 Poster: A snowHead
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We used the tunnel for our first family ski trip this year. It was a breeze getting over to france on Boxing Day. We were put on an earlier crossing and out and on our way in no time at all. Fantastic! However on the way back it wasn't quite such a good experience. We were booked to travel at about 6pm on the Sunday evening (3rd jan) and arrived 2 hours early to find a 3 hour delay (we found this info from their website whilst waiting). An hour of this was on the slip road of the motoway. It was a very wet and windy winters night so we only saw about a dozen men walking down the hard shoulder. I'm not sure if there would normally be more? There was no trouble at all but they were having a good look at a coach infront of us. I hated it! I felt very trapped as once on the slip road there is no way of leaving the queue. The kids were oblivious as they had iPads!
As this was our first trip, I was wondering if this was the norm for return trips on the tunnel? the delay was due to volume of traffic apparently. ive been totally put off using the tunnel from France to the point where we've booked a £300 ferry home from our summer holiday this year instead of taking this risk again.
Also, is the calais ferry open to the same problem? Or do you always get on your booked crossing?
Thinking ahead to next years ski trip!
Thank you! X
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seems similar delay to my last one. 20mins from turn off to reaching the checkin kiosk. about 1 hour from kiosk to abandoning car in the carpark, and abotu 20minutes per loop round the carpark to find a parking space. 3 hour total delay. I abandoned the car on the pedesatrian crossing when the need for a slash was more important than the need for driving commonsense.
All caused by ground staff refusing to let people use the overflow carpark bit, and the design of the carpark layout, and the sheer number of cars trying to cross (which eurotunnel know in advance pretty much).
Longest delay I've ever had on the ferry has been maybe 1 hour tops. Half the journeys I get on an earlier ferry. The other half I don't since living so close to the port there's little chance of getting there much earlier. And you don't get the carpark carnage, since you go straight to lanes for the shopping and a pee rather than a carpark first and lanes when called. when empty, I imagine the tunnel is seamless. when chokka it isn't.
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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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@breeze11, some level of return delay has been pretty standard for us over the last couple of years, summer or winter. It seems that they simply can't cope with the numbers during school holidays, on the French side.
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It's a bit crazy if this is the norm. I feel that the tunnels flexibility has been its downfall. Maybe if you got on your booked train and that was it, it would run better? Maybe.
We had also made the mistake of deciding to go for an earlier crossing instead of stopping a few times on the drive so did a 6 hour stretch non stop. That would have been fine if we could have gone straight through but when this was stretched to 9 hours without getting out of the car it was a bit much. My poor 7 year old son announced he needed a wee as we joined the queue on the motoway. There was no way we were going to get out for a side of the road wee on that stretch!!
Good to know about the ferry. I think we might come back that way next time.
Thanks for your replies. X
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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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It isn't the norm for us but we rarely travel in school holidays. Midday-ish out Thurs or Friday, and early PM back on Sunday. Any queuing is usually for UK border control on the return. We are usually on the train before or on the one we booked, very occasionally one later. We use it 4-5 times a year, so up to 10 crossings.
Our only significant delay was 3.5 hours on a Sunday afternoon on the return from 2014 EoSB due to a train breakdown in the tunnel. Complained and got a complimentary crossing and that included the dogs as they were just as inconvenienced as we were. Travelling back on Easter Monday this time, so we'll see what happens.
Our own experience with the ferry hasn't been that good with significant delays due to weather at Christmas.
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The worst delay we have had over the last few days was on the ferry back from France. We were in good time for our crossing, Sunday after New Year 2015, but everyone was prevented from going through the checkpoints because of the sheer volume of traffic already at Calais port. We had to wait in an area with no toilets and no refreshments, staff were offering bottles of water to people with small children, elderly passengers or anyone asking for some. Therefore I doubt its just a problem for the tunnel!
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OK we use the tunnel only a couple times a year and have only once come across queues on the French side, but the biggest problem is usually delayed/cancelled crossings. I think of the last 20 crossings: one left early (this Christmas) and one left on time the other 18 were late. Most delays are about 1 to two hours, but occaisionally 2 or 3 hours. The longest was 3.5 hours when I had a plane to catch from Heathrow. It was nerve racking.
The ferries are much more relaible but tend to have very few crossings at the time I want to cross, which is usually in the early hours of the morning.
