Trouble with the tunnel? Alternative routes?

A snowHead

Hello!

We used the tunnel to travel to and from our new year week ski trip last year. It was a dream crossing over Boxing Day morning but we had a 3 hour delay coming home. An hour of this was spent trapped (there was no way of leaving due to the slip rd barriers) on the motorway.

For our summer holiday we had a 2 hr delay on the Saturday morning early crossing into france which is far better than the 14hr queues that happened the following weekend! And because of our experience with the return trip after skiing, we decided to return via Caen on the ferry. This was no problem as we were that side of france anyway.

I've since heard of attacks and road blocks in calais when people have been traveling through.

All of this has really put me off using the tunnel and even the Dover calais ferry. We want to drive but are not sure what are other realistic options.

Does anyone else avoid calais? Am I over reacting? What other routes do people take?

We are travelling from cardiff if this makes any difference.

Thank you! X

A snowHead

We had slow drive in to the Tunnel last summer as we were routed through the countryside while the motorway was stacked with lorries.

This summer we booked the ferry as the OH likes to go on the boat (I have no real preference). We left home with lots of time to spare as I was worried about the M25 and the reported queues in to the port. It took 2h 40 mins to get from home and on to a moving boat - the drive took 2h 30 mins of that (our booked crossing wasn't supposed to be for a further 3 hours). Similar experience for the journey home. Granted we weren't' travelling over the weekend on purpose.

I think it all depends on when you are going to be travelling as to whether You suffer s problem with the tunnel or the ferries. Certainly travelling on an alternative crossing or port means fewer likely problems, just they tend to be more expensive and not quite as convenient as Dover-Calais/tunnel when things go well.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

OVER REACTING. I just used the tunnel this W/E. No problems either way. It's about the 6-7th time we've used it in the last 2 years. never any problems. Used the ferry Dunkirk-Dover, 3 times and twice delayed.
Only criteria for deciding which to use is cost/time equation. Sometimes the tunnel is actually cheaper than a ferry.

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I think you are over-reacting, frankly, given that avoiding Calais does make for longer and/or more expensive journeys. I think it's freight drivers, rather than families, who face the problems in Calais. I've used the tunnel a lot, sometimes late at night, on my own, and not had any problems.

However, you're obviously travelling at very busy times, and that makes a difference (I always use the tunnel but am fortunate to be able to avoid busy times).

We live very near Portsmouth and every now and then I look at one of the ferry routes to Le Havre or Caen. Trouble is that, although the journey down to the Alps is shorter, you have little option but to go via Paris, which adds complications. And the A26/A39 is much preferable, in my view, to the A6. And the ferry is more expensive. £223 on the cheapest "no frills" Brittany Ferries to Le Havre, compared to £163 on Eurotunnel (and some money off that with Tesco vouchers).

Having just done the calculations and comparisons again I'll be taking the tunnel when I go down to the Alps next month. I also like the flexibility. Turn up early or up to 24 hours late - no problem, and normally very little extra to pay, if anything. With only one sailing a day in winter from Le Havre you can't afford to miss it, so inevitably turn up hours early and sit twiddling thumbs.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Our daughter was travelling back to UK via the tunnel this evening. They had a very good run up through France and were a couple of hours early, but could only travel on their booked train, and in the event the trains were running half an hour late. But they got out and stretched their legs and got the children fed.
We used the tunnel in June and no delays on the way out, but we were delayed on the way back. But not these huge delays that one can read about.

We also live pretty close to Portsmouth and have occasionally used the ferry from there but the figures really do not stack up for us, which is a shame as a half hour drive is far preferable to the M25 etc, but there are really not sufficient ferries, yet.

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If you are determined to avoid Dover-Calais then have a look at Newhaven-Dieppe.
We had friends use this (by chance) this summer when all the queues were at Dover and had completely clear runs both ways with the both ports being quiet and calm.
If its just Calais that you want to avoid then consider Dover-Dunkirk, it adds about 45 minutes to the drive in France
Alternatively you can mix and match Dover-Calais going out and Dunkirk-Dover on the way back.

