Eurotunnel (1 Viewer)

Jaws

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Sep 26, 2008
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Have you tried this method @Jonned ?
I thought in the t&c you had to use the return leg, otherwise Eurotunnel reserve the right to charge you the full fare ?
Just my understanding of it, happy to be corrected, never tried myself for fear of receiving a large bill !
Yes.. and that is exactly what happened to me when I had to go and collect the Smart Car from france a couple of months ago.
I foned them with a sob story and they said no problem.. Just forget it
A month later I got billed an extra £39.50 by them
 
Aug 18, 2014
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Yes.. and that is exactly what happened to me when I had to go and collect the Smart Car from france a couple of months ago.
I foned them with a sob story and they said no problem.. Just forget it
A month later I got billed an extra £39.50 by them

Nothing on T&T's o state that it has to be used.
I meant to post this earlier when post was first up. I've read & re.read the conditions & nowhere does it state that A) it has to be used or B) if it isn't they can charge you more. Additionally it states that it can be moved for up to 1 year from original date but then is lost. So ,I'd be on to them for my money back.

& when Jonned posted I did various " 24 hour returns " for when I need to come over & yes even throwing away the return it is cheaper than booking correctly-
I'd love to use the tunnel but can never get withing 80-90 pounds of a ferry in either direction.
 

Forestboy

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Just returned today from 6 weeks away.
Booked about 3 weeks before we left.
Ferry P&O £100.80p return
Tunnel £284.00 return
Same time travel mid day both ways same days £180.00 difference No Thanks.
Used tunnel exclusively for last 4 years but last summer prices rocketed and we refuse to pay it. Don't mind paying £50.00 ish more for the convenience but thats my limit and not prepared to travel at stupid o clock just to match prices either.

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Mar 11, 2014
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Nothing on T&T's o state that it has to be used.
I meant to post this earlier when post was first up. I've read & re.read the conditions & nowhere does it state that A) it has to be used or B) if it isn't they can charge you more.

It's contained here
Eurotunnel Ticket Terms and Conditions
  • 1. TICKET VALIDITY
    1.1 Your booking is only valid for the booked departure time and the vehicle type stated .

    Failure to complete both the outward and return journeys in respect of a return booking will invalidate your booking and in the event that you complete only one journey in respect of a return booking, you will be liable to pay the difference between the price that you paid for your return booking and the single fare applicable at the time that your journey was made. Eurotunnel reserves the right to obtain from you payment in full for all sums so arising. All travel must be completed within 1 calendar year of the date of original purchase.

    So if you only use the outward portion of a short stay saver because the whole fare for this is cheaper than a standard outward single ticket travelling on the same day then they can recover the difference.

Eg short stay return is £59 total and and standard single is £75
You buy a short stay return but then don't use the return portion they can charge you an extra £16 to make your total cost up to £75
 
D

deleted-member02

Deleted User
I guess we've all got different requirements and different ways of doing things.

I'm motivated enough to earn Clubcard points faster than I can spend them on tunnel crossings, so for me it's a no-brainer.

We mostly leave UK late night and stay at Cite Europe, on final night stay at Cite Europe for an early train home - seems to keep fares low.

I try to avoid the ferry if possible.
It's further to Dover, waiting times for departure are longer, boarding slower...then when you finally arrive in Calais it takes an age to disembark... doesn't work for me, cost has never been prohibitive enough to deter me from the tunnel.
I don't recall ever having paid near £200 and that must be in 30 or so return trips.
At sub £200, ferry would have to be free to tempt me - but time is a big consideration, we plan meticulously to squeeze in those extra few days away each year....
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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A big chunk of our tunnel cost is the charge for the 2 dogs. Based on my example in post #21 for our summer trip this year if we weren't taking the dogs the tunnel would be cheaper than any possible ferry option close to our crossing times.

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scoobymum

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Hi All. We have recently purchased our first van and are looking to go to France in August so this thread is really interesting to me. Can I ask a very silly question? we wish to take our dog with us, does he stay in the van whilst on the ferry? I have never seen a dog on the ferry when used one previously.
 
Feb 24, 2013
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Hi All. We have recently purchased our first van and are looking to go to France in August so this thread is really interesting to me. Can I ask a very silly question? we wish to take our dog with us, does he stay in the van whilst on the ferry? I have never seen a dog on the ferry when used one previously.

