booking tunnel tickets for my summer alps trip.

I know when we’re heading out there, but we’re not sure when we’re coming back… a flexible ticket costs £204 (for a van), which is more than double a ‘standard’ fare.

Would it be cheaper to just drive up on the day and buy a ticket at the window?

You are allowed to be 24hrs “late” with a normal ticket. Dunno if that’s flexible enough.

Cost me £159 in January just turning up and paying there and then, mini bus with 4 people and packed with gear.

Dunno if that’s flexible enough.

not really, we’re going with mini-alfabus, as his first trip camping abroad… if it is all going pear shaped, we might cut our losses and run home a week early.

If you just roll up you pay maximum fare.

It is always cheaper to buy a ticket in advance.

Their app is pretty good, just buy online the day before.

Just looked to book mine for this year’s trip, but decided to compare with ferries his year. Mildly surprised to find that the ferry is now virtually half the price of the Chunnel, which is a complete reversal of the last few years. £96 ferry versus £178 Chunnel.

That said, you get £30 for every £10 of Tesco vouchers with the tunnel.

I think the ferries have been cheaper for quite a long time… possibly always.

The tunnel is just better for us… quicker departure, quicker journey and just less faff. The tunnel journey is over and you are on the French autoroute in the same amount of time you’d only just have boarded the ferry, with a 90 minute crossing still to go!

A baby adds another dimension too. Taking a baby on the ferry is a mission, whereas the tunnel is easy, just leave him in the car seat, or take him out and play with him in the van for the 30 minutes it takes, then back in the seat and go.