 Poster: A snowHead
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We’ve never travelled via eurotunnel on the Friday evening before half term. Does anyone have any experience of this from past years and could offer some advice?
The only time we came back after a Feb half term holiday, we arrived at Calais early Sunday morning in plenty of time but the queues were horrendous and it was basically a free for all and several hours delay. Can we expect the same issue outbound from Folkestone on a Friday evening?
There’s currently availability for most slots on Friday evening but I will be booking our car later this week. We’re trying to build in adequate time in our journey plan.
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Did this a couple of years ago, arriving at the tunnel at about 10pm. Lots of snow around at the time, so that didn't help, and I think the trains had some mechanical issues too. Anyway, it was total carnage. It was about a 2-3 hour wait. They seemed to completely ignore the booking time and just put you in a massive queue. The restaurant area (for want of a better name) looked like a bomb had hit it. Staff were no where to be seen, it was just a mess.
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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 always travel over Friday morning before half term and have never had a problem BUT I have heard plenty of horror stories from later Friday and particularly Saturday morning!
Coming back we get to Calais around 4pm and again haven't had any significant problems.
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sah, we were there that day as well, although in the afternoon. It didnt help either that that the A1 was closed all day near Peterborough due to an accident.
I think the later in the day you travel, the longer the trains have had to get out of sync/behind time, plus people turning up late, etc, then eventually one or more "services" (ie scheduled trains) may be cancelled altogether, it all has a kind of cumulative effect leading inevitably to a degree of carnage.
Having said, that the more or less continuous nature of the trains means you will get on a train eventually. My advice is, better to book a late train and be early if you can, you may get an earlier train or you may not; but don't whatever you do book an early train and arrive late, or you may have to wait four hours for your turn on a later train. Ask me how I know this! 
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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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mikes21, Go 1-3am when its pretty quiet, peak times its a nightmare.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've done it for the last two years, travelling with wife and 3 daughters, departing around 20:00. It was a nightmare the first time as there was lots of snow and issues with the trains. Also we hadn't eaten and my youngest decided to fill her nappy just as we were called to the train.
The second time we ate before we left home and I paid extra for flexiplus and it was great  Just sailed straight past all the queues. Stopped in the flexiplus portakabin to go to the loo and stock up with the "complementary" sandwiches and drinks. We were on the train within 30 minutes of getting off the motorway.
The return was more of a nightmare as we had to queue with everyone else for 2 hours to get through passport control. I complained to Eurostar and got a £100 voucher.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 6-10-11 11:02; edited 1 time in total
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| sbirring wrote: |
I've done it for the last two years, departing around 20:00. It was a nightmare the first time as there was lots of snow and issues with the trains.
The second time I paid extra for flexiplus and it was great Just sailed straight past all the queues. |
That would not have made much difference the time I did it, the longest queue was the slip road before the barriers and there was only one queue. Once through there it was just a scrum anyway; it is possible that the flexiplus could have bypassed this part so would have saved maybe half an hour to an hour there.
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That would not have made much difference the time I did it
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Was that in 2010? That year we got there at 7pm and it took until 9 to get through the barriers  We were then held for another 90 minutes, whereas the flexiplus people went straight onto the trains.
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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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mikes21, I wouldn't do it, simples. If you can't go much earlier in the day (when it will still be busy) leave it till later, as advised by Markymark29 and plan to get to your resort late on the Saturday. Even if you get on a train on Friday evening without too much delay it'll be busy all the way down and you could be stuck in queues for hours getting up to resort Saturday morning/midday, especially if there's a bit of snow about (which you hope there will be, of course......).
You also need to think about the return journey. A nice way to do it is ski the last Saturday, which will be a quieter changeover day, then leave the resort around 5 - 6 when the main rush will have finished. Stop over for the night about 2 - 3 hours north and finish the journey home on Sunday. You will probably need to vacate your accommodation by 10 am on Saturday so this needs a bit of organisation and forethought. The best alternative is to leave very, very, early on the Saturday (out of resort before 8 am).
If you book a late train out on Friday evening, with normal fares (not flexi plus) I'd say you have little chance of getting on an earlier one. They'll be booked solid. We do that with no problem almost every time we use the tunnel (4 times a year) and always marvel at the fact that some people will pay huge amounts extra to do the same, but we don't travel at half term.
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Or waht we have done in the dreaded Feb half term is leave the resort Fri evening , drive for 3 - 4 hours or so and then early train/ferry on the Sat.
Otherwise we have found - depending obviously on the resort - even leaving at 06.30 Sat has meant big jams.
John
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
even leaving at 06.30 Sat has meant big jams.