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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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Anyone else open this thread thinking it was going to be about the hard black run in Alpe d'huez? 
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Ah that's interesting that it seems to be a ferry problem too.
Maybe it's just something we need to factor into our trip.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| johnE wrote: |
OK we use the tunnel only a couple times a year and have only once come across queues on the French side, but the biggest problem is usually delayed/cancelled crossings. I think of the last 20 crossings: one left early (this Christmas) and one left on time the other 18 were late. Most delays are about 1 to two hours, but occaisionally 2 or 3 hours. The longest was 3.5 hours when I had a plane to catch from Heathrow. It was nerve racking.
The ferries are much more relaible but tend to have very few crossings at the time I want to cross, which is usually in the early hours of the morning. |
Oh that's interesting. What a shame that what could potentially be such a good service suffers like this.
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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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I use the eurostar and sometimes eurotunnel every week for work.
For leisure, including 3 or 4 trips to the alps each winter, and a few more in the summer, I always use the Ferry.
The restaurant in the P&O ships (other than pride of burgundy which doesn't have one) is a great way to start or finish a 'holiday' break. I find there is far less problems at Calais with the Ferries than for the eurostar.
Having said all that, our kids no longer come with us so we don't tend to go anywhere in school holiday time anymore.
It's a personal thing but the ferry for me every time.
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You know it makes sense.
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My experience is similar to @Hells Bells. I drive alone, and unless weather or traffic problems get in the way, do the journey in one hit. So I need to do everything possible to avoid delays. When all goes according to plan, the tunnel is far quicker than a ferry.
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did a 6 hour stretch non stop. That would have been fine if we could have gone straight through but when this was stretched to 9 hours without getting out of the car it was a bit much.
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 I should think it was. I try to do the stretch from Calais down to south of Reims without stopping, which takes 2.5 hours, but after that I stop religiously every 2 hours. All the research concludes that driving performance deteriorates after 2 hours.
I take food and some orange juice with me in the car and tend just to get coffees when I stop. If I have a chance to go in the terminal when I arrive (much of the time I drive straight onto a train) I buy a coffee then have a snack on the train and a short nap, or at least rest with reclined seat and eyes closed.
I comparatively rarely get on the train I've booked. I might be a week early, or I might just get on an earlier or later train the same day. The flexibility of Eurotunnel tickets (the ordinary cheap ones) is a big advantage because it stops you driving stupidly fast to get there in time. I've only had two significant delays. One was the day after the London bombing when there was extra security, understandably. The other was coming back late at night one random Tuesday night - I wasn't clear what the problem was, but was delayed just over an hour in the end.
But I can avoid peak times. It probably wouldn't be possible to drive the whole way myself without overnighting if I often hit delays. Driving at peak times is a lottery, even if you plan carefully in advance.
A neighbour who is, coincidentally, driving down to the Alps on Sunday, as I am, just mentioned that when they drove back recently they'd had a lot of slow and rather alarming driving because of snow in the Dijon area. If I hit that sort of thing I'll probably be stopping for the night.
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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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We generally avoid peak times and come back over early morning or late evening. Never a problem.
Sometimes we go ferry for cost or practical reasons. But bear in mind ferries aren't glitch free.
You pays your money and takes your choice.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We've used the Tunnel at least 3 or 4 times a year for the past 20 years, and mostly it is fine, the good trips easily outweigh the bad ones. We do weekend trips to my sister in Belgium, skiing trips going out Friday night and coming back Saturday evening or Sunday mid morning, and summer trips going out Saturday am and coming back Saturday pm.
The worst delays have generally been on the UK side on a Friday night in holiday times, but never longer than 2 hours.
The longest potential delay was coming back last winter when we had the misfortune to be travelling on that dreadful changeover day between Christmas and New Year - we got to Calais for our 7pm crossing at 1am and they told us the next available crossing was something like 7am. We got that reduced to 4am by pointing out that although we were booked as overheight, the roofbox is actually under height. Then we reduced it one crossing further by using a black marker pen to change the F on the printed hanger into an E....!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Then we reduced it one crossing further by using a black marker pen to change the F on the printed hanger into an E....!
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It's presumably because of cheating like that that they now collect the hangers on the train. But I bet you don't complain about continental pushing in ski lift queues. 
