Turning up early at the Chunnel

[wilbjr21]

Now that the Tunnel operators are more restrictive with the trains, if you arrive before the one hour window allowed, it's losing its appeal.

Travelling the length of England it's not to so easy anymore.

The appeal to me was when you arrived early you got on the next train and the French side was rarely staffed in those halcyon days of yore.



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I have cut this part and started you a new thread.

Richard

 

[stever1]

Now that the Tunnel operators are more restrictive with the trains, if you arrive before the one hour window allowed, it's losing its appeal.

Travelling the length of England it's not to so easy anymore.

The appeal to me was when you arrived early you got on the next train and the French side was rarely staffed in those halcyon days of yore.

I’ve used the tunnel for 4 return trips in about the last 10 months. On 6 of those journeys I’ve got on the earlier trains. It must just be you they don’t like

 

[wilbjr21]

I’ve used the tunnel for 4 return trips in about the last 10 months. On 6 of those journeys I’ve got on the earlier trains. It must just be you they don’t like

You could be right there Stever1

I've never tested the early arrival bit for a while - just looked at the booking conditions.

The last time I travelled on the bike was October last year and didn't have any bother - unlike the bikers who jumped the queue and squeezed in behind me at the French booth.

The Customs chap realised we weren't together and chased them.

 

[stever1]

You could be right there Stever1

I've never tested the early arrival bit for a while - just looked at the booking conditions.

The last time I travelled on the bike was October last year and didn't have any bother - unlike the bikers who jumped the queue and squeezed in behind me at the French booth.

The Customs chap realised we weren't together and chased them.

On 3 of those occasions I’ve got on trains over an hour early. On the 2 occasions I didn’t get an early train it was because they were all full.

 

[glenn2926]

When we used the tunnel if we were early we were always offered an earlier train. We didn’t always take it as we wanted a break for a while, usually to take the dog for a walk. We no longer need to use the tunnel so from here in Yorkshire it’s a better option for us to use the Hull-Rotterdam ferry. We do not tend to travel during school holidays and try to avoid weekend crossings so don’t often get the hold ups that others seem to get.

 

[Davey B]

I may follow your advice and go back to the ferries for crossing the Channel.

Last weekend, we arrived early for the ferry and were put on an earlier one...3 hrs earlier..so we skipped a boat if you get me. The time before we also arrived early and again were put on an earlier boat. P and O have surprised us at how good they have been...(previously used Irish Ferries)

 

[Wapping]

As a regular user of the Chunnel, there was an explosion of outrage (some of it on these pages) when the Chunnel operator clarified their loading arrangements. Most of it proved to be unfounded or just made up.

Turn up reasonably early for your crossing and there is a good chance you’ll be offered an earlier train. The exception is at peak times of demand. Will the train you are offered be one that suits you then and there? Maybe, maybe not.

Turn up late and there is a pretty good chance you’ll (not unreasonably) be charged an additional fee. The train your are offered might (at peak times) be quite a wait.

One tip: If you believe (or know) you are going to be late for your booking, call the operator. They are then generally more helpful than they are when you just rock up at the check in, all but demanding to be let onto the next train because it suits you.

Tip two: If you really don’t know when you’ll arrive at the Chunnel check in, buy a more flexible ticket.

 

[Davey B]

Good tips Richard.
I'm glad I'm not a frequent traveller now (or in the future) as we couldn't afford to do 5 trips a year on the flexi tickets at £375 a pop. It was only 6 years ago that we could get 5 returns for c£400 (some surcharges applied if we chose more popular times. We never travelled on peak days or at peak times and more often than not, we were on quiet trains) Having 5 to 8 hr journey times, it generally meant that we arrived 3 to 4 hrs ahead of the crossing. It was easier (and no doubt better for the operators) to arrive earlier than to be driving with the ever present thought of 'Are we gonna miss the crossing'.

 

[siddo]

I'm always early and just ride straight through and board the next train that is leaving. No drama.

 

[AndrewA]

I have just returned from France in a car.
Standard ticket (not Flexi, not Economy).
Booked on 1720 from Calais to Folkestone.
Checked in at 1600 and check-in computer booth offered me three earlier trains - so I got the 1636.

 

[Ajay]

The hour thing is now in the booking conditions, probably to manage traffic volumes at busy times. In practice I've got on an hour plus prior to booked time - guess it depends how busy they are.

 

[Wapping]

The hour thing is now in the booking conditions, probably to manage traffic volumes at busy times.

Undoubtedly.

At very busy times, when the queues of vehicles used to back up onto the motorway on the French side, they have been known to expel very early arrivals (expecting - presumably by some sort of assumed right - to jump onto an earlier train to go home, for no other good reason than it suits them to) and dispatch out of the queue, telling them to wait in Calais.

The queues back on to the motorway have now been reduced, as the French side introduced a Disney type snake into what was previously a huge and sometimes chaotic open space.

 

[Wapping]

I'm always early and just ride straight through and board the next train that is leaving. No drama.

That does not always work.

Before they altered the letter codes, some in the know had a cross section of old tickets to display. The Chunnel then took up checking tickets on the train itself. Quite what happened if someone was already mid-journey and was found to have a dodgy ticket, I have no idea.

 

[siddo]

That does not always work.

Before they altered the letter codes, some in the know had a cross section of old tickets to display. The Chunnel then took up checking tickets on the train itself. Quite what happened if someone was already mid-journey and was found to have a dodgy ticket, I have no idea.

Has for me. Never had a problem.
Once I have the ticket, no one has checked it since before fake plague.

 

[Wapping]

Has for me. Never had a problem

Hoorah!

 

[er-minio]

I concur with the above.

I use the chunnel quite often and, even recently, I arrived earlier (no peak days) that the new restricted time, and I was still put on earlier trains. Nothing much changed IMHO.

 

[team duvet]

How’s the new check in going? There in 3 weeks on the bike. Is the finger print thing in the main building or a separate building?

TD

 

[Burridge01]

Another fairly frequent tunnel user. Generally been allowed to travel early when rocking up early.Did get turned away once in the Sprinter,tried pulling the disability card but they weren't having any of it.Got pointed out of the exit which is to the right when you go through the booth ticket machine, we drove off into the countryside, found a village,had breakfast and returned.Can see it getting entertaining when the new checks come into play.

 

[Burridge01]

How’s the new check in going? There in 3 weeks on the bike. Is the finger print thing in the main building or a separate building?

TD

Think there are delays again.As you,I will find out at the end of the month(travelling in camper)

 

[AndrewA]

They didn’t do any biometrics/fingerprints when I travelled out last week or back yesterday.