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probably depends as well on which French week the english half term coincides with. All in all, I'd leave either Friday night or Saturday night - the quieter slopes on Saturdays are worth staying on for. mikes21, where are you going? If it's Austria, driving conditions might be very different - and better and some of the advice above might not apply.
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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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pam w, Cannot get to eurotunnel until mid to late evening on the Friday. Intend driving through the night, Austria is where we are going. Not decided resort but may be Ski Amade area. That also needs to be sorted soon!
Seems we may have fun at the tunnel. Thanks for the advice.
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mikes21, I suggest you start a thread on "best driving routes to Austria at half term" - there are a number of Austria experts who will be able to give you some very precise advice.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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mikes21, we've travelled Friday evening for most of the last 12 years as we have no choice. It's........busy, as others have said. It may be worth booking for an earlier crossing than you intended as that may shorten your delay, because they book you on the next available anyway probably related to what time you originally booked, if you follow. There's no easy way I'm afraid. The ferry might be less traumatic but it takes longer anyway. We always stay in an F1 about an hour down the A26 but you'll probably go a different way.
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Poster: A snowHead
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mikes21, No chance you can go a day earlier and tag another day on, and stay over at within striking distance of your destination? If you caught tunnel at say 8am on the Friday and drove through the day you'd be at say Munich for 6-7pm, nice meal, early to bed then fully stoked for early morning breakfast and on the slopes for 10am. Quiet saturday, everyone else is stuck on the Autobahns, you're in fresh powder etc!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Would suggest you buy a FlexiPlus ticket. This will give you total flexibility of taking any departure you like and once you have passed check-in you simply jump the queue over people who are booked on the specific crossing even if aren't. You also get a few more advantages. Our clients just love it.
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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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XPeak, Yep, but an extra £200+ takes some justyfying in mind mind.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| XPeak, Yep, but an extra £200+ takes some justyfying in mind mind. |
But not if you can book your accommodation with Peak Retreats, they include a Flexiplus ticket. Just saying so that XPeak doesn't have to! Agree though if you have to pay then £200 is hard to justify.
Re. crossing at half term we do the Fri morning before the carnage has chance to build up and back very, very late the Sat night or else we overnight and do an early Sunday crossing. Never had any major delays or issues. Though the snow season before last did cause them some trouble round the slip road and terminal.
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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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Thanks for plug sarah What I would say £400 is barely the cost of a rtn flight ticket for one for half term now and then you have to get to the airport pay for car parking there, pay for extra luggage or ski carriage, pay for transfer at the other end...and you don't even have space to pack a few tins of baked bins! Ok there are other costs associated with driving but if there are 4 of you in the car it's only £100 return each. Considering what you get I think it's not bad. Otherwise one solution to avoid traffic is to travel through the night ie. between midnight and 6 am although there is a lot less frequency - one very hour or every two hours so you don't want to miss your allocated crossing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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In previous years have always left early on the Friday catching a lunchtime tunnel and driving as close to resort as possible before crashing in an F1 in Grenoble, Chambery, Lyon etc depending on final destination.
This year due to various reasons we are unable to leave on the Friday.
The plan is to go on the Saturday and follow the same pattern, but previous experience suggests that the whole of France is one long traffic jam on that day........
So my question is when does the congestion clear to allow a smoother drive through France?
As it stands I was thinking of aiming for a 3pm tunnel Saturday as I thought that would be late enough to miss the above.
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As it stands I was thinking of aiming for a 3pm tunnel Saturday as I thought that would be late enough to miss the above.
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I guess it would - you won't be starting south-going till around 1645 French time and should be fairly clear. Ghastly time to arrive though ... rr stop, and drive up fresh on Sunday morning? Do the same thing coming back and have a quieter ski on the final Saturday.
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With a good run getting acorss the other side would mean Lyon at 23.00 ish assuming no traffic.........
Then up early Sunday morning in resort for first lift..........
Would like to get an earlier tunnel but Im not sure its worth it as traffic jams drive me mad!!
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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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| Quote: |
Lyon at 23.00 ish assuming no traffic.........
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that would be good going. 100 kmh average? But a stop over around Lyon would make good sense - and it'll be much easier getting a bed than on the Friday evening. Bonne chance.
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Done the Austria trip on a friday a few times, always catch 0700 ish train, fine all the way through France, get on German Autobahn late afternon and it is chaos. Had big hold ups on 2 occasions. Stayed in Hotels near augsburg and kempten, but always a nightmare getting over border into Austria, maybe neeed to leave hotel before 0930 in future. Tunnel on return is fun if you get there after 5pm on the saturday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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andyg9053, Mate of mine says turning left off the tunnel is always best, nice to know it's not always 
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