# Bilbao V Santander



## 5bells

We are off to spain In January.

Can anyone tell me which is the best ferry route from Pompy please.

Cant decide on bilbao or Santander.

Will be heading for the Marbella area first.

Ray


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## mygalnme

We came on Santander,heading for Almeria so found it best route for us and the Pont Aven is the better of the 2 boats too for facilities. Bon voyage...Margaret
ps sorry don,t know where "chrissy " smilies are Hope you have a good one


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## teemyob

*Pont Aven*



mygalnme said:


> We came on Santander,heading for Almeria so found it best route for us and the Pont Aven is the better of the 2 boats too for facilities. Bon voyage...Margaret
> ps sorry don,t know where "chrissy " smilies are Hope you have a good one


But bear in-mind. Pont Aven does not always carry out the Santander crossing. It is shared with Cap Finistere. In January, it will be CP doing both.

Bilabo is usually shorter and easier to access/exit. Santander can be a nightmare. Especially coming back and especially if you are running late. I would choose Bilbao unless you want to be on Pont Aven on a different date in spring/summer.

TM


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## Grizzly

Some of the Bilbao sailings take 2 nights and stop at St Nazaire en route for a crew change. You're not allowed to get off there.

Since the 2 ports are almost equally convenient for the south of Spain I'd look at the departure time from Portsmouth and arrival time in Spain to decide the best route.

G


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## H1-GBV

Things may have changed but arriving at Bilboa, it used to be a slightly dodgy route (0.5miles) through the docks, then onto the motorway. At Santander you drove through the dock area to a roundabout, did a 330deg turn then along moderately narrow, busy roads for about 2 miles before hitting the motorway. As an introduction to Spanish driving, I'd take Bilboa anytime!

Enjoy - Gordon


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## teemyob

*Bilbao*



H1-GBV said:


> Things may have changed but arriving at Bilboa, it used to be a slightly dodgy route (0.5miles) through the docks, then onto the motorway. At Santander you drove through the dock area to a roundabout, did a 330deg turn then along moderately narrow, busy roads for about 2 miles before hitting the motorway. As an introduction to Spanish driving, I'd take Bilboa anytime!
> 
> Enjoy - Gordon


The Bilbao Port has changed for Brittany Ferries and is much easier to get in and out of.

See thiewins post here

TM


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## caulkhead

Hi All,

There is also a "new" route out of Santander. Among the various bits and pieces that we were given while waiting to board in Portsmouth was a slip of paper detailing how to leave the ship and exit Santander without having to drive along the busy docks road. Very easy to follow and you are soon on the motorway and on your way.

Caulkhead


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## teemyob

*Easy*



caulkhead said:


> Hi All,
> 
> There is also a "new" route out of Santander. Among the various bits and pieces that we were given while waiting to board in Portsmouth was a slip of paper detailing how to leave the ship and exit Santander without having to drive along the busy docks road. Very easy to follow and you are soon on the motorway and on your way.
> 
> Caulkhead


Tried that route, found it far from easy, was even worse when we came back.

Bilbao is easier.


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## Grizzly

*Re: Easy*



caulkhead said:


> There is also a "new" route out of Santander.


If you want- as we did- to go west along the coast, getting out of Santander is no fun ! Our boat docked at noon, just as all the offices and shops emptied.

It shows up very well on Street View and you can plan your journey from that.

G


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## Mike48

I find it impossible to believe that people find getting into and out of Santander to be difficult. It isn't unless you are the kind of driver that feels uncomfortable on anything less than a dual lane carriageway. Santander couldn't be easier and if you arrive early you can walk the very short distance into the delightful town while leaving your vehicle parked in the BF ferry lane. 

There is also a great Aire about 8 miles away at the Zoo in Carbacino.


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## Grizzly

gelathae said:


> I find it impossible to believe that people find getting into and out of Santander to be difficult. .