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We used the tunnel yesterday Sunday 21st August to get back to UK from Calais. It was one of the busy times of the year and Eurotunnel advised in advance to ensure we arrived at the correct time to get our booked crossing at 1350. Arrived at terminal about 40 minutes before the 1320 closing time for check in.

Spent the next 35 minutes in massive queues just to get to the check in point that dispenses the "hanger" with the letter on it that denotes your crossing. It seemed to be going slowly because of the number of cars. Certainly the marshals were kept busy trying to keep it all moving.

After getting the hanger, it took about 5 to 10 minutes at most to get through the UK border/security check. Then straight into the line up for our booked crossing, which left on time. That is exactly the same experience as last year. Well done Eurotunnel!!!

After all it is free

Have lost faith in the Tunnel, mainly down to high prices and increasing low level of service, tried Dover Dunkirk, now booking Southampton to Lyon with FlyBe for £81.00 return and hiring a car for the week at £120

@boredsurfin, I think that's much the best way if you are only going for a week and you can get flights and car hire for those sorts of prices. I CBA to drive for a week, personally, though it can make sense for a carload of people.

I don't find prices for the tunnel much higher than they've been in the past.

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I live 40 mins from Portsmouth and Newhaven and have recently done both LeHavre and Newhaven and has already been mentioned the expense and lack of flexibility is the big issue.

But again like others I'm flexible and do not travel at peak times, I came back a couple of weeks ago at 17:50 on a Wednesday and was amazed how busy the terminal etc was. Having a van means if I turn up early I can never get on an earlier train which is a pain, but dogs get a stretch etc

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The story at peak time is very different from off peak. When it goes well, the tunnel is great, but I've often been delayed up to 3-4 hours on the tunnel, both at Folkestone and Calais. The worst was about six hours on the way back from Snowmageddon, having been delayed for 30 hours (in the Isere valley) on the way out. We tried Dunkirk next time, and there were no delays, but the length of crossing and interval between ferries meant that we were waiting several hours there as well, and of course, the crossing takes longer. I prefer travelling by boat, but the flexibility and convenience of the tunnel usually wins, despite the occasional delays.

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We've had a couple of Eurotunnel problems, but we use it 4-5 times per year. Mostly it goes without a hitch. One Christmas delay, when we were asked to move to the ferry which was departing in less than an hour, so we drove to Dover without a problem, but when we checked in next crossing with availability was in three hours. We'd have been quicker waiting at the tunnel, and the dogs would have had somewhere to stretch their paws.
One major 4-5 hour delay on a return trip when there was broken down train in the tunnel. We got a voucher to use for our next trip as compensation, and a refund of the pet fees. Never pay for it in cash, as I use my Tesco clubcard points. Last ferry trip was terrible, full of noisy school kids and not that cheap.
Use their Twitter feed to check delays and comments if you are waiting in a queue and need information.

We were booked on the tunnel on the horrendous weekend of 23rd July. Because we booked late, the only option left involved a stupidly early crossing at 5.40am. We duly got up at 3am, got there just before 5am, we were warned that the French were checking everything at border control so get into the queue when first called. In fact the Frenchies had not clocked on, we got on a train at 5.20 and left at 5.30am..
Meanwhile queueagdeddon grew behind us, and we were in southern Germany by 5pm!

The moral of the story...get a crossing stupidly early..

You know it makes sense.

One issue for me, as I drive alone, is that any of the longer versions mean it's not sensible for me to drive in one hit. It takes me nearly as long to get to Newhaven as to get to Folkestone and the crossing is far longer. The overnight ferries, apart from being very expensive, especially for one person, are not a good answer - I find I don't sleep very well (or not until 20 minutes before they come banging on the doors at stupid o'clock to give everyone time for their two hour beauty routine before disembarking) and end up driving off the ferry with a drive (via Paris) ahead of me, feeling like I've been up all night.

If you have no choice but to travel on peak times (whether summer school hols or days like the Christmas/New Year changeover) you risk major delays from traffic and/or weather. But then flight alternatives are problematic too. There's no easy way to the Alps on a busy changeover weekend!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Perty, we were told by others crossing from Folkestone that Eurotunnel was much less badly affected than the ferries that weekend. I think the 14 hour stories didn't apply to Eurotunnel but more to the ferries out of Dover, but I might be wrong. French have been checking stuff there for a while now, as well as UK border control. We were coming back the other way and got straight onto our booked train without a wait.

