 Poster: A snowHead
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Now on a train about 1h30 later than booked and 3h later than planned. If we get away sharpish might be in Folkestone before midnight.
At least the tunnel will be free this time of day. Not much consolation as my fuel consumption is down to 33mpg due to the queueing. It was 35mpg when we joined the queue and that for a 1400 mile trip.
I think Boredsurfing called it right with the Calais town detour.
Whilst we got explosive checked that didn't really delay us it was the UK Border Agency causing the bottleneck.
Roll on Feb halfterm!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DJL, almost afraid to ask how you guys are doing..........
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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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Lou train just on the move now.
Hope the rest of your PDS trip went well. Must have been serious snow for New Year. We had a hairy moment getting over the Pass to Morgins on Friday.
Good luck everyone.
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DJL, safe home. Enjoyed rest of ski thanks but quite sedate for me still. Have to consider what to do with injury in time available before La Giettaz early March  Did enjoy heaps of snow along with rain. Good to meet you and hope to again.
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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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Lou, ah, you're going back to La Giettaz?  With the girls again?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shimmy Alcott, yep but slightly different group. My friends son is coming with us as we had a space. Think he's mad but he's a nice lad in early 20s. Not quite girls trip but hey
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Shimmy Alcott, have you got plans?
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Still not through uk border control. French didn't swab or anything.
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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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Like DJL said, delay seems entirely due to UK agency. Once through there was like ghost town. We were directed to terminal. Our letter not even mentioned. Off to loo, OH spoke to helpful French staff at desk who rang to check and then told to GO NOW! Total fiasco. She said had never seen it so bad in 17yrs she's worked here 
On train now. Nobody knows when will leave....
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Boredsurfing, I'm sure it will change again, as you say money talks!!
Last time we were there, November, they were even diverting traffic right at the roundabout after customs so you had to at least drive by the terminal. Of course everyone was so peed off at this point they just carried on to queue for train. The only people who seem to be doing well are the coffee stalls in the car park
Tellingly the original road infrastructure is still there so looks like they could revert to original layout easily
We now always stop for loo, fuel and snacks at last service on motorway ready for delays at terminal.
I do appreciate security checks are vital, but they need to sort it out as it is generating negative publicity now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Does it matter (to passengers) if the delay is before the Terminal or after it? Does the new layout make the delays worse? I couldn't see the point of switching to the new layout and I can't see the point of switching back if it will simply move the bottleneck somewhere else in the system. Seems to me that they either need more lanes & Border Agency staff or take fewer bookings so the place doesn't get congested.
Our check-in when we travelled home on the 30th was trouble free, probably because we arrived much earlier than we normally do (3.30pm rather than 6.30pm, as a result of leaving Les Arcs early because of heavy snow falling). Might try to make this a regular time in future to avoid possible congestion problems at Eurotunnel if this situation happens too often.
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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 think it is definitely worse since the changes . We've never missed our crossing before . Sunday lunchtime is usually quiet
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Hells Bells, that's my impression as well, but why? Is it because of the road layout? My vague recollection is that a few years ago more often than not the French security checks were always closed and most of the time we were waved through the UK checks without them even looking at our passports. Whenever I go through now every passport is scanned. That will add three or four minutes to every car being processed, and at busy times this causes the delay. I think the problems are nothing to do with the road layout after you have checked in; they are entirely caused by greater security checks at the UK border.
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You know it makes sense.
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In another queue now waiting to catch a train in to work (boo).
Unemotional debrief / tips:
If it's a busy day aim for early rather than late crossing
Plan to arrive FROM the West (even to thhe extent of heading for Boulogne and then Calais - only adds 10k / 5mins)
Have everything in hand (food/drinks/loo stop) before arrival - do not enter terminal unless in dire need.
My timings were (for a 22.20 booked departure):
20.00 join queue 2km before J43
22.30 directed out of slip for J42 by police - head to J41 and reverse direction on A16
22.35 join queue half way up flyover
23.00 at checkin
23.50 boarding train
00.09 depart France
23.45 arrive Folkestone
01.50 arrive Colchester (had to have 10 min kip between Chelmsford and Colchester as I was so tired!)
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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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Another wonderful holiday spoiled by by the queues at UK border control! We joined the queue at 19.30 20.20 crossing, I managed to join the stream of local traffic turning off to the Auchan/Majestic shopping centre. I then re joined the queue from the southern side 300-400 mtrs from the check in. I finally got a train at about 22.10 and got back to Burnham at 23.30!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Always used Eurotunnel due to ease of use
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Just curious, what makes Eurotunnel any easier to use than a ferry? Drive off autoroute, go thru passport control, go to checkin kiosk (which is automated enough that they've printed your boarding pass already anyway), go queue in the lane they say, drive on when told to. That's for the ferry. had a queue of about 7 cars the other day for passport control. Not been on Eurotunnel since the promo stuff just before it opened for public use, so maybe they miss a step out now? 
