The Eurotunnel

[miniman]

Just settling into a few glasses of vino having returned home from France via the tunnel. I think it's the last time I will use it. The transit time is very compelling but it's the rest of the experience that ruins it for me.

At Folkestone, the setup is such that getting onto the site is quite painless, and then you do the customs stuff once you're on route to boarding - meaning that people turning up early aren't holding you up. In Calais, it's queue after queue. Queue to check in. Queue to get to the first (empty) passport line. Queue to get to the next passport line. Queue to get into the carpark. Queue to get into the toilets. Queue to get a fecking bottle of water from WHSmiths.

I swear it's deliberate. You couldn't make it this bad accidentally.

I think the real problem stems from the ability for people to turn up and buy a ticket on the gate. We were booked on the 5:06 tonight. We turned up at 4, to find "15 minute delays" - not a problem. But once we were issued our boarding pass thing, it turns out we're now on the 6:06 because of "unforseen capacity problems". So essentially they know how many cars fit on a train, but they either sell more tickets assuming people will be late; allow people who haven't pre-booked to get ahead of those who have; or both. Probably the latter.

There's absolutely no information, all the staff are surly and unhelpful, and I'm yet to do a trip on time.

I get that a lot of the French would rather it wasn't there, but we built the damn thing so shouldn't we run it properly?

[davepoth]

Blame the French - and then think yourself lucky you aren't trying to get on the ferries tonight, as the dockworkers are striking again.

[brickwall]

I feel your pain.

For the past 5 years I've always booked Flexi+ on my return journey (where you get put on the next available train) for two reasons:
1. I'm driving from the alps, so I don't know exactly what time I'll arrive in Calais.
2. There are all sorts of queue-jumping lines, which reduce the waiting time (though often not that much for passport control). No need to even go to the terminal, as they have a little special flexi+ 'lounge' with facilities and drinks just before the boarding lanes.

It's a bit more expensive (about £100 over the normal fare), but worth it.

[btcc123]

I went to Belgium from the 21st to the 24th August on P&O Ferries from Dover to Calais.We had no hold ups on the way out but noticed there was a 3 hour delay with the tunnel.We had to que on the way back but were quite lucky as it was fairly quiet.

No one looked at out passports on the way out as the government dont give a toss who leaves the country but do care very much who comes in to the country so looked at our passports and were searched not for fags and booze but for people due to the migrants in the massive camp (st hole) in Calais.

They should send the Army over to sort them out.

[gtidriver]

The problem I find is that passport checks take too long, it should be drive up to booth hand over passports then the operator scans your passport confirms you are you and not Isis and then let you pass, no chit-chat asking where I've been what I've bought and how long I've been out of the country, it's none of immigrations bloody business. Woman asked if I liked her new shed/shack when I crossed last Friday at Calais, there was a massive queue behind me as well.

[Robertj21a]

This chit-chat is quite deliberate. It gets you to speak/communicate and may highlight any inconsistencies with you, or your trip.

[Roo]

They were overloaded yesterday because of the striking ferry workers blocking Calais.

[miniman]

Roo said:

They were overloaded yesterday because of the striking ferry workers blocking Calais.

I think it's not beyond the wit of man to concoct an approach where people who have a ticket that they booked months previously are dealt with separately to those who turn up because the ferry is on strike.

Aside of that, it's the total lack of information or sign of any staff who give a st that I find most frustrating. Even at the final queue for boarding, the signs said "15 minute delay" - we were already an hour late at that point.

[dcb]

miniman said:

Just settling into a few glasses of vino having returned home from France via the tunnel. I think it's the last time I will use it. The transit time is very compelling but it's the rest of the experience that ruins it for me.

Oddly enough, when it's busy, like during the summer holidays, it is slow.

I've stopped going across the Channel from early July to early September.

Saved a fortune in tunnel costs too. It is usually < £100 anytime, but
for summer holiday, £200 + is possible.

[miniman]

dcb said:

miniman said:

Just settling into a few glasses of vino having returned home from France via the tunnel. I think it's the last time I will use it. The transit time is very compelling but it's the rest of the experience that ruins it for me.

Oddly enough, when it's busy, like during the summer holidays, it is slow.