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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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Then we reduced it one crossing further by using a black marker pen to change the F on the printed hanger into an E....!
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So some poor soul went to drive onto the train after a long wait and got turned around at the door to the train because you took their place! It happened to us - after an hour's wait we were just about to get on the train. At the door we were told to drive around and get the next train. I was not amused. But the next train was actually only half an hour later.
Go on everyone what is the secret on getting a departure you booked? My wife suggests travelling mid day when there are more trains and less likely to be cancellation "for operational reasons" a euthanism I suspect for simply waiting until they have a full train
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@johnE, we cross outbound around 12.30 and return around 2.30 . @karin, and what about the poor family you chucked off the crossing?
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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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@breeze11, don't forget to factor in the weather. We had a similar delay o.n P&O this Christmas even though we were going on a quiet day because it was gusting Force 10. It was not my most pleasant journey but we were on about the last ferry out for a few hours. Delays happen no matter when or how you are travelling you just have to be prepared to wait it out
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My sister and family were on that ferry that went aground outside Le Havre and was stuck on a sandbank for nearly 24 hours. 
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we have only used the chunnel twice, second occasion going out delayed by about an hour but both times on return delayed for about two hours although we had checked in on time for our booked crossing. just sent to the loading lanes - and sat there until called forward. it appeared that there were trains coming and going so no idea why we were late- no information or explanation.
this is one reason we have stuck with the ferry - as well as it gives a proper break after a 4 hour drive on the uk side or the non-stop blast (fuel and loos excepted) up from the alps.
have subsequently called to ask them how they treat the flexi-ticket customer. just got the mantra that you'll get put on the next 'available' crossing. my thoughts are 'well if you are held for two hours plus for a booked crossing you aren't going to get on if you just breeze up with a flexi, are you?' -what are peoples experiences of the flexi at busy times?
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I've never bought a Flexi but I've seen the traffic flow. They get routed straight onto the next train loading. I guess this is as likely as @karin's doctored "F" to mean people don't find space on their booked service.
My experience has been that the slightest disruptions causes them to retime all the trains so you cant tell if you are on your booked crossing or not.
Still can be very slick when it works. Many the time that I have been driving up the M20 before I left the A16 (if you see what I mean)
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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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The Tunnel was once the best way to cross the English Channel, but since it became wholly owned by the French it gets worse and worse, on our last crossing even the toilets on the train didn't work 
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to be honest, have never had any trouble on any of our tunnel crossings, last Calais ferry crossing was delayed by 6 hours because of a strike though that could of course happen on the train but has not to date.
have only used flexi once before which was on our outward trip at half term and I would definitely do it again next year because of the great unknown that is the M4/M25, you either sail around it or sit for hours, and you can just turn up and join the priority loading line, and free food and drink for the kids (admittedly no amount of free croissants are worth £100 extra)
I had to return to Calais a couple of days after returning the other week, as I am a numpty and left some luggage with my laptop in our overnight hotel, booked cheapest return day tickets (admittedly midweek) and left at 3am arrived at Folkestone at 5:30 and went on to the next train though I was booked on the 7:50 at no extra charge and it was the same on the way back, was back home for 2pm. not sure I would have been able to do that on the ferry!!!
with regards to doctoring the ticket, I am certainly not endorsing @karin as I would be p!!!!d off if shunted off a train because of them, though that little ruse only works once every 26 crossings (F-E!!)but also they scan your hangers whilst on board, though not sure what they can do about it if you are in the middle of a train.
plus my missus gets sea sick crossing a bridge, so have to use the tunnel for short crossings, but it suits me as we get where we want quicker (so far anyway)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Persuaded once again by other half to travel on Chunnel and once again delayed coming home- this has happened every single time we've come home (as we always travel at peak ie end of New Year break and 1/2 term). This time delay was "only" one hour in the end (at one stage was going to be 3 hours- Previous delays have been 6 hours) but as we'd arrived three hours early hoping for an earlier crossing we ended up in the terminal for nearly four hours. And the terminal is just grim!
But that is it- ferry is almost inevitably quicker in the end and always cheaper so even if I'm on my own I'm on the ferry next time!
