Eurotunnel Day Trip tickets back

[981Boxess]

Eurotunnel have finally turned the Day Trip & Overnight tickets back on - lucky us.

Only between 25/9/2023 and 22/10/2023 mind you so don't get too excited.

At around £125 return an absolute bargain to spend a few hours in France to spend some money there, I am sure the M20 will be chockers from people queuing up to go at that price

[981Boxess]

They used to do cheap day trip deals for £25 return, in recent times the day trip ticket was £60 return.

I am starting to think I live on Alcatraz.

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2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I've always thought the whole thing to be a bit of a con.

Why didn't they just build a road tunnel & be done with it?

To stop TVR drivers using it

[981Boxess]

Deesee said:

Puggit said:

I can't remember what we used to pay in the early 00s to hop over for lunch, fill up at Cité Europe and pop home - but it certainly wasn't in that ballpark! I suspect it was something like £35.

Just before covid, They were doing £20 day returns, perfect for a run to Le Touquet/Brugge. Overnight for £110 is not the end of the world (we nip over for golf and family days out) both ways for 4 people.

Just for context at 40 min train ride to London is £70pp for us (kids free)... So for a day out/overnight its not a million miles away.

However last yr DFDS were doing £40 day returns, with another free day return if you spent £160 in duty free, Ive still got a few of those to use up.

So the £110 return, which doesn't really exist if you look at the times, isn't the end of the world but last year when it was considerably cheaper than that you went by ferry instead.

But you are right, it isn't the end of the world and they will probably be all sold out in no time.

[981Boxess]

gtidriver said:

Last Saturday it was £252 for a day trip/5-day trip.. who is going to pay that for a day trip?? I wonder if the Government is still subsidising them to stay open as an Essential Covid service, When I called them up I was told the management doesn't want day trippers anymore which is quite strange as surely they need bums on seats to make the tunnel profitable.

I used P&O last Saturday and even that has gone up to £70 now.

The last few times I have been they have combined three crossing times on one train, so are saving money that way, they are not running anywhere near the number of trains they used to.

[981Boxess]

gtidriver said:

Just checked P&O and its now £34.50 going out and £14.50 coming back in the evening. Daytrip on Wednesday on the Le-sttole is £538 only available ticket is flexi plus, P&O £49. The tunnel surely cant sustain those prices thats just nuts. Can anyone get a higher cost for a day trip??

The bottom line is we live on an island, the easiest way off it is by Eurotunnel and they can do what they like with what services they choose to offer.
When they have decided their pricing the ferry companies adjust accordingly and we are then given a cheaper less convenient option as an alternative.

Take it or leave it.

[981Boxess]

gtidriver said:

I'll leave it then, probably along with a lot of people who refuse the comedy pricing.

Likewise - you will always get people that will say £125, loose change, I spend more than that in Starbucks most days, but talk is cheap. Other than cheese and wine there isn't anything cheap in France nowadays so it is just going out for a bit of a drive and lunch for us and that is only worth so much.

They obviously don't want day trip business and they will suceed in not getting any.

Not seen him posting for a while, but there used to be one chap on here that used Eurotunnel every weekday for his work commute, I bet he isn't now.

[981Boxess]

TheLurker said:

Interesting to hear the views as to why above.

Convenience costs and no competition, you cannot compare a crossing by ferry to Eurotunnel

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gtidriver said:

Id quite happily never ever use that scummy company ever again, but my Mother misses traveling abroad and won't take the ferry.

I detest Eurotunnel as a company, they have no concept of customer service and take the piff wherever possible.

That said, without getting into a my dad is bigger than your dad scenario in the last 2/3 decades I have used it for dozens of trips and it has always provided me with easy travel.
No worries with a decent car of getting buggies dragged over the bonnet as you get with ferries unless you opt for the lorry deck and wait even longer to load.
When I have arrived early or late it has never been an issue, there is always the next train.

But this latest pricing model is simply a step too far.

[981Boxess]

gtidriver said:

The £110 return figure they like to suggest exists doesn’t for decent times, £125 is what it really is.

On top of that they now hold you to your train time on your return leg, even though they will be allowed to change the time they run it even if you can’t change the time you arrive for it.

The only reason Eurotunnel can get away with doing business this way is they have no competition, just ferrys.

[981Boxess]

soad said:

mikef said:

Eurotunnel also did day returns for a period last November, at £30 each way. We used that for some Christmas shopping. The trains were still fairly empty midweek

That’s a very good deal. Can’t see it coming back any time soon.

£30 each way for the day/overnight ticket was the normal price for ages, it wasn't a special deal.

[981Boxess]

“ From now until 26th November 2023, a day trip or overnight ticket will cost from £55* per car, each way. That’s less than £30* each for a car with 4 people on a return trip!”

So that is how you reduce the price, take more people

[981Boxess]

mikef said:

I just booked for Christmas shopping. The £55 fare is for very early morning departures, then it's £68 each way

The old ‘from’ trick

[981Boxess]

RC1807 said:

Just did a quick fare check on ET travelling from France to UK, return same day….very early a.m., return early evening = €198

I think it is safe to say Eurotunnel are no longer in the day trip business, they are leaving it to the ferries.

But if you insist we will take your money …….

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Deesee said:

fourstardan said:

I used to live in Sussex and do the booze cruises and it does feel like the cost of travel, fuel and prices in France make Le Booze cruise pointless.

P&O are doing 39£ return, plus tax free shopping now in France for us Brits, good value for money.

I stopped using ferries a while back not so much for the time it takes but for the exposure to my car. People who see cars as equipment rather than P&Js dragging buggies etc down the side of my car wasn’t worth it. I then started asking to be put on the lorry deck, safer but even more off a faff.

I detest Eurotunnel but sadly they are the best way to get off Alcatraz and like most things that are better they cost more.

[981Boxess]

ChocolateFrog said:

My personal gripe is that you can't use just the return leg of a day trip ticket.

I found this out the hard way when I was stationed in Germany.

I've not forgiven them for that as what skin of their nose is it if you pay for 2 trips and only use one.

Obviously it does not cost them anything if you don't use one ticket, but they know a crossing is worth more to the traveller for a break/holiday than it is for a day trip.

Eurotunnel make Ryanair look like nice people.

[981Boxess]

Meanwhile if you fancy crossing before 6.00am and returning after 10.00pm the nice people at eurotunnel are doing us a favour and offering a £60 return:

"Day Trip & Overnight Tickets –Travel date availability: 13/11/23 to 13/12/23 – Excludes travel on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Must be purchased as part of a return journey within 2 days and completed by midnight local time on 13/12/23"

[981Boxess]

Eurotunnel Black Friday bargain £72 day trips if you choose the right days.

[981Boxess]

P&O £39 (inc 6 bottles wine) day trip offer:

https://www.poferries.com/en/routes/dover-to-calai...

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mikef said:

Only for travel until 13th of December

There’s apparently a 20% Black Friday booking offer with code 23BFY112 but that doesn’t work when I try booking flexi for next summer

1.5. Offer not valid for Flexiplus bookings, or bookings made through third parties.