£30 each way is not exactly expensive, and much cheaper than the £187 i was quoted the other day, although you can't save up over the year and cash in Tesco vouchers.
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I am seriously considering doing the return legs by ferry
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Just don't do that today. Apparently there's some wind.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| andy wrote: |
| Just curious, what makes Eurotunnel any easier to use than a ferry? |
My girlfriend gets extremely seasick, so it's tunnel or nothing. Otherwise I'd be happy to go with the cheaper option if the timings meant it was still feasible to do the journey in one hit.
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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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DJL, Fogliettaz, Lou,
if you get time today call or e-mail and complain. You never know they may offer you a free crossing or something.
UK Press Office: +44 (0)1303 28 44 91. Email: press@eurotunnel.com.
Do let us know how you get on...
One other farce I forgot to mention, in the midst of all the static queues a BMW Estate appeared and forced his way across at right angles to the queues.
WHY?
Two dogs in the car. The animal check in office is on the far right hand side. Flexi plus lane is on the far left hand side. Great planning eh!
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I spotted a bit of that canine madness as well. The more swiched on dog owners seemed to walk their pooches over to the right and then back to their place in the queue. It must be quicker to check a dog passport than a human one!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 3-01-12 10:45; edited 1 time in total
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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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DJL, Did you notice that the dogs got a goody bag as well
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Boredsurfin, I'm in the mood for a good old rant. After last nights carry on and 4 1/2 hours sleep I'm now stuck on a train in to Liverpool Street. Already45 mins late and still some way to go.
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DJL, delays up to 60mins due to overhead line damage at stratford - glad I decided to work from home....
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Does trawling Snowheads count as work these days?
That's good to to know. Seems I've been "working" harder than I thought!
It feels a bit like yesterday the rtains on the track next to ours seem to be going faster than we are. Now if I can just get the driver to change lanes......
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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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DJL, Lol - am also on the phone......
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I thought I had had a really good journey until we arrived a Calais, as I left Ste Foy @ 09.00 for first stop @ Lyon Airport to drop off 3 off my son's friends. My wife stayed behind to tidy up the apartment and caught a TGV to Lille, a Top Gear style race then ensued as to who would arrive first @ Lille, we both arrived within 5 minutes of each other @ approx 18.20 then off to Calais!
Before I discovered Tesco vouchers we always used to travel via the ferries, and I have been stuck for more than an hour trying to clear British customs @ Dover early in the New Year! I do this passport control could be eased at these peak periods as it is not a good introduction to Blighty for our European neighbours considering how easy it is to cross borders in Europe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was of the belief. that they changed the road layout to encourage more people to shop at the terminal. As the UK customs cause queues, people were driving past the shops to get to the queue as soon as possible to avoid missing train.
The theory was that if all the checks were done first, we would all stop for a drink, meal and shop in the terminal. Of course the reality is, everyone is fed up as they have say in teh queue for hours, missed their train and wants to get on one asap, so still drives straight past it!!!!
The fault to my mind for the delays is solely with the UK customs. Now I'm not sure what if anything can be done to speed that up, although not asking stupid questions like "how come you have 6 bikes and there is only 5 people in the car" springs to mind!!!
In terms of ease of use - for me it is speed of actual crossing, you're straight off onto Motorway, where as with ferry there is a queue for passports at other end and I likewise get sea sick. Oh and Tesco vouchers.
As Boredsurfing says - complain about the delay! If enough people raise this as an issue they will need to sort it out. Money also talks and the retailers will not be impressed that no-one is stopping anymore.
Unfortunately I have a horrid suspicion that the end result will be moving UK customer back to UK
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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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| Quote: |
where as with ferry there is a queue for passports at other end
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Not going to France via Dover there isn't. It's all done on the UK side. Couple of speed humps then straight on to the Autoroute.
OK there's a 5-10min queue arriving back in Dover, depending on whether you're first or last off.
Not exactly a major delay compared to a good 9hr+ drive which preceeded.
No Tesco's here so I can't prepay my £180 over the year to cash in later, and fortunately don't get seasick (although the old HSS to Hoek van Holland was a bit strange when rough).
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Just a quick post in support of Eurotunnel.
We've always taken the Ferry but this summer decided to use Tesco vouchers and get a cheap Eurotunnel crossing.
