Thanks so much for your answers to my first question (re travelling with dog food) for my trip through Europe to Sweden next spring/summer.  As I said in my previous post I know it's early, but I like to plan well in advance so I know what I'm up against and what to expect.

My next question is about the crossings.  I'm probably looking at the Eurotunnel or the Harwich/Esbjerg Ferry.  The other ferry crossings don't really cut down my driving time on the continent so seem a more expensive option for similar driving time and longer overall travel on the dogs.

I'm travelling with two dogs.  One to be bred and the other as a travel companion.  The one to be bred isn't the best traveller in the world (though also not the worst by far), the companion is solid as a rock.  I'm obviously looking for the trip to be as stress free for the bitch to be bred as possible (and for me too :P )

The train appeals due to the fact it's a 35 minute crossing and can keep the dogs with us.  The ferry appeals in that it cuts 8-10 hours off our driving time in Europe and cuts out 2-3 countries.

I'm mostly concerned about the fact it's an 18 hour ferry trip.  The website says the dogs must stay in the car (or kennel, but kenneling an in season bitch isn't fair on the other dogs in the kennel for 18 hours), a friend who took hers to the World Show recently said she was allowed to visit her dogs 4 times through the trip and was allowed to take them out to relieve themselves on the car deck.  While I think it's still a long time overall for them to be on their own in the car, if I could be assured of regular potty breaks it might be do-able.

So for those of you who've travelled this route (or the train) could you share your experiences with me - positive and/or negative?

Thanks again in advance :)  You're a wealth of knowledge.

We have travelled
Eurotunnel (35mins dog in car)
Harwich/Esbjerg(+20h -without a dog)
Harwich - Hook of holland(6h dog in kennel)
Dover - Dunkirk(3h dog in car)
Obviously eurotunnel was the most stress free due to the fact you stay in the car with the dog.
Stress free for us may I add, not sure the dgs stressed with the other options either :).

Holland ferry had a massive kennel for my dog and when I went to check on her during the trip, she was so fast a sleep I had to wall right next to the kennel and call her name before she even woke up.
Dunkirk ferry again is very quick and I would use again.

I would be little hesitant to use the ferry straight to Denmark but I think it is me who would stress not the dog :)
+20h a long time to be worried if the dog is ok (even when visits are allowed)!

Don't worry about cutting down the amount countries in europe, you do not get stopped at the borders and just drive through and see a sign saying you are now in belgium etc.

Thanks very much for the info.

Anyone have experience wth a dog on the Harwich/Esbjerg?  We're leaning toward the tunnel, but I don't want to rule out without hearing some experiences.

Thanks :)

Hi Wendy,

Have tried various routes over the years, much, much prefer Eurotunnel. I know it means more driving but, speaking on behalf of my gang, the dogs seem to take it all in their stride and you are with them at all times.

Jeff.

I really would NOT take the ferry to Denmark -it is a much too long crossing and the dog won't even be able to go to toilet anywhere as there are no facilities for that. There are also NO kennels on that route so the dog would have to stay in the car the entire time:
http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/aboutus/press/press_releases/06-07-2009
Considering the crossing takes 20 hours but you also have to arrive an hour or more before, and getting off the ferry again can take an hour, it means almost 24 hours for the dog stuck in the car. You'd need to have a small dog in a large cage with a toilet area for it to work.

I also would not take the channel tunnel when going to Sweden as it will add almost an entire extra day to the journey having to cross France and Belgium before entering Holland. Quickest route is to take the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland -that way the dog "only" has to be left in the car for 10 hours or so (crossing is 8 hrs), then you can drive the rest of the way. You can make the journey from Holland to southern Sweden in one go (takes 10 to 12 hrs), and would cross the bridge at the end of the day. If going further into Sweden then would need to stay overnight. It cuts down on the need for a further overnight stay if you take the ferry to Holland overnight. Beware Sweden is not very pet friendly, animals banned from most places.

ditto marianne. I have done it with a tiny pup and it was fine 9ppee etc on paper in the car no prob) but would never contemplate it with an adult. We alwways go by tunnel....it may be more driving for US but its fairer on the DOGS who afterall dont ask to be taken!

I have regularly done the Euro Tunnel with a dog or two, but only gone as far as North Holland (sometimes with a stop over depending on time of travel). I prefer the dogs to be with me. And the 30 minutes or so it takes to cross is just enough time to have a rest from driving and something to eat.

The roads on the continent are very good and it seems like there is less traffic and the Hook of Holland route would probably have taken me longer (as I am in the South) due to the ammount of traffic over here.

Wish you luck with your trip, it is very exciting.

Thanks for the replies.  I know the ferry site said they have to stay in the car at all times (I wouldn't kennel her anyway as it wouldn't be fair on any other dogs in the kennel to have an in season bitch there), but my friend's recent experience was she was allowed to relieve them on the deck on her visits.  But that could have been a 'one off' on her journey (though she was allowed it both ways).

I truly am leaning toward the tunnel, but I don't like to rule out possibilities until I hear people's first hand experience.

Your experiences are keeping me leaning toward the tunnel route.

I am both excited and nervous and I still have months to wait.  I'll be a wreck when the time comes.

Something to be factored in is whether a ferry crossing would be better for the drivers enabling a rest break from driving.

My hubby will be collecting us from Brussels when we return with Inka from our US trip (assuming it goes ahead if the whether is mild enough to fly).

The drive from Bristol to Dover is a long one, so actually being able to get his head  down on the ferry is an advantage, and Inka will not mind a couple of hours in the car, on the dover Dunkerque route.

We're in Dorset, so its not quite such a long drive, but we're intending (if we do the train) on staying over either the night before we cross and catching an early train, or possibly catching a later train and staying within an hour of landing the other side.

If we could just take dogs into the cabins on the longer ferry (even if they had to stay crated) things would be sooo much easier as what a relaxing trip that would be.