Jan Willem van Tilburg
Co-founder of FerryGoGo, entrepreneur from the Netherlands, and a route-first ferry travel writer focused on fares, practical trip planning and first-hand ferry travel.
Jan Willem writes about ferry fares, travel costs, UK–Europe crossings and smarter alternatives to the obvious route. His work combines pricing research, route logic and practical advice for travellers who want to choose the crossing that actually fits their trip.
Across FerryGoGo, he covers everything from destination-cost research and fare comparisons to cabin guides, crossing reviews and longer route playbooks. He has a particular soft spot for night ferries and sailings where the journey becomes part of the holiday.
- Co-founder of FerryGoGo
- Entrepreneur based in the Netherlands
- Focuses on ferry fares, travel costs and route research
- Particular interest in overnight sailings and first-hand ferry travel
About Jan Willem
Jan Willem van Tilburg is one of the co-founders of FerryGoGo and an entrepreneur from the Netherlands. His work sits at the intersection of ferry travel, editorial strategy and data-led travel research, with a particular focus on ferry fares, route value, holiday costs and practical guidance for real trips.
A big part of that work is grounded in first-hand experience. He has travelled on a wide range of ferry routes himself, including Saint-Malo to Portsmouth, Portsmouth to Cherbourg, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Harwich to Hook of Holland. He has also travelled on many domestic ferry routes, helping keep FerryGoGo’s guides practical, specific and rooted in real traveller experience.
He tends to favour comfortable, practical crossings, especially night ferries where you cover distance while you sleep. That mix of first-hand travel and data research shapes many of the guides, research pieces and route comparisons he publishes on FerryGoGo.
Areas of focus
- Ferry fares, pricing and value-for-money research
- Holiday costs, destination affordability and travel budgeting
- UK–Europe route comparisons and practical alternatives
- Cabins, upgrades, night crossings and first-hand travel notes
- Editorial strategy and data-led content for FerryGoGo
Data-led research
Jan Willem regularly works on ferry fare studies, route comparisons and destination-cost research that help travellers understand the wider market.
Real ferry experience
His guides are grounded in crossings he has taken himself, including overnight and UK–continent routes where cabins, timing and comfort really matter.
Route-first planning
He looks beyond the obvious crossing and focuses on what works best overall: price, drive time, onboard comfort and how the route fits the wider trip.
Travel costs that matter
From ferry tickets and cabins to destination prices and route alternatives, his work often centres on what a trip really costs in practice.
Selected articles by Jan Willem
A mix of FerryGoGo research, practical guides and first-hand route content that reflects Jan Willem’s main areas of focus.
Europe’s dinner price map
Destination-cost research on where dining out is cheapest and priciest across Europe.
What your crossings really cost – per mile, per person and per route
A data-led look at ferry pricing, average costs and value by route.
Ferries to France from the UK
‘Planning a ferry to France from the UK? Compare the main Channel crossings, departure ports, journey times and ticket options in one place.’
To Spain and Portugal without the plane
A route playbook built around overnight sailings and road-trip planning.
Cabins, tickets and upgrades: Harwich to Hook of Holland
A practical look at cabins, onboard choices and what is worth booking.
Saint-Malo to Portsmouth: experience and visual impression
A first-hand route article with practical detail and onboard perspective.
Selected media and public profiles
Selected places where Jan Willem, FerryGoGo or FerryGoGo research has been featured, quoted or profiled.
Why his FerryGoGo guides are practical
The best FerryGoGo articles usually sit at the overlap of data and real travel. Jan Willem tends to write about crossings where price, timing, route logic and onboard comfort all matter, especially longer or overnight journeys where the ferry experience is part of the holiday itself.
That is why his work often combines figures, route comparisons and budget context with first-hand observations about cabins, onboard feel, port flow and whether a route genuinely makes sense for a family trip, road trip or longer crossing.
For readers, that usually means
- Clearer choices between competing routes
- A better sense of overall trip cost, not just ticket price
- Practical advice on cabins, sail times and comfort
- Better alternatives when the obvious crossing is not the best one
- Useful context before booking a family or road-trip crossing
Read more research, guides and route playbooks
Want to explore the parts of FerryGoGo that best reflect Jan Willem’s work? Start with the research desk, route hubs and the latest practical articles in the logbook.
FerryGoGo may earn commissions from some bookings and partner links. Where this is the case, the aim remains the same: useful, honest, independent travel guidance.
