 Poster: A snowHead
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Am I reading website correctly, on a standard fare you can turn up 24 hours early? Thinking about going back a day earlier
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jonny996, standard fare gives you a 2-hour window either side normally. If they are quiet you can get on earlier and SHs have managed it a day early but at this time I think you'd struggle.
Call and see if you can change booking
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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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I've done this more than once, if they have space they'll let you on but you will have to pay a surcharge
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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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What happens if I arrive early or late?
If you check-in within 2 hours either side of your reserved time, within the validity of your ticket you may be offered a space on the next departure with availability without charge.
If you check-in more than 2 hours but no more than 24 hours before or after your reserved time, your booking may be exchanged, subject to availability and payment of the difference between the price you paid and the price applicable to the departure for which your booking is exchanged.
If you arrive more than 24 hours after your booked departure time, your booking will be invalid and cannot be exchanged.
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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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So based on that, yes in theory you will be ok - if they have space - you may find you have to wait though
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You can modify your booking online, you may have to pay the difference in the rate but thats unlikely this time of year
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As others have said give 'em a ring
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I had to return early due to a family illness and I was surprised that the surcharge was quite modest. I'd recommend that if you know that your travel times will change substantially, then it's better to re-schedule your booking: at least take a look, as it's always better to arrive within your allotted 'window' and the cost a rescheduling may be minor.
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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 have changed bookings earlier and later with one quick phone call and often have paid no surcharge as the fare was the same. They are very efficient.
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I once needed to bring forward a booking by a couple of days when we needed to return home early, but was unable to, as it was peak New Year and everything was full. It was cheaper to move the existing booking to a later date in the year and use the ferry on that occasion. I didn't like to risk just turning up.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I arrived at Folkestone a couple of years ago on the Friday before Christmas and the check in machine claimed I did not have a booking. A tunnel person came across to unblock the lane and I told her I definitely had a booking and showed her the email confirmation on my tablet. She looked at it and said yes you are definitely booked in, unfortunately you should be starting from Calais  .
Anyway I went to the office and they changed it to the next crossing, in the right direction, immediately with no charge, even though it was very busy. Had to make changes for other, more sensible, reasons at other times and always find them very accomodating.
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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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@skitow, oh dear, I do know someone who turned up at Calais for a ferry to find his booking was from Dover, so you aren't the only one to be caught out. Away to check mine right now.
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Update: I went on line to amend & ended up bringing it forward by 48 hours for a very reasonable £17
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You know it makes sense.
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One of the reasons I use the tunnel is that I’ve always found them very flexible, it’s worth phoning if you’re going to be very late or early, I once had to put mine back 24 hrs, no problem or charge. They could have charged again if they had strictly applied T&Cs.
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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 just booked a freebie (had to phone to do so) one way crossing given to us after last years disastrous delays over the new year (2016/17). I had to make a booking this week or my voucher would have expired. The very helpful lady on the phone explained that I could alter the booking anytime up to 24 hours after the booked date and time, and that the ticket would be valid anytime from a year from today provided I make any amendments necessary. The only amount I may have to pay is if the price of anytime I want to change the crossing to is more expensive than the present booked one, then I might have to pay the difference.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Back in time P and O used to be very flexible, basically turn up and go. At some point they must have employed some clever business analyst and then introduced a multitude of fare types which meant a penalty charge for any type of change in travel plans for the cheap tickets. Thereafter my preference was to use the tunnel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Odd. I got moved to the next available P+O the other day for free, and I've always booked the cheapest possible ticket. My preference is the route that is cheapest.
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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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@skitow, I did that too, just the once! And it wasn't at a busy time luckily. Became a bit OCD about which direction I was travelling in after 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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I've found the tunnel to be reliably fliexible as well within the +/- 24hrs (check ts&Cs here) and any surcharges have come in reasonably low.
I personally always just rock up and talk to the machine at the checkin.
This approach from the Tunnel helps when you hit a delay on the journey, to not have to push to recover time, keeps things relaxed.
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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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@andy, I turned up at calais around 1 am after bailing out due to the weather forecast. with the admin fee plus the going rate for the crossing it worked out around 70 gbp for the change. There were only around 20 people on the ferry so wasn't impressed but complained and got the refund. Luck of the draw, I do prefer the ferry.
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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 turned up early and late by various hours, days and even weeks on one occasion and every time knowing how much a new fare would cost with a quick google on the Autoroute decided how much we were prepared to pay to go straight away, I think the most we ever have had to pay was £60 but we were 10 days early and it did put into the New Year period!