It's not getting to and from that is difficult but once in the town itself ! The road to the west is quite narrow and was very busy. Add in shoppers, a market, cars and lorries and even a horse-drawn dray and we found it quite nerve-wracking. Makes central Oxford look quite civilised !

G

Edit: autovia ? What autovia ? We found no autovia between Santander and Santillana.


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## Mike48

Grizzly said:


> gelathae said:
> 
> 
> 
> I find it impossible to believe that people find getting into and out of Santander to be difficult. .
> 
> 
> 
> It's not getting to and from that is difficult but once in the town itself ! The road to the west is quite narrow and was very busy. Add in shoppers, a market, cars and lorries and even a horse-drawn dray and we found it quite nerve-wracking. Makes central Oxford look quite civilised !
> 
> G
Click to expand...

You must have been going the wrong way. You exit the Port then at the second (???) roundabout turn towards the football ground and then you have access to the Autoroutes south.You do not have to go through the town. This route is given to you in a leaflet by BF staff when you board specifically to deter users from going through the town. It's a new route as mentioned in Caulhead's post above.


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## Grizzly

gelathae said:


> You must have been going the wrong way. You exit the Port then at the second (???) roundabout turn towards the football ground and then you have access to the Autoroutes south.You do not have to go through the town. This route is given to you in a leaflet by BF staff when you board specifically to deter users from going through the town. It's a new route as mentioned in Caulhead's post above.


They certainly weren't giving out leaflets earlier this year ( January 5th). We were not going south anyway; as far as I could see we were the only people going north west but we planned it beforehand and followed directions on the sat nav and Via Michelin.

Next time we'll park on the docks and let the masses clear and post-noon calm descend !

G


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## thieawin

Getting from the port onto the onward roads at either is not difficult

The two things you need to consider are 

departure day / arrival time what is most convenient for you?

Where are you going to go to/come from so that you choose the nearest/shortest? But they are only an hour apart

and no the CF does not call in at St Nazaire. 

Sunday evening sailings from Portsmouth it calls in at Roscoff early Monday to change crew, you will be asleep. yes you are board for 2 nights, but that means that you disembark 07.30 Tuesday instead of 23.00 Monday, and it costs no more, so you get a good nights sleep on board and set of refreshed without having to travel/look/pay for somewhere to stay. In fact it normally docks at 02.30 Tuesdays, but the Spanish customs officers are asleep and BF cannot unload until 07.30 without waking them and payng overtime


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## Grizzly

thieawin said:


> and no the CF does not call in at St Nazaire.


Apologies: I meant Roscoff and meant to go back and change it !

If it matters then it is also worth looking at the relative prices of the (few) different times available. I don't find the BF green shading that clear but there is some difference in price.

G


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## thieawin

The cabin charge is the same whatever sailing, ie two nights or one.

I find the "new" route out of Santander incomprehensible

There are two autovias out of Santander , the s10 going east to Bilbao and France and the s20 going west and to Madrid, both join the A8/A67 and the S30 also does a link, by way of a middle ring road around Santander between the s20 and S10, but to get to the S20 going west you have to get to the start of the S10 and then turn right, go through a tunnel and it doubles the amount of street driving


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## mygalnme

We had very rough crossing on 7th Dec. had to call in Roscoff pick up pilot to sail inshore, friends last week crossing cancelled so arrived today...we were given new road directions and after 1 mistake got on ok and found it a good road....newbies I suppose!!!...After 2 good weeks with friends now on rally at Playa Tropicana, lots of people we know so hoping for good Christmas, was 36 at 10am, can,t be bad??
Wish :lol: :lol: ing everybody a very Merry Christmas and A Happy, Healthy New Year, safe motoring and enjoy what you do....Margaret and Tony xx :lol: :lol:


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## 5bells

Many thanks for all your replies.

It took a while to decide which way to go, but based on dates of departure and times of arrival(evening or midday) we have gone for Santander this time.

