 Poster: A snowHead
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Good work... Travel well.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Anyone.leaving later today. M20 currently closed from junction 8 to 9 presumably for Operation Stack/Brock. Diversion via M2 .
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes, we're seeing the signs for that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Telegraph reporting long delays at Dover....
Exasperated drivers say they have been stuck in queues at Dover for more than six hours as travellers faced further disruption on planned Christmas getaways.
The Port of Dover warned against anyone travelling to the ferry terminal without a booking after unexpected strike action on Thursday led to delays at French border controls on Friday.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Weathercam, my cunning plan succeeded - persuaded everyone to book ferry yesterday, sailed through Eurotunnel this morning 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We've just done our first Flexiplus lounge. Felt like imposters. My daughter said it felt like gate-crashing a wedding.
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It took us a bit longer than planned to get to Eurotunnel but fine once we got there. Not sure what I experienced in the Flexiplus lounge was like gatecrashing a wedding but no queuing at check in and first on the train
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We slipped through quite painlessly at 6.30 this morning, sacrificed breakfast at the Holiday Inn for a bag full of goodies in the FP lounge. When it’s busy it is very odd, a bit like the first day of the sales, with people grabbing sandwiches and yogurts left, right and centre. The salmon and cream cheese sandwich that I took was excellent.
Otherwise clear drive to Valais, routed over the Jura and Vallorbe, just because we like it. Quite mild at altitude, but lots of snow on the ground. It seems that the big dump forecast didn’t materialise here.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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BUMP
Well everyone now on the return trip, took over an hour to get through to UK passport control. No particular reason I could see, usual passport checks and where have you been questions.
Once through straight onto train.
Missed the train we should have been on of course.
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Boris, glad you got through eventually.
But as you experienced, the Brit passport team seem to have gone on a go-slow.
We travelled back yesterday: whizzed through the French security, but then all slowed down for the Brits side.
I wonder if they are preparing us for what it might be like when the new travel security arrangements come in later in 2024.
And as Rareperk mentions, the FP lounge sandwiches were excellent at Folkstone when we came out, but the Calais ones yesterday were quite disappointing. Fortunately the veggie soup and apple tart were yummy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Started to drive home this evening, checked the app and no return showing. Because of the strike -when we had to get a ferry - they'd expired the bloody ticket. Thankfully, a quick call sorted it
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Chaos and delayed trains at Calais this evening. We haven’t even been allowed to get to the passport queue yet.
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We're heading north, crossing tomorrow.  No passport delays.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
Boris, glad you got through eventually.
But as you experienced, the Brit passport team seem to have gone on a go-slow.
We travelled back yesterday: whizzed through the French security, but then all slowed down for the Brits side.
I wonder if they are preparing us for what it might be like when the new travel security arrangements come in later in 2024.
And as Rareperk mentions, the FP lounge sandwiches were excellent at Folkstone when we came out, but the Calais ones yesterday were quite disappointing. Fortunately the veggie soup and apple tart were yummy. |
We also crossed yesterday, on the 6.18pm train (originally booked on the 7.20pm but checked in early, at 4.45pm and they offered us an earlier slot). As you say, French border was relatively quick, but the delay was at the UK border. Not sure why as all their booths seemed to be in operation and I can’t recall the UK side of things accounting for more delay than the French side.
I never used Eurotunnel’s Flexiplus service. Does it provide a faster route through border checks?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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@rob@rar, to a degree I think, you can go straight from check in into the French passport line, so miss out the loops of car park. Bit once you’re there it’s in hands of respective passport peeps
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Boris, thanks.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We travelled back with flexiplus last Sunday. There was a slightly longer queue at french passport control than the british side but we were still in and out of Calais and on a train within an hour. OH was just rearranging the fridge post Christmas and came across a cheese croissant from the flexiplus lounge I'd forgotten I still had. Just heated it in the oven and it was delicious six days later!
Feeling for the poor folk on Eurostar whose trains were cancelled today.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| I never used Eurotunnel’s Flexiplus service. Does it provide a faster route through border checks? |
As Boris wrote: not really.
There are marked lanes that clearly suggest the original plan was for exclusive check-in booths, then special lanes for FlexiPlus through both Securities, but this seems to have been largely abandonned: only the approach check-in booths remain.
Many of us got to using Flexiplus when the wonderful Wallet was available pre-Covid - 10 tickets costing similar price to Standard Refundable.
We continue to use for certain journeys - especially the return when not sure when might arrive at Calais - because you can turn up at any time, and the FP lounge is so much more pleasant than the standard lounge. And its all free. If you go through early morning you can grab enough food for the rest of the day.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We just arrived Calais. First time Flexiplus but all the FP passport landed had red crosses so we had to shove our way into the long q for common people. Then after a while they opened a FP one, in which we're now sat going nowhere. But very smooth travel from Troyes this morning.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Checked in early and offered earlier train FOC. Quiet terminal building, quick loo visit and VAT refund for wine sorted. Long queue for French and UK border controls. We noticed we had not been stamped out of EU on our last visit bit it didn't even seem to be noticed by French passport control. Straight onto train at boarding lanes.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| We noticed we had not been stamped out of EU on our last visit bit it didn't even seem to be noticed by French passport control. |
- we left Calais on the 5th Jan and found that the leaving EU passport stamp had been put on an otherwise blank page towards the middle of our passports. Maybe it keeps them amused on an otherwise boring day!
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FAQ
