Tunnel change of T&C, new fees

[wessie]

Changes and Cancellations

Read the full changes and cancellations policy for LeShuttle.

www.leshuttle.com

Le Shuttle has changed the T&C for the cheaper tickets. The 2 hour window is reduced to 1 hour before or after the booked time for Standard tickets

If you arrive more than an hour before your slot then you will be charged a £20 alteration fee and more if you make the change by phone. You will also be charged any extra on the ticket price.

If you arrive more than 1 hour late then your ticket is void.
For Standard Plus the window is 4 hours after the booked time.
Only the Flexplus ticket avoids these changes

Terms & conditions

LeShuttle.com terms and conditions of use.

www.leshuttle.com

 

[wilbjr21]

Hmmm - not so easy to judge the travelling time when you're coming from the north of the country.

 

[MickDB1]

I have been taking anything between 4 and 7 fookin hrs to get to folkstone. I am only 235 from folkstone.. They have all ready jacked prices up again this year.
We are being taken for a ride.... Or maybe not anymore.
I may go back to getting a plane for a holiday and rent vehicles

 

[glenn2926]

Hmmm - not so easy to judge the travelling time when you're coming from the north of the country.

Last time we used the tunnel in January we traveled the day before and stayed overnight nearby. It’s very difficult to judge an accurate travel time from up this way.
That journey was the last time I will need to drive down south though. We have now lost our dog so will be using the North Sea ferry from Hull in future. Starting next month. I’m sure the first and last day of our trip will much less stressful without that journey to and from the south.

 

[DJ123]

The way i read this is if you were to check in more than 1 hour before your booked departure time, you won't be able to get onto a train more than 1 hour before your booked time (if at all).

Because if you arrive less than an hour before it's a void booking as you're late.....

***edit - this is for Day trips & overnight bookings only***

3. You must check in at least 1 hour (but not more than 4 hours) before your booked departure times.


4. Early arrival: If you arrive more than 1 hour before your booked departure - your booking will not be exchanged for an earlier


departure. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel earlier than your booked departure time. All tickets subject to


availability. Your original booking will not be refunded.

Late arrival: If you arrive less than 1 hour before your booked departure or later – your ticket will be void. It will not be


exchanged or refunded nor credited. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel on the next available departure, subject


to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

 

[wilbjr21]

Last time we used the tunnel in January we traveled the day before and stayed overnight nearby. It’s very difficult to judge an accurate travel time from up this way.
That journey was the last time I will need to drive down south though. We have now lost our dog so will be using the North Sea ferry from Hull in future. Starting next month. I’m sure the first and last day of our trip will much less stressful without that journey to and from the south.

I agree completely with that.

I sometimes use DFDS from Newcastle depending where I'm going as it's only fifteen miles from home - but expensive.

I won't use P & O - no matter how much it hurts me

The Tunnel was really good for flexibility - but with that gone I may have to think of something else.

I have stayed in Folkstone overnight a few times and had an early train booked which is fine.

This may have something to do with the dreadful queues that we have experienced at the Tunnel - four and a half hours for me once.

 

[er-minio]

Late arrival: If you arrive less than 1 hour before your booked departure or later – your ticket will be void. It will not be

If this is the case, it could be a bit of a pain.
Funnily enough (I travel regularly) I can time it fairly accurately from Dijon to the Calais terminal each time - but traveling from London to Folkestone in the last three years has been a lottery.

I had to cancel my April bike trip to Spain (supposed to leave next week).
Already took a big hit cancelling the return ferry to Bilbao.
Trying to change my bike ticket into a car one tomorrow morning, trying to save at least a couple of quid. Fingers crossed.

 

[wessie]

The way i read this is if you were to check in more than 1 hour before your booked departure time, you won't be able to get onto a train more than 1 hour before your booked time (if at all).

the terms you have quoted are for day trip tickets where there is no flexibility at all

the terms I have quoted are for Standard tickets which are more relevant to people here

 

[DJ123]

The way i read this is if you were to check in more than 1 hour before your booked departure time, you won't be able to get onto a train more than 1 hour before your booked time (if at all).

Because if you arrive less than an hour before it's a void booking as you're late.....


3. You must check in at least 1 hour (but not more than 4 hours) before your booked departure times.


4. Early arrival: If you arrive more than 1 hour before your booked departure - your booking will not be exchanged for an earlier departure. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel earlier than your booked departure time. All tickets subject to availability. Your original booking will not be refunded.

Late arrival: If you arrive less than 1 hour before your booked departure or later – your ticket will be void. It will not be exchanged or refunded nor credited. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

I need to edit my previous post here - this is for Day trips & overnight; Non-amendable, non-refundable, valid for return journey within 2 calendar days short stay savers;

4. You must check in at least 1 hour (but not more than 4 hours) before your booked departure time.

5. If you arrive more than 1 hour before your booked departure you may amend your departure to an earlier time, subject to availability and payment of the Amendment Fee and any fare difference.