I've stopped going across the Channel from early July to early September.

Saved a fortune in tunnel costs too. It is usually < £100 anytime, but
for summer holiday, £200 + is possible.

My point is that given x trains per hour maximum capacity, and y vehicle spaces on those trains, it should be easy enough to determine absolute peak capacity, then build the surrounding infrastructure (roads, check-in booths, toilets etc) to cope. At Calais, even a short queue of traffic backs straight up onto the motorway.

I realise that's cloud cuckoo land - they will never spend the money on capacity that will rarely be needed - but it's frustrating nonetheless.

[Fleckers]

came back on the 22:10 Friday night

got there about 2030 and its was very busy and the trains were all about 30 mins late

WH Smiths was shut but being a responsible adult I got all our food and drink we needed on route about 17:30

the train was delayed until 2250 due to capacity issues caused by earlier cancelations

still quicker than by ferry

[mike80]

I can't fault it, we managed to get a crossing almost an hour earlier today despite it being busy with bank holiday traffic. Only issue we had was the car in front seeming unable to operate the self check in - although it looked like he didn't even try!

[Muzzer79]

I came back across on Saturday evening

Totally painless. Arrived 2 hours early for my train (having expected delays on route through France, which didn't materialise)

I was put on a 40 minute-earlier train FOC, and waited in a 20 minute queue for passports, etc. Given the issues with immigrants hiding in vehicles, etc - I expected this in that part of the world

I then went through, boarded and travelled painlessly and came out the other side a happy traveller

I like the system - it's certainly miles better than an airport...

[Roo]

The port was closed. Anyone trying to use the ferries would've realised that and headed to eurotunnel instead. Until you check in how do they know you're going to turn up? Exactly the same as airlines over-selling seats.

Then it's just a case of trying to manage all the vehicles on site.

[Maracus]

Muzzer79 said:

I came back across on Saturday evening

Totally painless. Arrived 2 hours early for my train (having expected delays on route through France, which didn't materialise)

I was put on a 40 minute-earlier train FOC, and waited in a 20 minute queue for passports, etc. Given the issues with immigrants hiding in vehicles, etc - I expected this in that part of the world

I then went through, boarded and travelled painlessly and came out the other side a happy traveller

I like the system - it's certainly miles better than an airport...

This was my experience travelling back through Calais in early August.

I've never had any issues from Calais, but several delays from Folkestone, nothing more than 90 minutes though.

[mad4amanda]

we use it 4 or 5 times a year as we have family in France. It is in our opinion still the best most reliable way to cross both ways. We have to travel on peak dates due to school holidays but try and travel at less busy times of day . Unless there is a major incident never had a problem and not had many problems getting information when there are delays just go to the desk and enquire.

[Origin Unknown]

We had a 1720 train time booked from Calais last night and were lucky to make the 1920 train. It was exceptionally busy over this weekend but no real surprises. My brother was scheduled on a 2000 ferry last night, but thanks to those lazy ass ferry workers, didn't get home till 0330 this morning.

Having used the Eurotunnel twice before, it's been painless both ways previously.

[Rosscow]

We used the ferry this summer (basically because it was cheaper with the caravan - £160 return compared to £300+ for the tunnel).

I actually enjoyed the ferry trip, the kids loved it, and I had a beer with my feet up.

I usually use the tunnel, and I've only had a problem once and that was returning from France this May - just no infrastructure to deal with thousands of people stuck in a car park. Disgusting toilets, no refreshments, etc. Poor.

[cailean]

Booked on 1920 last night, expected the worse given end of Bank holiday/summer/expected delays etc. Arrived at 1720, told will be put on 1906, train left at 1925, on the M20 just after 2010 - not bad me thinks for that day and how busy the terminal was.

[MKnight702]

We found the opposite when we went to France in August. We arrived early at Folkestone for our crossing, then had a five hour wait which was put on the boards as a three hour wait, simple subtraction proved beyond them.

On the way home, checked in for our crossing, sailed through the French passport control (nobody in the booth), ditto French customs, then queued for the UK passport control where they took an age. Once passed the UK controlled elements things sped up again.

Once we got off the train in the UK most of the British cars moved immediately to the central lane on the M20 however, that is a separate issue.