calais to Alencon. I have always seemed to end up on the toll roads.
I usually use a short toll section after Rouen - Evereux - Dreux - Tours then another Toll to Poitiers then N10 etc, I’ve found over the years the ballance of fuel consumption / toll cost favours this route.
Ross.
ps, if you take the ‘national’ from Irun / Pamplona stop at the ‘contixa’ station cafe at Sunbilla for a ’ emparedado de lomo’, best in Spain, haven’t been there for a couple of years, maybe next trip.