A snowHead

I actually splashed out on flexi plus this summer and glad I did. Missed hours of queues.

Its too expensive ti pay £214 each way, but I see that if I buy 10 tickets its £127, so thats the way forward!

A snowHead

Sometimes one has an issue, sometimes it's the other. Can't plan for delays on either tunnel or ferry. And weirdly the last trip I did, the French stepped up security big time, but the Dutch only did a visual inspection of passport.

One thing you can do though, is plan for carnage when Operation Stack is on. For ferry, forget M20/A20, and take A2/M2/A2 (go that way anyway if coming from Dartford Tunnel/Bridge imho). For tunnel, do the same but then take the road cross country from A2 to the tunnel (off the top of my head, it's the A260, but don't quote me on that - coming from north Kent, it's the road we used to take to get to the Folkestone ferry before the tunnel was there, and before the M20 was finished). Not sure what the back way is in to the tunnel, but you probably go the "wrong way" for a bit.

Of course, that will depend on where you're travelling from.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@andy, +1 for the detour. @Philip1972, if only they'd let me use my Tesco vouchers to at least part pay, don't forget you need to use those 10 tickets in a year.

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@Philip1972, flexiplus does depend on being able to get into the terminal as sometimes I have heard of people being stuck on the sliproads. Is that price for ten tickets for use at any time or off peak? We did look at it a couple of years ago.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Pamski, there are usually supplements to pay for peak times for the standard prepaid tickets.

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@Philip1972, yesterday, for the first time ever when we've been travelling, Flexi Plus had a dedicated passport lane, too. Although the passport queues weren't that bad, it certainly saved time against the usual 'dedicated check in + then join the main queue' scenario.

We worked out that when we just purchased as we went along last year, and only used Flexi Plus over busy periods, 10 crossings during the year averaged out at about £110 or £115, so Flexi Plus really costs us about £15 extra per crossing.....and even with only two of us in the car, the free food is worth more than that!

We'd have been happier with only 8 crossings rather than 10, but that just means we'll look for someone to share the block with this year.

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We can't use Flexiplus due to the roofbox on the car making it too high.

After all it is free

@Pamski, there are no supplements at all for the Flexi Plus ones. In Calais, when they open the big queuing area you just bypass it completely. As soon as you say you are Flexi Plus you join at the front of the queue on site not the back. And if it's back onto the sliproads in Calais, you can join from the Cite Europe end by driving down a junction past the entrance and then back, which will save time whether you are Flexi or standard.

@Hells Bells, I think that if you're a high vehicle you can't use the Flexi Plus lounge (a major attraction!) rather than you can't use Flexi Plus. The website says:

Flexiplus - Lounge facilities are open 06.00 to 22.00 daily (local time). Outside opening hours the Passenger Terminal building, situated before border controls, will be happy to welcome you. However complimentary refreshments and newspapers will not be available. Due to safety regulations the Flexiplus lounge in the UK & France are not available to vehicles over 1.85m high (including roof box). If you have booked to travel in a vehicle over 1.85m high and change the vehicle prior to travel to a vehicle under 1.85m, please advise our Contact Centre on 08443 35 35 35 (from the UK) so we can amend your ticket. Get contact information for all other countries. Due to loading and safety regulations we cannot offer motorcyclists the use of the lounge. You may still purchase a Flexiplus ticket and enjoy its flexibility.[/i]

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@sj1608, no benefit at all then other than expensive flexibility. I'd still have to buy my butties at the snack van. and I can't use my Tesco points.

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I think we will remain ferry travellers most of the time as we prefer the break in the brasserie or club lounge. Only when going in depths of winter and wanting to do the trip in one day do we sometimes take the train. But it is interesting to get others views and tips.
I had completely forgotten about using Tesco vouchers for the tunnel and after buying a new railcard and season tickets for Portsmouth dockyard the other day I put the rest into Avios.

