Trip to Spain next week

Hello,

My son and myself are booked onto the Portsmouth to Santander ferry next week, travelling in the Warwick Duo towing a Finn dinghy,  our destination Los Alcazares on the Mar Menor.

Does the no meat and dairy products still apply when travelling to Spain ?

We have replaced GB stickers with Uk versions, have high via jackets, spare bulb kits breathalisers etc and are aware of passenger locator form process.

 Are there any other considerations and or recommendations, perhaps from but not necessarily from those with more recent experience of travelling abroad. 


Regards Geoff

Yes, taking some food stuffs into the EU still applies that is EU law. Maybe spot checks are in use, therefore if caught, you could be fined for doing so and food confiscated. There are plenty of supermarkets in Spain and probably cheaper than the UK.

Have a good trip.

If you have a paper licence you may need an international driving permit (check which one you need as there are 3 different types. You may also need a green card for your insurance and also one for your trailer.

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Geoff. Good wishes on your trip.Let us know how you get on please.
Paper work i am not sure as to jabs before going and jabs coming back that have to be booked before going.
Maybe make sure your trailer has a warning ident on it.
Your hi vis Jackets need to be close. 2 warning triangles as well.
regards
Micky

Thanks Micky,
Ok 're high viz jackets and triangles we usually carry these.
Could you elaborate 're ident on the trailer.
Thanks Geoff

Suf wrote:Thanks Micky,
Ok 're high viz jackets and triangles we usually carry these.
Could you elaborate 're ident on the trailer.
Thanks Geoff

Sorry dont know official name. Its a warning reflector plate that we use over our bicycles.
Micky

Be sure to fill it to full with Spanish diesel before getting on ferry for return home.
It'll prob be all gone by then but always better to arrive in UK full fuel for the journey home

Geoff. As Micky said. It’s a red and white chevron warning board, to go on the rear of your trailer. You can buy them off Amazon for a few pounds.

Meat and dairy is any EU entry, but people on other forums have reported not being stopped or checked. Luck of the draw I guess.

Make sure you have your vaccination record easily to hand, preferably in digital form on a smartphone or tablet but with a paper backup. We had to show it at Eurotunnel check-in, and while in Austria we’ve had to present it when eating out in restaurants.  If you’ve not been double jabbed then check the requirements for testing.

I recommend you also check whether the Spanish government have any other COVID related requirements, in the way that the French do. Best way to find out is on gov.uk webpages for international COVID requirements, which will link to relevant Spanish gov websites.

In our experience getting into the EU 4 weeks ago was easy, and crossing international borders in the Schengen area has been as free and easy as it always was. It’s getting back into UK that’s more bothersome, with COVID rules that continue to change.

Before returning to UK I recommend you check gov.uk webpages and register for automatic updates regarding travel to/from Spain. Existing rules require you to arrange and pay for a Day 2 test (Day 0 being the day you arrive in UK) BEFORE you re-enter UK. We followed the advice in another thread on here and used Eurofins to arrange our PCR tests (Google it). 

If you know definitely when you’re returning then you could arrange the Day 2 tests before you leave for Spain, but plans can change so I advise you arrange them just before heading back. You may find the requirement for these tests gets scrubbed by the time you return, as the government wants to make international travel easier in time for October half-term.

Under current rules you also have to fill out and complete online a passenger locator form for each person in your party in the 48hrs before arriving back in UK, but again that may change.

It sounds a minefield but isn’t in reality … thus far that is, as we’ve yet to return to UK. The gov.uk website is clear enough, but I recommend you keep up to date online while away as the requirements change. They have done while we’ve been here in Austria. Hopefully by the time you make your return journey the situation may be less onerous but you can’t assume anything in the current situation and so the best advice is to maintain awareness of UK and Spanish rules.

Tim

Bad Penny wrote:Geoff. As Micky said. It’s a red and white chevron warning board, to go on the rear of your trailer. You can buy them off Amazon for a few pounds.