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I've been very pleased to discover the Eurotunnel Frequent Traveller programme [url=] https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/tickets/types/frequent-traveller/ [/url]. Although there is a minimum £440 up front charge, it can be beneficial to join the scheme if you intend to travel through the Tunnel more than four times/year, as individual tickets usually cost at least £110 each. The thing, however, that really makes the difference is that one can take out joint membership with someone else. This makes it far easier to use up ten tickets, resulting in an individual trip cost of £44. Journeys can be booked, subject to available space, as late as 24 hours before travel and bookings may be changed at no cost. There can be a £20 supplement if you are travelling at peak periods. The T&Cs say that you have to travel on the booked train, however, I have arrived early and been given the option of travelling on the next available crossing. If all ten 10 tickets are used in less than 12 months, the scheme can be restarted by purchasing a further 10 tickets.
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@Mike S, Yes, I think there are quite a few of us on here that use the frequent traveller thing and you are right, splitting it between 2 people makes it a very economic method.
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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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P&O's frequent traveller scheme is similar to Eurotunnel's but the minimum is three return trips per year at a cost of £36 each way. Price reduces if you buy more. They seem to be pretty flexible regarding timings and you can also book the day before travel.
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Another Eurotunnel frequent traveller convert here. I have also noticed that since i have been using this scheme (last 2 years) eurotunnel seem to be a lot more flexible in general with me changing bookings (and even crossings when i turn up late or early) than they used to be when i just bought individual tickets 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am sure I read on here somewhere that a price increase was imminent for the frequent traveller tickets ?
They are at £460 now so is that pre or post increase ? I do not need to buy until April but if a price rise was imminent might get then earlier.
I have mailed Eurotunnel but no reply yet.
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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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@skitow, post increase, it was £440 before
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We've used the DFDS multi-trip offer for quite a few years. Entry level is £36 each way for 3 return trips dropping to £29 for 12+ trips.
The scheme is very flexible but there are a few exclusion dates and some where a £30 supplement apply. The tickets are fully transferable to friends or family without additional cost. We have changed bookings as late as 2 hours before sailing and have invariably been put on an earlier boat if we have turned up early and there was space.
On one occasion when Calais was "closed down", both ferries and tunnel, because of trouble from the "Jungle" we were able to swap to a Dunkirk sailing.
We've used the tunnel once, when there was a storm force 10 forecast, but by the time you factor in stopping to eat and having an hours sleep both of which I get on the ferry then the time saving of using the tunnel became insignificant compared to total journey from home to resort. We were able to put our ferry booking back into our unused pool and we used for an extra trip later in the year.
I'm sure DFDS won't suit everyone but it works for us.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Hells Bells, Thank you. At 20 pound would probably not have bothered to do it early (car stays there all season but will then have a summer / autumn trip and I share the 460 anyway)
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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 got charged 156 extra as I turned up 4 hours early, which to them made it a different day (10 pm instead of the booked time of 2 am)
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Philip1972, I think the trick to that may be to change your crossing time online before checking in. You may find things a bit different then. Worth a look in any case.
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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 the time saving of using the tunnel became insignificant compared to total journey from home to resort.
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Agreed - although I'd rather stop to eat in France as I'll be feeling sick on ferry!
As you say what works for you
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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 just pack a picnic and eat it either while waiting to board Eurotunnel, or on board if we are sent straight onto the train. It is most definitely a time saver for us.
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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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We did N East to Andorra via Newhaven Dieppe the first time, nearly missed the O/B due to M25 accident and misjudged homeward journey and arrived 5 hrs early, with only 2 sailings a day, we sat in Dieppe 5 hrs. We've never used the Hull ferry for the same reason as well as cost, 5hr drive to Dover but it's worth it.
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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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I pay no notice to the extra charges they try to get you to pay for early arrival. Print out the boarding letter you have and just drive on the first train you can. Occasionally the staff will wave at you to stop but I just wave back with a smile and keep driving. By the time they find you have the wrong letter you are already on the train! I've done this at least 5 times now with no repercussions.
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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 haven't crossed at peak times, but have found it rare that we've actually go to onto the train that we we're booked on. Occasionally there has been time for a quick wee break in the terminal, otherwise it is the skanky loos on the train 
We eat a picnic breakfast on the Eurotunnel when driving to the Alps at Easter; it isn't stylish or pretty, but it does the trick. Having a meal on a ferry can be a much more civilised affair, but for that sort of start to a holiday we are more likely to take a slow ferry from Portsmouth.
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FAQ