Hello and welcome, I cant tell you about ferries, but the thread and my preference was related to the tunnel, on there you have your pets with you at all times. a main reason for choosing that crossing for us and many others :)
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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Hi All. We have recently purchased our first van and are looking to go to France in August so this thread is really interesting to me. Can I ask a very silly question? we wish to take our dog with us, does he stay in the van whilst on the ferry? I have never seen a dog on the ferry when used one previously.

On most crossings yes he does and you aren't generally allowed to visit him. On some of the longer crossings, to Santander is one example, there are a limited number of "pet friendly cabins" but even if you can get one the cost will probably send you into mild shock. That was our main reason for initially using the tunnel as you stay in the vehicle with the dog and it's only 35 minutes. Now we would take a huge amount of convincing to use a ferry ever, dogs or not.

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denisejoe

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Aug 6, 2014
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Dogs have to stay in the van on the ferry which is why a lot of dog owners prefer to use the tunnel as it is less stressful as you can be with them and it is a much shorter crossing.

Denise
 

St Piran

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We go to France in two weeks time and paid £134.40 return on the tunnel.....booked through the CC!!!
Used to do the ferry but since using the tunnel in Dec (first time) and taking only 35mins then it's under the channel for us from now on.
 

scoobymum

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Thanks Denise. Tunnel for us then!

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Bluemooner

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I just booked tunnel for a week on sunday late morning times cost £180 with CC and £202 booking direct i usually book months in advance and get it cheaper
 

mikebeaches

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Worth considering 'Frequent Traveller' option, if you intend to make at least two or three returns a year, and know somebody else who could do likewise.

The deal is - buy 10 single tickets for £430 to be used in the space of 12 months (ie £43 per single journey). That is the rate for a car - there is an £11 supplement for a campervan/motorhome. So the total is £54 each way = £108 return. And, although there are a few minor restrictions when you can travel (eg a further supplement for peak summer holidays), it's not a problem for us.

Our neighbor asked if we wanted to be a 'second user' on his account, because he didn't expect to do 5 returns in a year. We jumped at the chance and said we'd use at least 2 returns. It's all above board in the T&Cs, and I can access my secondary account and make and manage my own bookings.

We're in France at the moment and only booked the journey out. We'll book the return the day before we're ready to go home.

Great fixed price and great flexibility. Oh and we love the tunnel - so handy and with up to 4 trains an hour - easy to go early, or catch the next one if running late - so much less stress and waiting around compared to the ferry. Not to mention the speed of the crossing and absolutely no worries about severe weather... (y)

Mike
 
Aug 18, 2014
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It's contained here
Eurotunnel Ticket Terms and Conditions
  • 1. TICKET VALIDITY
    1.1 Your booking is only valid for the booked departure time and the vehicle type stated .
    5
(y)Never looked at that bit as the day/overnight bit said nothing about it.

A big chunk of our tunnel cost is the charge for the 2 dogs. Based on my example in post #21 for our summer trip this year if we weren't taking the dogs the tunnel would be cheaper than any possible ferry option close to our crossing times.

Yes same here & as I wondered before why do they charge both ways ? Ferries don't. It is not as though they have to check anything when leaving the UK.

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D

Deleted member 29692

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Ferries don't.

Ferries don't seem to specifically charge at all but I'm sure it's built in somewhere. I guess Eurotunnel charge both ways because they can. No big deal though, the dogs seem to enjoy the tunnel. One of them likes to stick his head out of the window and try to surprise people on their way to the loo (y)
 

wanderer

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Yes same here & as I wondered before why do they charge both ways ? Ferries don't. It is not as though they have to check anything when leaving the UK.

Not everyone returns on the same route , quite a few go out on the tunnel and return on the ferry . They are just increasing there income

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Aug 18, 2014
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Ferries don't seem to specifically charge at all but I'm sure it's built in somewhere. I guess Eurotunnel charge both ways because they can. No big deal though, the dogs seem to enjoy the tunnel. One of them likes to stick his head out of the window and try to surprise people on their way to the loo (y)
DFDS inbound £15 for dog charge .
Just done a comparison on a day I might want to travel same time ,Etc;
DFDS £ 58 inc; dog , So roughly 81€
Eurotunnel 155€ inc dog !!
 
C

Chockswahay

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We have always used the ferries.............. until a few weeks ago....