6. If you arrive within the ticket flexibility period (within less than 1 hour before booked departure and no more than 1 hour after booked departure) your booking will be exchanged for the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

7. Late arrival (1 hour or more after your booked departure) - your ticket is void. You will not receive a refund, exchange or credit. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

8. If you arrive at check in for your booked departure or within the flexibility period in a different vehicle, or with accessories (such as roofbox, bikes on the roof or rear) that have not been booked, you can amend your booking to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability and payment of any fare increase. We cannot guarantee that next available departure will be on the same day.

9. Tickets automatically expire 1 hour after booked departure and are not refundable. Standard

4. You must check in at least 1 hour (but not more than 4 hours) before your booked departure time.

5. If you arrive more than 1 hour before your booked departure you may amend your departure to an earlier time, subject to availability and payment of the Amendment Fee and any fare difference.

6. If you arrive within the ticket flexibility period (within less than 1 hour before booked departure and no more than 1 hour after booked departure) your booking will be exchanged for the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

7. Late arrival (1 hour or more after your booked departure) - your ticket is void. You will not receive a refund, exchange or credit. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

8. If you arrive at check in for your booked departure or within the flexibility period in a different vehicle, or with accessories (such as roofbox, bikes on the roof or rear) that have not been booked, you can amend your booking to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability and payment of any fare increase. We cannot guarantee that next available departure will be on the same day.


9. Tickets automatically expire 1 hour after booked departure and are not refundable. Standard Plus

5. You must check in at least 1 hour (but not more than 4 hours) before your booked departure time.

6. If you arrive more than 1 hour before your booked departure you may amend your departure to an earlier time, subject to availability and payment of the Amendment Fee and any fare difference.


7. If you arrive within the ticket flexibility period (within less than 1 hour before booked departure and no more than 4 hours after booked departure) your booking will be exchanged for the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.

8. Late arrival (4 hours or more after your booked departure) - your ticket is void. You will not receive a refund, exchange or credit. You will need to purchase a new ticket to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability. We cannot guarantee that the next available departure will be on the same day.


9. If you arrive at check in for your booked departure or within the flexibility period in a different vehicle, or with accessories (such as roofbox, bikes on the roof or rear) that have not been booked, you can amend your booking to travel on the next available departure, subject to availability and payment of any fare increase. We cannot guarantee that next available departure will be on the same day.

10. Tickets automatically expire 4 hours after booked departure and are not refundable.

 

[Wapping]

In short:

A. The basic rule of thumb, is to arrive no earlier than four hours before your crossing and no later than one hour before your crossing,

B. Don’t change your vehicle.

C. Don’t turn up with a trailer, when you’ve booked a crossing without one.

D. Screw up your eyes really tight and try your very best to imagine when you’ll arrive at the terminal (whether that be in the UK or France) irrespective of whether you started your journey in Folkestone, Coquelles, Cardiff, Berlin, Cadiz, Norwich, London E1 or Inverness.

If you were facing a firing squad and had to pass these four basic tests, in order to avoid being shot, you’d probably manage. You can do it, even though you ride a motorcycle. Or just take a ferry, when you’ll probably have to do much the same anyway.

PS I’d take a punt that, if the train / parking area is very quiet, there is a pretty good chance you’ll get on an earlier train, once you are through the check in. Give it a go, they can’t (and won’t) shoot you for trying your luck.

PPS Try to avoid the busiest times. What are those, mate? As another basic rule of thumb and probably not surprisingly, public holidays and when the schools have just broken up or are about to recommence. Mornings, when travelling from the UK to France and late afternoon or early evenings, when coming from France. Likewise and again unsurprisingly, Fridays and weekends are generally busier than other days, too. It’s the same as you find on most public mass transport systems.

Me? I’ve been using the train, since its very first week of operation, way back in 1994, over 30 years ago. Leaving aside that the biggest changes have been the way they deal with motorcycles, the problems that the Chunnel now faces are:

1. Much of the infrastructure and rolling stock is getting pretty old, increasing the chances of breakdowns. Breakdowns cause delays; everyone knows that.

2. The throughput of traffic (don’t forget it also deals with lots of passenger trains, coming from other stations, miles from Folkestone and Coquelles) has increased greatly. This increases the problem of item 1.

3. Delays (especially at busy times, see item 1) caused by the passport checks. Remember that, when you hoon around the rest of Europe, without a care in the world. It’s the price you pay, for living on an island and insisting that we can’t be the same as 449,000,000 other people. But hey, many of them speak pretty reasonable English, which saved you having to learn a foreign language in school.

