 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello! We are about to book our half term trip with peak retreats. They offer a 'free' upgrade to flexi plus and I'm just trying to find out what this actually gives us. I have read that you have priority boarding on the next available train which is great. I assume there must be a time before /after your booking that you would need to travel? With the usual booking it's 2 hours either side but I don't seem to be able to find this info for flexi plus. We were thinking that when we return on the Saturday evening, we'd drive up to Calais and if the delays are too long (we are still a bit raw from a 3 hour wait last year and being stuck on the motoway) then we'd pick up some accomodation and cross over on the Sunday morning. Would flexi plus allow this?
Also, the bits I have read talk about the lounge. Surely there wouldn't be time to use this if you are put on the next train?? If we do use the lounge, I saw one review talk about a take away lunch. Is this standard issue? It will be worth popping in if we can grab some lunch for the trip. And is the Calais lounge the same?
Sorry for the random questions. I couldn't think of anywhere else I could get this information.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Flexiplus is great. You just turn up and get on the next train (if you want). Totally flexible. And normally ridiculously expensive. But if you get it thrown in with a package (as some operators do) then it's great. If you are under 1.8m(ish) you also get included access to the flexi-plus lounge (well, portacabin) where you can pick up your free bottles of champagne and smoked salmon sandwiches - yes this is standard issue, if you want to hang around in the lounge and wait for the next train, you can.
The only issue really is if the queues are utterly horrendous and back up onto the M20/Ax, then you still have to get past there to get to the priority check-in lanes.
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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 buy the ten ticket Flexiplus package each year as we cross at Christmas, half term week, easter and summer plus I get a cheeky break as and when the opportunity arises.
As RobW says, you get to rock up and go to the front of the queue in quiet periods or, as we do, stop off at the portacabin and get a very pleasant breakfast and then jump in at the front of the queue. Don't worry about the timings, it has never been a problem for us although we've never been more than a couple of hours outside the booked time. If you're that worried, phone the helpline and find out.
Probably of more interest and use at peak periods like half term is that you don't get steered into the holding pen if they are very, very busy but you get straight in line for the check in, passport control and customs. This can save you hours on your crossing and is well worth it.
As long as you're not held up on the motorway then you will get straight into the check in system.
The Englishman in me feels really uncomfortable pushing in in front of everyone else but...................
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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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@Snow Monkey, you aren't pushing in...you have paid handsomely for the privilege...compared to the rest of us that use Tesco vouchers to cross for free
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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've used it via booking with peak retreats for the last six years, it is as flexible as Robw says. You just turn up as and when and can go straight to the train que if you want to, has a dedicated lane in the boarding hold area that they release first (make sure you move smartish as they open the time slot gates fairly quickly afterwards) lounge I think is open to about 10pm each day and you can get decent hot drinks to carry back to car, each passenger also gets carry out meal made up of choices at the counter of sandwiches drink yoghurt etc. Often there are newspapers and magazines for returning uk travellers available at Calais.
Usually managed to arrive at check in away from busy times and haven't as yet experienced the ques for general gates so no experience from us to share on that one.
As far as I understand from speaking to peak staff the tickets are fully usable for six months from date of initialisation which is the date you state of travelling out, they'll ask the date of travelling when booking which we give as the day prior to accommodation start as for example we have apartment booked Saturday but travel Friday night.
Takes alot of variables you may have to consider for travel planning out of the equation so you can get on with a relaxed journey, well worth it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No brainer if it is included in a package but having checked a few dates (half term, random March weekend) for the timings we would generally use the price difference to standard booking is around £265.
My experience of delays after getting to the check in is a maximum of 2 hours after booked time so I wouldn't pay the extra to avoid that. I think it could possibly be justified if you really struggle to predict arrival time to check in though you could probably just rock up and make a booking cheaper at other than peak times.
We buy a set of Frequent Traveller tickets each year at £430 for 10 singles. Usually manage to avoid most of the supplements but even if you have to pay them it is competitive with standard tickets. Frequent Flexiplus is £1320 for 10 crossings - I've bought several cars for less than that!
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I use it. I called the helpline as we wanted to go a day early. They said just turn up when you want, you dont need to go on line and re time. She also said "you can just turn up within the next 12 months and go. No need to call"
Its brilliant. (Apart from one guy who got out of his car to go mental that they were holding him back to let us in at the passport control!!! But they had security there in 2 seconds to sort him out!)
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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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I can buy quite a bit of champagne and smoked salmon for that much money.
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I've used flexi plus before. Two times stick out.
Friday of Chrimbo hols starting, rocked up at Folkestone at about 8pm. Heaving. Backed up nearly to the motorway, got in the right lane and slowly crawled down to the terminal. Once through the barrier it was a "free run" to the traffic light lane (had a top box on). Within seconds the light turned green and we were on the train.
Same year, coming back, same problem at Calais but they had kept a lane open through the crowd and straight through to the lights (stopping at the barrier).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I can buy quite a bit of champagne and smoked salmon for that much money.
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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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Used it once this August and it was brilliant as it was chaos at Calais. Tbh i wouldn't normally as we don't tend to use the tunnel at peak times so its not worth the extra cost, but I would certainly do it again if I had to travel at really busy times.
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I only use it as it is included in Peak Retreats package price, and have found it unbeatable when travelling at peak times, especially with kids.
At new year we went straight through when queues were 2 hours plus, and the picnics provided where ideal for feeding kids and pushing on.
It is also good to turn up when you like, no rushing or stress.
I`m not sure that I would buy it direct at full price, but it is a steal from Peak Retreats or Erna Low
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You know it makes sense.
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Never been offered champagne there, but there is wifi, papers and reasonable machine coffee
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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 prefer to wave the £260 I've saved on a return trip at the people driving down the priority lane.
I expect you have already paid for the 'free' upgrade in the price of your package. You may as well use it.
Last February half term on the Friday evening, friends had a flexi plus ticket arrived just ahead of us at Folkestone. We took about an hour longer to get through. In the end we got to our resort in the Tirol before they got to Les Arcs. Maybe they should introduce priority lanes in the French alps?
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