We booked one way only as it was cheaper than a return and we dont know when we will return anyway, we thought we might go back via Bilbao or if weather not too bad in April up through France and Eurostar :idea: 

This is our first long trip abroad so getting excited . Paid with Airmiles or Avios as its called now so that will help a bit with the pennies as well  

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a good new year and thanks once again for your help.

Raymondo


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## mygalnme

Hope you have a safe and troublefree journey, enjoy your holiday its what its all about. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from us both. M&T p.s we are having a ball :lol: :lol: :thumbleft:


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## bill

I hope that I am not being to thick but I've been trying to follow the descriptions of the route out of SANTANDER and can't, sorry.

Have had a look at google maps and it looks like there are tunnels on the routes out from the port to the motorways south whether you turn east or west.

So from the google map it looks to me that the easiest way is to turn right out of the port eastwards with sea on the left then turn northeast through a tunnel, once out of the tunnel turn almost due north for a short while before turning west to the motorways southwards?????

Going the other way looks more like you are more likely to enter the town centre.

Any advice appreciated

bill


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## PeterandLinda

Hi

DON'T WORRY

They have signs in Spain. Just follow them - even I managed it without the SatNav!

P&L


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## Mike48

bill said:


> I hope that I am not being to thick but I've been trying to follow the descriptions of the route out of SANTANDER and can't, sorry.
> 
> Have had a look at google maps and it looks like there are tunnels on the routes out from the port to the motorways south whether you turn east or west.
> 
> So from the google map it looks to me that the easiest way is to turn right out of the port eastwards with sea on the left then turn northeast through a tunnel, once out of the tunnel turn almost due north for a short while before turning west to the motorways southwards?????
> 
> Going the other way looks more like you are more likely to enter the town centre.
> 
> Any advice appreciated
> 
> bill


That sounds about right. You will receive a handout when you board the ferry advising of the best route out of Santander. This handout was issued on the advice of Spanish Police so that motorhomes would avoid going through the town. It was introduced last summer. If I can find it I will copy the advised route on here tomorrow.


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## thieawin

http://g.co/maps/mbjwn

The way the police and BF want to send you is not the best, easiest or quickest route BUT is mad and triples the amount of in town driving by sending you off in totally the wrong direction, west up the penisula, then north and then east, out to the University and around 7 roundabouts and through a tunnel and takes you to the start of the S20.

Its is over 3 km.

From the port to the start of the s10 is lesss than 1km, past the station, straight line, the road is one way, aopart from navigating the one and only roundabout, which you exit the port onto anyway, and have to double back from into town, and the A67 branches off the S10 after another 1km for Madrid or you carry on to the A8 to go east to Bilbao, France and south to Zaragoza or Barcelona

I hope the link above takes you to a Google map of Santander


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## Mike48

*Driving Out of Santander*

Here is the leaflet "Driving Out of Santander" that will be given to you as you board the ferry.


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## Mike48

*Driving Out of Santander*

Here is the second page:


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## thieawin

and if you look at the map and the leaflet you will realise the truth. it is just the police trying to send you round the houses and onto the outer ringroad, built at huge cost by the regional/city governments, rather than letting you take the direct, shorter route.

The police want to keep motorhomes out of the city centre, along a wide one way street, because that is what it is.

Don't follow the police reccomended route, follow the route marked city centre.

Occasionally after the S20 opened they tried to coral motorhomes and lead them in convoys to the start of the C20, weird.

It adds nearly 10 miles to the Bilbao, France and Pyrenees route and about 3 to the west and Madrid routes.


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## bill

Thanks for all the replies, they are appreciated.

The two routes, City Centre and that in the leaflet give me the choice and both have their merits for my needs.

I will ponder them for a while and decide closer to the time.

Particular thanks for taking the time to post the leaflet, gelathae.

Anyone else on the Portsmouth - Santander sailing on 12 January 2012 see you there. I'm in the Swift 590RL with a bit of a dent in the luton. (I hit a pigeon at 70mph not some static object, honest)

bill


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