You don’t need the chevron board …if you have a trailer light board.

Ray

harrysp wrote:Meat and dairy is any EU entry, but people on other forums have reported not being stopped or checked. Luck of the draw I guess.

Im in Spain now, when I entered no one checked anything, they were only interested if we had pets aboard…this was at Bilbao…other ports could be different….the only paperwork checked was at Portsmouth…..

The Spanish just don’t seem bothered.

Ray

Thanks every one for the updates and guidance. 
We will avoid taking any dairy or meat apart from maybe a few tins of beans and sausage  . 

Our route now is Portsmouth to Santander, initially it was via Calais and driving down so no overnight stops en route, replaced by being on the ferry for 33 hrs but we save on a few tanks of fuel and tolls in both directions which helps to significantly bridge the gap between ferry prices.

We do have fixed return dates so booking the return test before we go is an option so that leaves the passenger locator paperwork that we will complete tomorrow ready for departure 2330 on Monday.

Thanks again everyone.

Regards Geoff

The passenger locator form has to be completed in the 48hr period before you arrive back in UK, not when you leave UK.

Tim

Kemerton-bath wrote:The passenger locator form has to be completed in the 48hr period before you arrive back in UK, not when you leave UK.

Tim

Unfortunately travelers must complete the form both ways, so before you board the ferry to Spain and when you return.

Ray

Like Suf we worked out the cost of driving down and there is not much in it. a month ago we would have driven down but since the weather is colder up north we are looking forward to a cruise. Ferry was less than £500 with a site booking.

Thanks Ray, 
We are having to complete passenger locator forms for outbound and inbound journeys within 24hrs of departures. 
I notice you are based in Blythe Bridge, know it well, I sometimes meet friends in the Catchams Corner,  we are based in Kidsgrove now but I went to Longton High so have old friends and travelling companions in Blythe Bridge area.

Hi Suf,glad that you found the confirmation useful.


yes I’m an old longtonion…..I went to cook street school in Longton… far too long ago.

Like all the towns in SOT somewhat run down now!

Ray

jennyandpeter wrote:Like Suf we worked out the cost of driving down and there is not much in it. a month ago we would have driven down but since the weather is colder up north we are looking forward to a cruise. Ferry was less than £500 with a site booking.

Just been looking at the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao for next year…seems to me that the price has risen considerably..circa £1200:00 Return…

If fuel prices remain low in Europe, driving dow becomes very attractive.

Ray

Our price was just going out not planned a return date yet

Arrived back yesterday, ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth, outbound was Portsmouth to Santander.   

It was all surpringly straight forward in both directions but we had completed passenger location documentation for both directions, all that remains is the pre booked covid test that needs to be completed after 48 hours after getting back and booked before you leave.

A few van and trailer checks in Portsmouth on the way out, in Santander they only checked the boat, not interested in any paperwork or what food stuffs we had on board. In Bilbeo on the way back only the passports, travel location docs and covid status checks were done and we were ready for boarding, back in Portsmouth yesterday it was just a brief passport check once we got to the front of the queue.

I had my NHS covid status printed which the border control people seemed to prefer as opposed to passing over the phone.

Driving through spain to Mar Menor and back was simple, even easier and quieter than driving in France, circumventing Madrid was easy.

Of the two Spanish ports I thought Santandar was the easier of the two to enter and exit, arriving at Bilbao you have to spiral down to the coast from the mountains but the signage is good but the port is big.

Through the middle of Spain campsites seem sparse compared with France (but it is quite dessert or agricultural much of the time and mountainous in places)  but I didn't research availability so they could be there, I also now realise why the recommended winter route to the south of spain is via a route south of Madrid.

Mar Menor / Low Alcazares is lovely area and the temperature was mid 20's during our stay.

Thanks for the helpful comments recieved before we left.

As i expect it will get easier with time.

Micky