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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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One reason we never try to make an earlier train is the grimness of the terminal. If we had to wait for our booked train, we'd be stuck there. We'd rather stop off in Calais first for a bite to eat and catch the one we intended to. Only failed to work on the one occasion mentioned above. Ferry is not an option for us, as we don't want to leave dogs in car in hold for around 2 hours. One of them has been car sick in the past.
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You know it makes sense.
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as we'd arrived three hours early hoping for an earlier crossing
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I think the moral of this story is there's no point busting a gut to arrive early at peak times.
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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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I was chatting to the guy checking hangers last year about what he's looking for and he said primarily vehicle booking mismatched I.e. Car traveling on motorcycle ticket or any other variations you can think of.
Also, timewise if you are competing with weekend localised return traffic at the end of a Sunday afternoon you'll be right in the thick of peak demand and raise the chance of delay.
We've used flexiplus a few times when it's been in an offer inclusive of accommodation as we can't afford it on a standalone basis, and it does take a big element of timing risk out of it as we drive out Friday night usually (we're off to ste foy next Friday) and make the journey in one go so you can't factor all of the travelling error in if weather is poor.
We've stopped in St Omer coming back from Belgium before Christmas as we were going to be early, lonely old square all lit up for the festivities and a nice meal then short hop to tunnel.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@pam w,
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It's presumably because of cheating like that that they now collect the hangers on the train.
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They did check the bar code, but didn't say anything. It was 3am and the train was half empty, I don't know why they had put us on the one after. We had rather lost our sense of humour after 13 hours in the car, no dinner, and by the time we got home we'd been up for nearly 24 hours.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We were in very good time for our train yesterday afternoon and had hoped to be put on an earlier one, but there had been an earlier cancellation and the afternoon seemed to just drift on, hardly any cars in the car park by the shops etc do not looking busy. Eventually boarding, but not our line... We must have ended up a good two hours behind schedule, so fed up as we then had to drive like the clappers to get to the hotel in time for dinner. We are true ferry people normally but circumstances earlier in the day had made us think the tunnel would be a better bet.
And then the peage zapper failed to work.
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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 use the tunnel a lot (non flexi as no need to spend the extra). The majority of our delays are maybe 30 minutes and hell don't I moan about that. But we are the ones that get up early, miss breakfast and get an early morning tunnel leaving those fine fellows to enjoy a lie in, have breakfast and moan like hell they have been delayed hours because of the queues.
I think the tunnels great. You just need to think about it and do something different to other passengers.
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@Jerby, if you have no choice but to travel at peak times you can encounter substantial delays any time.
That was bad luck, @Pamski. Hope the rest of the journey goes well. Heavy snow overnight, it seems. 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I quite agree, @Jerby, that lots of people don't plan their journeys sensibly - like the people who left resorts at 9 and 10 am on the day of "Snowmageddon" last season. Leaving at 0700 would have seen them ahead of the crowds and the snow (which had been accurately forecast for at least 24 hours previously). BUT many of the people arriving that day, however their journeys were timed, encountered major obstacles which they couldn't have avoided except by listening to the news and staying well north, giving up any hope of getting to their resorts on Saturday. Those were the wise ones; many spent the night in their cars. All the motorways were closed/blocked.
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The official advice this morning in Savoie was to leave resorts before 06:30, I bet it's gridlock again by now...
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@boredsurfin, quite likely. There was 30 cms of snow overnight in Les Saisies and reports coming from all over suggest that was pretty general..... All the Parisians will be delayed, and in a bad temper steaming up the A6.
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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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It has been a few years since we last went through the tunnel but we generally found that booking as an over 185cm height vehicle helped us get onto train quickly & easily. Also use Tesco Clubcard vouchers to get discounted ticket prices.
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We use the Tunnel for 5 or 6 return crossings a year. Generally if travelling at peak times we're resigned to expect delays particularly as we always travel in high-space which clearly has limited capacity. It seems their systems and infrastructure simply can't cope at busy periods, we had a 4 hour delay outbound in December, complained by email & received a refund. I'll tend to pay the extra £100 for Flexi on the return crossing at very busy times so we can choose to come home a day or two early or late depending on how good the skiing is and not bother when we have to get up to catch a particular crossing . We did try the ferry the year the tunnel access roads were closed due to ice/snow but my daughter was instantly seasick so we're stuck with the tunnel!
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FAQ
