14 replies to this topic

[lynnecharlie]

My road trip from UK to Turkey (October 2011)

7pm Drove from Manchester to Dover
Arrived at 2am for the 4.20am ferry
Dover to Calais ferry £64 1 adult 1 cat 1 dog (£15 for each pet)
Arrived 5.30am Calais
Drove from Calais to Lyon arrived at 7pm at campsite
Stayed at Camping Indigo international de Lyon,
Allee du camping-avenue de la porte de lyon 21euros
69570 Dardilly.
Tel 0033478356455
Petrol 170 euro
Tolls 99 euro

Woke up and set off for Ancona
Got through M.Blanc tunnel.
You could see it had snowed and been cleared it was on the sides of the road .Stopped with the truckers and made a coffee and took the dog for a walk.
Petrol 165 euros
Tolls 101 euros

Minoan Lines 210 euros
The ferry at Ancona was an extra 50 euros for a cabin with pets they wanted 85euros but I said no because they had told me 50 earlier. I had booked deck space on the ferry on the internet. I parked at the ferry car park and went in the big building you can’t miss it. You look for the ferry names when you go in the building they give you an upgrade free because they don’t have camping onboard anymore. Well it would have been free if I didn’t have animals. I stayed at the ferry waiting area for the day everybody is helpful and tells you where to park to wait for the ferry. They give you a card to put in your window so they can direct you where to go. When I drove on the ferry I had to go up the steepest ramp I have ever seen.

I woke up late because I had forgotten the 2 hours time difference. The ferry was arriving in Igoumenitsa port and had passed Corfu. (I wondered what that big island was as I was drinking my coffee and wiping my eyes having just got up.) I rushed back to the cabin with my coffee for a shower as announcements were made to vacate cabins and go to public areas. With a dog being pulled along in 1 hand, a cat in a basket in the other and a big bag with my stuff in I went to the lift to find it had broke. So I walked down about 8 flights of stairs going back each time to get the dog because he couldn’t walk down the stairs. All the Greek woman were petting the dog and asking his name. Finally got to the garages which had already opened and everyone was in their vehicles. Just got my stuff sorted out when it was time to drive off.


I pulled in to a garage to fill up with petrol. The man in the garage checked my tyres, oil and water. Off I went.

The road from Igoumenitsa is abit bleak not many good places to stop.
I kept driving to Thessaloniki stopped for a while then off I went again.
I kept going to Ipsala at the border.
Petrol 215 euros
Tolls 51 euro

Insurance at the boarder 310 lira
Once at the border I saw lots of trucks waiting so I kept to the left and passed them. I went up to one of the little boxes with a man sat inside watching tele and asked him what I needed to do. He said go to another man in a box and pay £10 to get my visa , I did this gave him £10 he stamped my passport and gave me a sweet then told me to go back to the other man in the box. Off I went again and the man said I had no insurance for the motor home having looked at my log book. He told me to go to the duty free shop which I had driven past. He said I could park up at the side of his box and walk back. It wasn’t far so I did this and the people in the duty free told me to walk to some offices that are in the shop and that is where you get your insurance 310 lira you just show them your documents and passport.
Back to the man in the box to look at the insurance(green card) he points to a man in another box and says to go and get the insurance stamped which I do then go back to him and he says I can go.
Having heard lots of stories I was surprised that I could then just drive off turn right stop at the barrier give my passport to the police man and he said thanks and have a good trip.
He lifted the barrier and said head straight to go to Istanbul.
Nobody looked in the motor home or checked the dog or cat.
I had got to Ispala at 11pm and thought would just keep going because I was in Turkey. I arrived at Akbuk at 4pm the next day.

Petrol 510 lira
Toll 50 lira

Total cost of Petrol=550 euros plus 510 lira
Tolls=251 euros plus 50 lira
Dover to Calais ferry =£64
Miloan Ferry = 210 euros plus 50 euros for pet cabin
Insurance for the Motor home 310 lira
Visa £10

I took the wrong turning a few times even though I had my sat nav which did work well I just didn’t listen to it a few times.
It was a great experience and I had read stories about problems people had but I can honestly say I didn’t have any and everybody I met were great.
I hope this helps people that are thinking about doing the trip.
My motorhome is for sale now I am in Turkey.She is in the classifeid section.

[sunny]

Thank you for that very comprehensive and informative write up.

I'm glad to hear that you arrived safely with little or no hassle.

I'm afraid that it won't be so easy to sell your motor home, because of Turkish regulation unless it's to someone who is going to take it out of the country.

[lynnecharlie]

I thought maybe in the new year people going back to the uk may want it.With the change in regulations for transporting animals someone may want to take them overland with them rather than be separated and also have a holiday on the way seeing different parts of europe while also taking things back to the uk and also being comfortable.

[KKW]

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[Livingston]

Hi,
Very useful and detailed account of your trip- thank you very much!
I am planning to do the trip myself in a van with some stuff for my house in the next month. Can you enter Turkey on a tourist visa if driving with personal possessions?
I look forward to hearing back any comments.
Cheers

[steph21]

Well that was great. Have been thinking for a while what it would be like to go to Turkey by car.

[annette]

thanks lynnecharlie enjoyed reading your story on driving to turkey we are driving there in july leaving here around 14th from north wales it was 2008 we drove there last we had a ferry from brindisi to cesmer then but it cost £1500 dont think they do that run now anyway the cost was to much as well as having to pay for the food so not sure about which way to go this time have bought a small gas stove to cook along the way there will be 4 of us going myself hubby driving and 2 teenage boys god help us they dont like each other half the time never mind being in a car together for days would love to here from anyone going around that date thanks

[Abi]

Hi Annette and welcome to our forum. I hope your journey goes alright and everyone survives the trip. Would love to hear how it all went on your return to the UK. : )

[sunny]

Welcome to the forum Annette. Good luck for your trip, I hope it goes well. We would be interested to hear about your adventures.

[Ahududu]

Hi Annette,
I don't know where abouts you are going in Turkey, but last September we travelled from Ancona to Igoumitsa in Greece, then into Turkey at Ipsala crossing.
The ferry cost 340 Euros for a car, 4 people and a cabin with 4 berths, one way, on Minoan Lines.
it may help! Good luck.

[annette]

hi ahududu we will be going to didim for most of the summer but hubby wants to visit family for a few days at aksaray he has talked about going from ancona to lgoumitsa then says we will drive but not if i get my own way i am worried about driving through some countrys sounds good what you did. did u travel from the uk and how many days did it take you, hubby is thinking maybe there will be lots more turkish people heading home so they could all travel together well thanks for your info annette.

[Ahududu]

Yes, doing that route definitely avoids lots of countries!!
It took us 3 days from the midlands to Istanbul.
Every petrol station you stop at has lots of Turks doing the road trip too - well, if it's in the summer hols.
I did write about it on a thread, I'll have a look and post a link - I think it was on someone else's thread about ferries from Italy to Greece.

Just found it - it is a thread called Ferries from Italy to Greece started by Tony 07 in the cars, car insurance and driving forum - the ticket was 540 euros, sorry, got it wrong!

Link

[nicola1956]

Having probs getting car insurance for our 35 day road trip to Dalaman Turkey any ideas

[sunny]

Here are a couple of links people who have done the trip have posted. If the info you are looking for isn't there I suggest that you send a PM (personal message) to them to ask what they did. If you do find out please could you post the answer for other people to read.
http://www.turkeycen...denizli-turkey/
http://www.turkeycen...rkey-uk-report/

[sunny]

I've just found another thread which actually mentions insurance. http://www.turkeycen...ance#entry48754