One Tesco pound is worth three Eurotunnel pounds - therefore cost of Eurotunnel was 1/3 normal price. Exchanging the vouchers is a bit of a chore - you need to sort everything out 2 weeks in advance.
The result:
1) Super fast crossing, no rough seas!
2) If you arrive at the terminal early you can hop onto an earlier crossing without charge.
3) If you're late then you can get the next crossing without charge.
4) The staff were chatty and super friendly. Always a sign of good management.
5) The train was half empty.
That was our experience. Maybe yours was not so good, but I know what I'll be booking next time!
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You know it makes sense.
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fogliettaz.........what route do you go when driving to and from Ste Foy ??......
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
2) If you arrive at the terminal early you can hop onto an earlier crossing without charge.
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Did that on P+O the other day. Got there so early I think I got a boat 2 sailings early. Queued up in the lane for boarding, turned off engine, and a minute later the first lane started boarding.
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3) If you're late then you can get the next crossing without charge.
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Never tried that, but I imagine it's much the same. Maybe you have to pay a few £ more if it's a crossing that had a higher initial price, but when I booked, all the prices were between £30 and £39 anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jellylegs, you'll find loads of support for eurotunnel on here; but the experiences this time appear horrendous compared to how things usually are (give or take the occasional busy period)
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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 always use eurotunnel as wife won t get on a boat!!!!!!!!!!!..............usually pretty good but have also experienced issues at peak times and Sunday before kids return to school is always likely to be a problem.
Going again next Saturday at 06.20am.......so hopefully no problems.............
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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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stefoy4me, The route I use is, Calais, Reims, Troyes Dijon, I then go via the A39 via Bourg en Bresse to Lyon Airport, then Chambery, Albertville etc. When busy in the Tarentaise there is a back road you can take but I am keeping that to myself! I usually fill the car up @ Carrefour, Cite Europe and again @ the Geant Casino @ Albertville to avoid motorway prices. I have been doing this route for the last 8/9 years at least 3 times year. Do you have any tips on a different route.
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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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jellylegs, I agree, Eurotunnel is all the things you describe, the problem is with the UK Border controls that were causing the problems yesterday evening, no doubt there problems with customs at Dover last night.
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There is an alternative view of course. They sold too many tickets and couldn't then service their customers. I think that is the line I'll take with them.
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| DJL wrote: |
| There is an alternative view of course. They sold too many tickets and couldn't then service their customers. I think that is the line I'll take with them. |
I seriously doubt that - I don't think they have even come close to running at the numbers they originally hoped for when it was built. To the best of my knowledge the entire operation ran at a loss for years, maybe still is.
The problem is UK border agency and that is outside the control of Eurotunnel
Your call of course but, as someone who spends my life managing complaints, a polite conversation with some comments about how much you love Eurotunnel, just a shame this was a long wait, is more likely to result in a freebie than a rant about their business practices
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Last time I caught a ferry at Dover (Summer 2010), the first time for a while it was a nightmare at Dover when returning. It was a Sunday evening and there were 2 ferries unloading at the same time, it took an hour to get out of the port.
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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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foglietaz..........no thats pretty much the same route as I use and will use this week. Sometimes stay on the A5 towards Lyon but find that a busy stretch.
Cheers for the heads up on Cite Europe for fuel........
Anyone any idea of a decent breakfast stop in Calais before heading off, bearing in mid we are in Calais at 8am
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| jellylegs wrote: |
Just a quick post in support of Eurotunnel.
We've always taken the Ferry but this summer decided to use Tesco vouchers and get a cheap Eurotunnel crossing.
One Tesco pound is worth three Eurotunnel pounds - therefore cost of Eurotunnel was 1/3 normal price. Exchanging the vouchers is a bit of a chore - you need to sort everything out 2 weeks in advance.
The result:
1) Super fast crossing, no rough seas!
2) If you arrive at the terminal early you can hop onto an earlier crossing without charge.
3) If you're late then you can get the next crossing without charge.
4) The staff were chatty and super friendly. Always a sign of good management.
5) The train was half empty.
That was our experience. Maybe yours was not so good, but I know what I'll be booking next time! |
Sorry to rain on your parade but what happened last night/this morning was a complete shambles. We have been using Eurotunnel for years, three times a year, so could be described as loyal (albeit Tesco) customers. We've had good and bad trips, mostly good but two of the top three worst have been since the layout changed.
We got home at 3am GMT in the end. Not surprising that we didn't have an apology at any point through the check-in or security process. Very pleased that we didn't have any young children or elderly passengers.
Thanks for the link boredsurfin, I will put something in writing later today.
Just to top the whole experience off, OH and eldest have become ill (bought a sandwich in Taninges, they both had the same one)
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FAQ
