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Sorry - the Eurotunnel website is a little bit opaque so I was hoping someone on here could advise on the following:
- How long do you have to be at the terminal before your scheduled departure?
- Do they still let you on an earlier shuttle if you turn up early (within reason)?
Thanks all!
I always allow an hour and a half before departure and I've always gone on an earlier train when I've arrived early.
How Long? How long is a piece of string? Junior missed it despite being an hour early because of the queue at security. I got through in about half an hour in May. Leave less than the 75 minutes advised and if it's a bad day you'll miss it is my advice.
Earlier Shuttle? No idea, never tried.
We always arrive before the suggested time and 95% of the time get on an earlier train without any extra cost.
They’ve stopped doing the automatic ‘get on the next train after you arrive’, as they are now charging for different time slots, but there are a few people who have still been let through earlier, or later, but dont expect it, you may have to wait until your booked time.
I've always managed to get on the next earliest train, with the option to pay extra for the one before that.
On the flip side, if you manage to drive into the freight section in Calais, have to wait to get escorted out, and end up an hour late for your slot, there's no charge (so I've heard.........cough)
Have been let on an earlier train more times than most, but then I've been in a van over 2m. Maybe that's why.
Get there an hour or so before the train leaves.
They’ve stopped doing the automatic ‘get on the next train after you arrive’, as they are now charging for different time slots, but there are a few people who have still been let through earlier, or later, but dont expect it, you may have to wait until your booked time.
Thanks, this was the bit we were wondering about - on our first trip through the tunnel (in 2018) we arrived in good time and then were a bit surprised to be told to go on the next one…
Been across with the camper 3 times this year. Always offered earlier up to 2 hours for free and next train to pay. Just pick the fist thats free.
Always use Tesco vouchers to pay for it. Used to be 4x then 3x and now 2x but still better than paying
Coming back into UK earlier this year, we arrived probably 90 mins early. We were offered earlier train so selected that. Had plenty of time so went into the departure hall thing, it was dead quiet. As soon as the board said head to the gate we jumped back in the van, then got stuck in a big queue at security and ended up on the original train anyway 🤷
Yep just rack up earlier and if it’s quiet keep your fingers crossed that you can get on an earlier train. It’s less likely if you are high/wide since there are fewer of these trains. Standard cars more likely.
Yep just rock up earlier and if it’s quiet keep your fingers crossed that you can get on an earlier train. It’s less likely if you are high/wide since there are fewer of these trains. Standard cars more likely.
We arrived 4 hours early (driven from Scotland in one go). Not high or wide. They offered a paid upgrade for about £90 (!). I declined. We rapidly got bored and decided to just go for it. It was the middle of the night and pitch black. There was no way any of the hi-vized staff could read our tag hanging from the rear-view mirror as we drove towards them. We were waved all the way through and on to the train. Happy days (nights)...
Depends how busy it is. Plenty of times in school holidays we’ve turned up early and no chance of early train. Drove through on Thursday night booked on an 8 o clock train and due to my daughter not needing to be at college that day chanced it and got one 3 hrs early for no charge. The place was literally a ghost town. There was 1 other car in the car park! As for waiting, we were checked in on the screen, through boarder control, on the shuttle and leaving within 20 minutes.
My routine is to arrive 2 hours early, select first free earlier train, grab duty free and head for security.
More often than not I've ended up on the train they wanted to charge me for. This works more reliably if you've booked a midweek graveyard slot.
Busy holiday / weekend times are different and there are usually delays when if you arrive early.
If we have the dogs they just offer you the next train leaving normally.
Standard car.
EES has been delayed 'indefinitely' for now apparently so one less thing to worry about.
Queues through passport control make it a bit of a lottery now. This summer we got there early, got offered an earlier train, queued in passport control and ended up later than our booked train would have been.
Wife complained and we got a £30 voucher.
EES has been delayed 'indefinitely' for now apparently so one less thing to worry about.
Not 100% on that one - looks like it’s Port of Dover that’s been delayed?
https://etias.com/articles/dover-delays-new-eu-biometric-border-system-amid-french-hold
There's a load of stuff in the T&Cs that changed earlier this year. I can't remeber the details but it's something like if you're not there and checked in an hour before your departure then they can cancel you booking (and your return if it's classed as a return ticket!) and make you pay whatever the cost is on the day. There was the usual link to a local paper and angry/sad looking couple who had rocked up late and been caught out by this awful violation of their human rights when I searched for it.
We went over in May this year. On the way out was the first Saturday of half term. Very busy, not offered an earlier train. Went to duty free and bought some spirits for unnaturally cheap prices. Then bought some food for unnaturally high prices to make up for it. After that is was a bit of a free for all through passport control and into random queues for the next train with no one seeming to care what the tag said you were meant to be on.
Returned on the Friday middle of the day and it was quiet at the Calais end. Offered an earlier train, took it and straight through passport control and in to the queue for whatever train was next.
Looks like it's more complicated depending on what your ticket type is:
hadn't spotted the changes of policy - it used to be, for everything except flexiplus
Early Arrival: If you arrive within two hours of your originally booked departure time, you may exchange your booking at no extra cost, subject to availability. Arriving earlier than this will incur a fee.
Late Arrival:
If you arrive within two hours after your booked departure time, your ticket will be exchanged free of charge, subject to availability.
We've got on slightly earlier trains going out a few times, and got there in good time and not made it through all the checks quickly enough and been slightly late. Coming back, at least once a year for over a decade, I don't think we've ever been put on an earlier train.
the new polices are a bit of a pisser - if you're driving the length of france in a day, or even just trying to get there from London early in the morning a problem on the roads could easily result in you being more than an hour late due to things beyond your control
I can't remeber the details but it's something like if you're not there and checked in an hour before your departure then they can cancel you booking
I thought Standard Plus gave you four hours' grace if things went pear shaped on the way there?
Edit: Ah yes:
Arrival Within Flexibility Period: If you arrive up to 1 hour before or up to 4 hours after your booked departure, your booking will be exchanged for the next available departure, subject to availability. Same-day travel is not guaranteed.
2 hours early today at the Calais end. Not very busy. Got a train straight away with a 15 minute timespan between driving off the autoroute junction and driving onto the train. New record!
We've always used the FlexiPlus option - turn up whenever, free food, drinks and newspapers etc in the members lounge thing and get on whichever train you want. One of those things which is definitely worth the extra, by the time you've had lunch etc the upgrade fee has pretty much paid for itself anyway.
Flexi-plus works well unless you are high / wide and then you have to pretty much wait for the train you are booked on.