Car Hire in Calais - Getting to Calais

Calais doesn’t have an airport, and it doesn’t really need one. If you are thinking about flying, then you can fly into London’s Heathrow or Gatwick airports. Alternatively, it is possible to fly into a major city in France and take the train to Calais.

It's really easy to travel from the UK to France by train. High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Lille (1 hour, 40 minutes) and Paris (2 hours, 35 minutes). One change at Lille and you're on a 186mph TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse or high-speed train) direct to such cities as: Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Nîmes, Montpellier, Perpignan, Bordeaux, Rennes or Nantes.

The Channel Tunnel has made crossing the Channel convenient and speedy. The crossing time from Dover to Calais is just 30 minutes, either on the Eurostar passenger trains or with your car on Eurotunnel trains. There are plenty of train connections east to Lille and beyond, and south towards Paris. Alternatively, if you are driving, the autoroute system will take you directly to your destination of choice.

Getting to Calais from the UK couldn’t be easier. Many people opt to take the ferry from Dover to Calais, as it’s fast, cheap and comfortable. A number of ferry companies offer crossings throughout the day and night.