We are now completely converted to the tunnel (y) Admittedly everything has a price but I would have to say that the saving would need to be in excess of £100 for us to consider using the ferry again:eek:

We have always like the 'sense of adventure' that comes with going on the ferry, but this is outweighed manyfold by the sheer convenience of 'roll up, roll on, roll off' that the train gives.

Also (and this is often overlooked!), the cheaper ferry tickets are often 'use or lose' and not easy (or able?) to change if for example you have some unexpected delay and literally miss the boat. With Eurotunnel you can re-arrange another time as long as you do so with 24 hours after your original crossing. This to us is very comforting and removes all the worry about having a mechanical breakdown or something like that which would affect catching the boat.

Also simply changing the return date is easy (we came back 2 weeks early......... it simply cost an extra fiver).

I do admit, uncle Tesco helped this last time, but the service is SO good that we will happily pay the full fare next time (y)
 
Apr 12, 2010
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Hi all I have been looking at trying to book on the tunnel in November to go to Europe but from what I can see there is a weight limit of 3.5 tonnes on the passenger service. Does anyone no if this is so as our tag axle is 5ton so we are snookered
We are booked on September as a Motorhome, 7.5 tons, no problem.
Phil

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D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
As well as being able to phone and alter your tunnel crossing time if you just randomly turn up early you will be offered the next available train, more often than not at no extra charge. Last time we went we were back in the UK more than 2 hours before our original scheduled crossing time and weren't charged any more.
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
DFDS inbound £15 for dog charge .

I know, from when I was doing comparisons before, that there is at least one operator that claims not to charge at all but like I said I'm sure they've added it in somewhere else.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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We have always used the ferries.............. until a few weeks ago....

We are now completely converted to the tunnel (y) Admittedly everything has a price but I would have to say that the saving would need to be in excess of £100 for us to consider using the ferry again:eek:

We have always like the 'sense of adventure' that comes with going on the ferry, but this is outweighed manyfold by the sheer convenience of 'roll up, roll on, roll off' that the train gives.

Also (and this is often overlooked!), the cheaper ferry tickets are often 'use or lose' and not easy (or able?) to change if for example you have some unexpected delay and literally miss the boat. With Eurotunnel you can re-arrange another time as long as you do so with 24 hours after your original crossing. This to us is very comforting and removes all the worry about having a mechanical breakdown or something like that which would affect catching the boat.

Also simply changing the return date is easy (we came back 2 weeks early......... it simply cost an extra fiver).

I do admit, uncle Tesco helped this last time, but the service is SO good that we will happily pay the full fare next time (y)

Pay the extra £20 /27€ & you have the same. 3 days movement either side of booking .fully refundable up to 2 days before-
Yes I'd prefer the convenience of the tunnel.I hate using ferries but cannot justify the nearly double cost.
I also looked at returning from the UK only to find that suddenly after the schools return in September the price is now in the 200€+ ???? :Eeek:What's that all about ??
As well as being able to phone and alter your tunnel crossing time if you just randomly turn up early you will be offered the next available train, more often than not at no extra charge. Last time we went we were back in the UK more than 2 hours before our original scheduled crossing time and weren't charged any more.
Same on the boat as I've had to do it. Just ring up.+last year turned up at Dunkirk well early & was put on next boat-. Always the way when I was looking forward to a few hours rest.:D

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Jul 2, 2011
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We'll book the return the day before we're ready to go home.

But you have to check that your travel insurance policy allows this. Some say you must have booked a 'Return' ticket or you are not covered.

Checked with mine a couple of days ago and this was the case with them. No big deal have just booked a chunnel return a couple of weeks after we will most likely be returning and will change it when we decide to travel home.
 

Soaringman

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We used the tunnel twice last year because we had our Bernese Mountain Dog Brewster with us. Yes it is more expensive but it is such a hassle free experience. By the time we had made a sandwich and had lunch we were on the other side. Sue and I are now converts and probably will not go on the ferry again.
 
Feb 16, 2013
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The way we look at it is , they are two totally different things, if you like ferries and are happy with them and like being on them for a couple of hours and have a meal and a drink which by the way adds to your cost, why go on the tunnel but on the other hand if you want to be there maybe two hours sooner , smoother ,no climbing stairs, no tussling with a crowd to get out, and you are not worried about spending up to £100 more for the privilege do as we do and take the train and don't even think there are cheaper ways!(y)

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