Le shuttle

[rovert57]

Had the misfortune to have to get the train back from France today what a nightmare sat in 36+ heat waiting to go through the checkpoints,the bike air cooled 1200 gsa was not very happy the engine light was flickering when I let it idle the rocker cover paint looks like it has discoloured the constant stop start meat that I couldn’t switch the bike off ,I had started to,do,that but there was a slow turn over which I thought I’d better not risk it not starting as they wouldn’t allow you to board the train ,
After finally getting through the progress to the train was dead slow and when on there was lots of empty carriages.
This was in contrast to going from folkstone the other day .
Should be a fast track for bikes as waiting in the heat is no joke .

 

[twizzle]

Or the rain, I got piss wet through once… just sitting in a torrential downpour

 

[twizzle]

Which is why I relax on the ferries from Portsmouth

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Had the misfortune to have to get the train back from France today what a nightmare sat in 36+ heat waiting to go through the checkpoints,the bike air cooled 1200 gsa was not very happy the engine light was flickering when I let it idle the rocker cover paint looks like it has discoloured the constant stop start meat that I couldn’t switch the bike off ,I had started to,do,that but there was a slow turn over which I thought I’d better not risk it not starting as they wouldn’t allow you to board the train ,
After finally getting through the progress to the train was dead slow and when on there was lots of empty carriages.
This was in contrast to going from folkstone the other day .
Should be a fast track for bikes as waiting in the heat is no joke .

Not been a good trip then ?

 

[Skippy]

Had the misfortune to have to get the train back from France today what a nightmare sat in 36+ heat waiting to go through the checkpoints,the bike air cooled 1200 gsa was not very happy the engine light was flickering when I let it idle the rocker cover paint looks like it has discoloured the constant stop start meat that I couldn’t switch the bike off ,I had started to,do,that but there was a slow turn over which I thought I’d better not risk it not starting as they wouldn’t allow you to board the train ,
After finally getting through the progress to the train was dead slow and when on there was lots of empty carriages.
This was in contrast to going from folkstone the other day .
Should be a fast track for bikes as waiting in the heat is no joke .

Please, please write to LeShuttle with your experience. See my recent post's on the same matter. Disgusting service they offer bikes

Not that it's of any consequence but, I did get a E100 voucher to use.

I had multiple exchanges with them relating to my recent trip, both directions, both were appalling, held back in the heat while train after train left the platform without a single bike on.

The more people who complain and let them know that a significant number of bikers are becoming more and more dissatisfied with their service, the sooner things might change.

 

[ATT]

The rain in France always seemed warmer and softer.

 

[glenn2926]

Had the misfortune to have to get the train back from France today what a nightmare sat in 36+ heat waiting to go through the checkpoints,the bike air cooled 1200 gsa was not very happy the engine light was flickering when I let it idle the rocker cover paint looks like it has discoloured the constant stop start meat that I couldn’t switch the bike off ,I had started to,do,that but there was a slow turn over which I thought I’d better not risk it not starting as they wouldn’t allow you to board the train ,
After finally getting through the progress to the train was dead slow and when on there was lots of empty carriages.
This was in contrast to going from folkstone the other day .
Should be a fast track for bikes as waiting in the heat is no joke .

The tunnel does appear to have played a large part in you not enjoying your trip. I was getting to be the same. Since changing to now using the Hull-Rotterdam ferry the trip is much more enjoyable. A steady couple of hours to Hull, overnight ferry with a meal and a couple of drinks, a decent night’s sleep and after a leisurely breakfast ready for off around 09.00. We now go this way whether it’s a bike, pickup truck or motorhome trip. Great duty free onboard now too. When in the pickup or motorhome we tend to stock up a bit on wine and spirits on the homeward journey which the ship’s crew deliver down to the car deck for us. Coming home we disembark and are on the way home around 09.00 and home before lunch.
Our usual journey when using the pickup or motorhome is to Chamonix in the French Alps to visit our son and family. The difference in distance between Rotterdam and Chamonix and Calais and Chamonix is 40 kilometres. Not much.

 

[rovert57]

Might be worth a go but not for a while ,this discomfort starts around 1/2 hour into the ride so will have to determine as to what the cause is ,not been a problem before or at least a good distance into the ride ,

 

[rovert57]

As a thing to note that the last time I did a European jaunt was in 2019 so possibly a bit fitter then and was riding more often.