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Has anybody opened a joint account?
Can you have a joint account with more than one person?
Does the ticket have to be in the account holder's name, and does he/she need to be travelling on that ticket?

@Chamcham, there was someone on here last year or year before who sorted out sharing a set of ten tickets and it could be done.

You know it makes sense.

@Chamcham, yes you can now. You designate two account holders when you purchase the tickets. There's a few other snowHeads have done it.

@Pamski, although the break is welcome, the ferry turns it into a very long day for us. We do a breakfast stop about halfway, then straight onto tunnel around lunchtime, so we can be at our overnight stop in reasonable time.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Pamski, Sounds like a plan - I'll look into it.

A snowHead

@Chamcham, if you can do that I'll take two returns off your hands !

A snowHead

@bladeskier, I'll let you know in due course

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Chamcham, actually it's three in the next 12 months if that helps ?

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Used the tunnel this summer, way out to France end of July no problems train was bang on schedule, way back was offered earlier train and that was excellent no waiting at all just drove straight on. Would use again no hesitation.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Hells Bells, and jumping the 2 hour queue that was there at August Bank Holiday in 2015 and over New Year 2016!

For us, it's a close run thing but we also have an elderly cat travelling with us, so saving a bit of time on every crossing is important for her and we consistently save half an hour or so, and up to 2+ hours at peak time.

Since we can get at the free food, that tips the balance! For you, it wouldn't.

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@sj1608, fortunately, I rarely have to travel at peak times. Delays have not been worth the extra so far. The exceptions I've listed above would have affected FlexiPlus as well as ordinary tickets as the trains were not running on both occasions. Snow on one, and a fire on another.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Like @Hells Bells I don't have to travel at peak times. No dogs or cats (or worse, children) to entertain but delays need to be kept to a minimum if you drive all the way on your own. Rarely had any problems - the worst was the day after the London bombings, when everyone was held up because of extra security.

After all it is free

Probablu over reacting but you have my sympathy. Which ever route/form of travel you use it can go wrong, just make sure you are prepared inside your car - plenty of newspapers, snacks, entertainment if you are brave enough to travel with children, then just let it go over your head, it isnt worth worrying yourself about, think Zen, chill, go with the flow, it could be worse and probably will be for lots of others unless you are at the back of a queue on the M20 half back to London. Preference is everything. Personally I think the tunnel is great, quick and easy when it goes well, but I love the ferries and often seek out the longer ferry trips just for the fun of it! But then we are retired and have plenty of time.

Migrants again blocked the approach roads to Calais port and eurotunnel last night. Since the increased the lorry holding areas inside the port the migrants are blocking roads to slow the lorries but this affects the tourist traffic as well. This and the heightened security concerns regards the ferries means I am avoiding the area and reverting back to flying so I with the OP on this one

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

How about not driving?

We've driven to SuperDevoluy three times at half term/Easter for a cheapo family trip. We've had delays on the way out, and again on the way back a couple of times, but nothing too dreadful. Apart perhaps on the way out at half term, when we went after school on the Friday and were then delayed by a few hours in the queuing/car park thing. It's not nice sitting in the car at 3am with snow falling and a six year old child getting colder and colder, with the prospect of the drive to Troyes ahead. And there was the four hour delay on the motorway caused by a lorry falling over on the way back once.

Last year me and a friend Eurostar'd to Paris and then got the sleeper train to Cluses to ski in Morzine - it worked really well, so I would've recommended that if they hadn't gone and cancelled nearly all the sleeper services in France.

On the back of that trip, we'd planned our summer holiday around the sleeper service to St. Gervais, but when it looked like it was going to be cancelled (took them longer to cancel than announced) we decided to cheapo hotel it in Paris for the night and get the daytime TGV down/back.

It worked really well, so we're definitely considering something similar for a future ski trip. None of that tedious driving nonsense, though of course it only works if you're happy not to have a car full of stuff/have a car available in resort.

If you time the ticket buying well the train prices are hard to beat - we got the outbound TGV from Paris to St. Gervais for EUR26 each.

Help!!

Trouble with the tunnel? Alternative routes?

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