As a consequence of points 1, 2 and 3, I have for many years, taken up travelling at times which I judge to give me the best chance of negating or at least reducing falling foul of items 1, 2 and 3. By and large, it works well.

 

[G&T]

Red tape, does it come in any other colours?

 

[EVskiy]

 

[er-minio]

Thank god the motorway that leads to the UK terminal is completely smooth and without any potential blocks/roadworks/slowed down areas that makes traveling times consistent and easy to predict

 

[Davey B]

Pre 2020 we used Eurotunnel alot, we had the annual frequent traveller tickets...10 singles. Since 2020, the prices have shot up and we now use Irish Ferries. This change in T and Cs won't assist in attracting us back...quite the opposite. It is generally very easy to drive the 450 miles from our home to Calais and to arrive within 15 minutes of the time we had planned. The other side is a different matter (travelling down from West Yorkshire can take 4.5 hrs, or 6 hrs or 8 hrs or...) so occasionally we would amend our crossing en route...to a slightly later one. I don't think it had any effect on how Eurotunnel ran and no member of their staff had to do anything...it was a self amendment. I'd now be charged £20 for it...sod that.
I also had an email discussion with them recently regarding towing a trailer. Their FAQ states that 'you will have to pay for the extra space a trailer takes up on the shuttle'. Fine, no issue with that. The car is c 4.2m long. Add a 3m trailer and I'm at 7.2m. Cost was £288 each way. If I took two cars...each 4.2m, I'd have to have 8.4m of space...but it would cost £128 x 2...£256. They really are taking the piss.

 

[er-minio]

I just changed my motorbike ticket on the 16th (in the late evening) from Motorbike to Car. Thankfully didn't cost much extra.

I hope we are (characteristically ) making a lot of noise for little - but as a frequent user on the chunnel, to be fair, the changes are not super welcome.
As said above, never had an issue from the French side. Always managed to time arrivals perfectly, or well in advance and always paid a little extra for an earlier train when available - happily.

From within London is becoming increasingly random with travel time (yes - I'm still salty about the 7 hours from last summer).
I generally tend to travel largerly on the "earlier" side, but when travel times can shoot around anything between 2 to 4 hours to cover fucking 100km, it starts being difficult, and expensive if you have to buy a completely new car ticket at the barrier.

He who lives, will see.

 

[Wapping]

I travelled to France and back again to the UK, just recently. It was busy on the way out on Friday mid-afternoon, but not heaving. It was all but coming back from France, mid-morning on Monday.

On check-in at the automatic barriers, I was offered earlier crossings than those I had booked on both occasions, both at no extra cost.

 

[er-minio]

Same when I left earlier in April.
Got on an earlier train (by car) free of charge.

 

[Wapping]

If any other proof were needed, here’s what I found on a subsequent jaunt, a couple of weeks after post #16.

For my return to the UK, I turned up at the Chunnel in France this morning, in a large (wide bodied) vehicle, for which there can be less crossings available.

I had a fixed price (non-refundable) return ticket, the cheapest on offer. I was booked on the 10:45 crossing, the Chunnel app giving an earliest check-in time as 08:45 and the latest as 09:45. I checked-in at 09:20 and was offered by the machine an earlier crossing at 10:15 or to stay on my 10:45 crossing. I chose 10:15.

The passport control was all but deserted. I was subject to no additional checks, which they sometimes subject motorhomes to. I was therefore through by 09:35.

I drove straight to the embarkation point, where I was pointed straight onto a waiting train. We departed at 09:45. In short, one hour earlier than my booked ticket and 30 minutes ahead of my revised time. All at no extra cost.

OK….

A. Whenever possible, I pick my crossing times (outward and return) for those that I think will be least busy.

B. My arrival time and the speed of getting through check-in and immigration all helped.

C. I was lucky that my arrival at the platforms, coincided with an earlier train which still had space on the wide bodied carriage for me and this fellow:

 

[Barnoe]

If you cant calculate to arrive up to 4 hours before, what the feck are you doing travelling?
Stay at home your going to hurt yourself

If you live in Inverness for example you shouldn't be doing this in 1 day anyway as its about 11-12 hrs without a break!
So you should be stopping for the night somewhere closer and travel first thing in the morning.

That way you can be in France early, fresh and ready for the day

 

[Wapping]

I am going across to France again, via the Chunnel on Thursday. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, it’s a mid-morning crossing at 11:15. Earliest suggested check-in, as per the app is 09:15 which is an 07:15 start from home, which will bring me into some morning traffic, no matter which way I go. The only saving grace is that, at least leaving London, I’ll be going against much of the flow. I’ll also enhance the coffers of TfL by paying to take a car through the new Silvertown tunnel. Latest check-in, per the app, is 10:15 which is an 08:15 start from home, which is possibly worse (traffic wise) than going earlier.

Whether I arrive early, on time or late, we’ll see what happens.