 

[Bigcats]

Which is why I relax on the ferries from Portsmouth

No cover for bikes at Portsmouth either

There is on the French side though

 

[Wegby]

I've often found it's much more of a pantomime coming back from Calais compared to heading out from Folkestone. Strangely, it often seems to be the UK customs that cause the delay and they're slow to open additional booths when it's busy.

Still, on the upside, it's quicker than getting the ferry and at least all the queuing is done before you board so on arrival you're good to crack on.

 

[Wegby]

Please, please write to LeShuttle with your experience. See my recent post's on the same matter. Disgusting service they offer bikes

Not that it's of any consequence but, I did get a E100 voucher to use.

I had multiple exchanges with them relating to my recent trip, both directions, both were appalling, held back in the heat while train after train left the platform without a single bike on.

The more people who complain and let them know that a significant number of bikers are becoming more and more dissatisfied with their service, the sooner things might change.

Interesting. I use Le Shuttle 5-6 times a year, and although it's not dreadful on every return journey, but sometimes they've had a real stinker. How did you contact them - by their online request form? I note the booking confirmations come from a 'no-reply' email address.

Guess it's worth a shot next time we encounter issues. Thanks

 

[wessie]

Interesting. I use Le Shuttle 5-6 times a year, and although it's not dreadful on every return journey, but sometimes they've had a real stinker. How did you contact them - by their online request form? I note the booking confirmations come from a 'no-reply' email address.

Guess it's worth a shot next time we encounter issues. Thanks

they have a formal process. I imagine they get a lot what with the poor service and increasingly unreliable trains.

Complaints Procedure

LeShuttle is committed to providing the highest quality service, but sometimes problems arise. Read our complaints procedure.

www.leshuttle.com

 

[Skippy]

I had a running dialogue with Hannah O at :

[email protected]

 

[Pukmeister]

On the French side when queued I just dismount and walk my bike to the customs & immigration/border farce kiosks seeing as it’s lots of stop start.

Air cooled bikes really struggle in the heat, especially if run on 10W40 oil rather than 20W50.

 

[twizzle]

No cover for bikes at Portsmouth either

There is on the French side though

It has never rained on me in Portsmouth

 

[ChazzyB]

No cover for bikes at Portsmouth either

There is on the French side though

I sat in a queue of bikes at Plymouth for 45 minutes in the heat, waiting for immigration to turn up to man the kiosks and let us out. Wouldn't have minded, but the ship was supposed to go to Portsmouth. So 45 minutes in the sun in bike gear and a three hour ride home instead of one hour.

 

[Bigcats]

It has never rained on me in Portsmouth

That doesn't mean it doesn't rain in Portsmouth I'm afraid

 

[ChazzyB]

Might be worth a go but not for a while ,this discomfort starts around 1/2 hour into the ride so will have to determine as to what the cause is ,not been a problem before or at least a good distance into the ride ,

What's the discomfort?

 

[Ectopic]

After every trip I get a "How did you rate your trip?" questionnaire. I always complain about the lack of facilities for bikes and the fact that after queuing up in the departure lanes, you then get sent through to then queue up on the platform. I get the feeling no-one reads them, and that as a group bikers are a small minority paying less per head, so they couldn't really care less if bikes use the service or not.

When it's hot or cold or wet, it's just poor service. They have some shelters on both sides so why they can't call the bikes last from the PTBs in beyond me.

But often the problems are getting through the three or four separate check-ins and control authorities (Eurotunnel check-in; Eurotunnel passport check; inbound passport check by PAF (in Folkestone) and UKBF (in Coquelles); security swipe for explosives by Eurotunnel or their contractors (on a random basis); French Douane in Coquelles now and again, the final booth in Coquelles where they tell you what lane to get into (though they seem to manager without a booth for this in Folkestone, bizarrely).

It's not the case that UKBF are always the longest queues in Coquelles - it just seems like it because they're the last check before heading onto the train and it's the only one AFTER you've been sent to the PTB. We looked at these stats in detail a few years ago.

As for "not opening booths quickly enough." Did it ever occur to you that there might not be any more staff to man them? As with the carriers and infrastructure, it's not reasonable to staff the port permanently with maximum staffing for three weekends a year. There is only so much flexibility you can achieve with a static workforce.

(Obviously the whole concept of needing passport checks when hundreds of migrants a day are crossing in small boats is another argument.)

I must have made thousands of crossing on Eurotunnel, but luckily I skipped passport control for most of them!