16 November 2023 , 16:06
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Extensive research into train and ferry prices has revealed how to get the best bargains and the moment when fares tend to plummet or spike.
Whether you're heading to Paris for a can-can and a croissant, Brussels for some continent-altering democracy or to Calais on a booze cruise, making every euro count when it comes to the journey is key. Working with consumer magazine Which?, the Mirror has worked out how to get the best prices on different forms of transport when heading from the UK to Europe, whether that be the Eurostar, Le Shuttle or on a ferry.
Like dynamic plane pricing, the complex models used to sell as many tickets as possible can mean it is hard to work out when you should press buy, and when you should wait it out for a cheaper fare.
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Eurostar
Eurostar fares tend to spike 90 days before departure (Getty Images)You should aim to buy your tickets up to 330 days to 90 days before travel.
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Eurostar tickets typically go on sale 330 days in advance of departure, and you might think that would be the best time to book. But research found that it can pay to hold your nerve. Analysis of thetrainline.com data show prices for Eurostar actually remain largely the same from the time they’re released until about three months before. They may even dip in price.
But about 90 days out Eurostar fares start to rise sharply. This pattern is consistent throughout the year.
How to get cheap Eurostar tickets
Batches of cheaper seats are released throughout the year as ‘surprise promotions’. Eurostar recommends you sign up for its newsletter or download the app to be the first to know about any deals, which do tend to sell out quickly. But bear in mind that the best prices are usually for off-peak travel periods, outside of holidays.
Those who are flexible on travel dates will also find that they can save money by travelling midweek. According to Eurostar, Tuesday and Wednesday departures tend to offer the lowest fares.
When to book for the cheapest Eurostar fares
Even if a price seems high, low or about right to you, it is hard to know if a better deal is around the corner. Analysis of sold ticket data show the average price of a single fare during a given time period for specific journeys, which can prove helpful when figuring out how good or bad a deal is.
London to Paris
- 300 days before £79
- 6 months before £68
- 3 months before £81
- 1 week before £143
London to Amsterdam
- 6 months before £67
- 3 months before £80
- 1 week before £143
London to Brussels
- 6 months before £67
- 3 months before £74
- 1 week before £128
Ferries
Ferry prices tend to vary hugely across the year (PA)Booking your ferry tickets at the right time could save you hundreds of pounds. When Which? checked the average ferry fares for a summer (August) departure, January was the cheapest time to book for 12 of the 20 most-used routes from UK ports - including all crossings to Spain and the Netherlands.
Analysis of data from comparison site, Direct Ferries, for the first eight months of 2023 and, in one case, found that a family of four, taking their car to the Netherlands in August would save a staggering £483 each way if they booked early. The average price in January was £379, whereas the same crossing booked in July would have cost £862 on average.
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But it’s not just early bookers who can potentially save money. This year’s data showed that the cheapest month varied by route and destination.
January is when many peak season tickets are released, often in tandem with special offers to trigger demand. And early booking also gives you your pick of the cabins. That’s particularly important for pet owners, as pet-friendly cabins tend to sell out first.
There is another time when you can potentially save money. June to August is the operators’ make-or-break period and they could resort to deep discounting if demand is down. The cheapest fares on three of the French routes were available just a few weeks ahead.
When to book a cheap ferry to France
If you are looking at a specific route for next summer, then knowing the average cost of a fare at different times of the year may be useful. Below is a list of the most popular routes from the UK to France, with their average price for a single August crossing when booked across the year, as well as the cheapest month to book.
Dover to Calais
- Average January cost: £108
- Average April cost: £107
- Average August cost: £107
- Cheapest month to book: February
Dover to Dunkirk
- Average January cost: £113
- Average April cost: £109
- Average August cost: £111
- Cheapest month to book: July
Portsmouth to Caen
- Average January cost: £302
- Average April cost: £349
- Average August cost: £381
- Cheapest month to book: January
Poole to Cherbourg
- Average January cost: £279
- Average April cost: £300
- Average August cost: £306
- Cheapest month to book: January
Newhaven to Dieppe
- Average January cost: £168
- Average April cost: £214
- Average August cost: £235
- Cheapest month to book: January
Portsmouth to St Malo
- Average January cost: £443
- Average April cost: £481
- Average August cost: £511
- Cheapest month to book: January
Poole to St Malo
- Average January cost: £298
- Average April cost: £293
- Average August cost: £289
- Cheapest month to book: July
Portsmouth to Cherbourg
- Average January cost: £281
- Average April cost: £328
- Average August cost: £362
- Cheapest month to book: January
Plymouth to Roscoff
- Average January cost: £369
- Average April cost: £434
- Average August cost: £450
- Cheapest month to book: January
Portsmouth to Le Havre
- Average January cost: £370
- Average April cost: £294
- Average August cost: £255
- Cheapest month to book: August
When to book a cheap ferry to Ireland
Summer ferry fares on the Holyhead and Liverpool to Dublin, and Fishguard to Rosslare routes followed roughly the same pattern - dipping to their lowest average price in April. Passengers who booked the Liverpool to Dublin route in April saved £64 each way on the last-minute price.
These lower prices in April could have been as a result of Easter promotions designed to trigger demand. Early and late bookers did not bag the best prices this year. Fares hit their sweet spot in April.
Below is a list of the most popular routes from the UK to Ireland, with their average price for a single August crossing when booked across the year, as well as the cheapest month to book.
Holyhead to Dublin
- Average January cost: £273
- Average April cost: £263
- Average August cost: £283
- Cheapest month to book: April
Liverpool to Dublin
- Average January cost: £225
- Average April cost: £213
- Average August cost: £277
- Cheapest month to book: April
Fishguard to Rosslare
- Average January cost: £279
- Average April cost: £259
- Average August cost: £265
- Cheapest month to book: April
When to book a cheap ferry to Spain and the Netherlands
There aren't too many ferry routes from the UK to Spain or the Netherlands, and those which do run tend to be much pricier than flying. However, going via the sea can be a lovely, slower way to get to the European countries, while being much greener than an air route.
January was the cheapest month on average to book a ferry from the UK to Bilbao and Santander in Spain, and Amsterdam, the Hook of Holland and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Plymouth to Santander route was £116 cheaper each way when booked in January rather than its peak in July. Book in January for the cheapest August departures.
Below is a list of the most popular routes from the UK to the Netherlands and Spain, with their average price for a single August crossing when booked across the year, as well as the cheapest month to book.
Plymouth to Santander
- Average January cost: £642
- Average April cost: £708
- Average August cost: £746
- Cheapest month to book: January
Portsmouth to Santander
- Average January cost: £696
- Average April cost: £729
- Average August cost: £738
- Cheapest month to book: January
Portsmouth to Bilbao
- Average January cost: £700
- Average April cost: £731
- Average August cost: £744
- Cheapest month to book: January
Harwich to Hook of Holland
- Average January cost: £267
- Average April cost: £321
- Average August cost: £305
- Cheapest month to book: January
Newcastle to Amsterdam (IJmuiden)
- Average January cost: £379
- Average April cost: £658
- Average August cost: £838
- Cheapest month to book: January
Hull to Rotterdam
- Average January cost: £368
- Average April cost: £510
- Average August cost: £518
- Cheapest month to book: January
Le Shuttle
While the routes from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk see a lot of discounting (hence prices being fairly flat), LeShuttle rarely does. Demand for the Channel Tunnel car train starts high and remains high. This year, prices started at £163, on average, in January, dipped very slightly, then rose to £200 for late-bookers. The best way to ensure a cheap fare is to book as soon as possible, and no later than three months before departure for the best prices.