Eurotunnel Frequent Traveller, Turning up early? (1 Viewer)

[namwaldog]

We are sat at the P&R at Canterbury at the moment. Booked on 1650 train.

One of the conditions of FT is that the supplement free period starts at 1600 for Folkestone to Calais crossings so we booked the 1650 as the first one supplement free.

In the past, pre FT we have turned up 1 to 2 hours early and always got an earlier train without a supplement.

Has anyone had any practical experience of using FT and arriving earlier ie, before 1600, and getting an earlier train?

 

[mikebeaches]

My experience is entirely anecdotal, but I've found that if turning up early - as a Frequent Traveller account holder - is that if travel would be before 16.00 hours, it will not be offered free of charge.

However, if the early arrival for - for example - a later crossing, then it's perfectly likely that an earlier crossing (ie still after 16.00) is offered.

As said, completely anecdotal.

 

[SomeoneElse]

You may be offered an earlier train for a fee of £20. We always refuse.

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[Landy Andy]

We have traveled a couple of hours early free of charge, but haven’t tried any earlier.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Will not be free of charge, we turned up in May at 15:30 for 16:10 crossing and were offered next train but at supplement. FT crossing.

 

[namwaldog]

Well I have answered my own question. Checked in at 1415, only offered our booked train!!
Oh well we can go and spend some time/money in the Victor Hugo Terminal. Hurray

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[teddybear]

I have turned up early and been offered earlier train FOC. Have also turned up early and had to wait for booked train. I think it is all down to how busy they are.

 

[Dorwyn]

I have turned up early and been offered earlier train FOC. Have also turned up early and had to wait for booked train. I think it is all down to how busy they are.

Likewise. On the way out we were offered no choice in spite of being over 2 hours early. But when I booked, the earlier tranche of times were full anyway, so that makes sense. There were possibly 20 vans already waiting, probably earlier than their slot. In February we had a choice for the next no charge. I think. But have other times been offered an earlier for extra charge.

 

[sallylillian]

Take the booked train at check-in then if there is no one on the roundabout checking, which off peak there isn't, then just go straight through, we have never been stopped and have happily sat in the queue to board and then boarded with entirely different letters. Now it does not always work, if the trains are fully booked or there is an issue causing them to delete trains then you just have to wait for your letter because they will send you back but only from that first roundabout, after that they have no faculty to manage that process.

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[orridge]

also you can change your booking online right up to the last minute so can check if there is something else available or whether the 20 surcharge applies although it wouldn't be hard to spend the 20 in the terminal so maybe better to pay and go early...

 

[Minxy]

also you can change your booking online right up to the last minute so can check if there is something else available or whether the 20 surcharge applies although it wouldn't be hard to spend the 20 in the terminal so maybe better to pay and go early...

Can you do that with FT bookings? I thought you had to leave at least 24 hours between the time you make the change and the new booking date/time.

Yup ... just found it in the T&Cs.

5.3 Bookings can be amended or cancelled up to 24 hours prior to travel (subject to availability and payment of any applicable supplements)​

 

[1881TB]

I paid £142 for my 8.73m van, two dogs and two humans. Dogs were £19 each (I see they're £18 with FT but can't find any moho prices). Would a Frequent Traveller account save me anything? I reckon I will do three round trips a year, maybe four. I currently use the CCC travel service who were cheaper than anything else I saw on the web.

Cheers

Tim

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[namwaldog]

Pitched up about 3/4 hour ago on the Aire at Watten.
Train was delayed by 1/2 hour by who knows what but spoke to a couple of MH's who were also not offered an earlier crossing.
1st time at Watten & very nice by the canal. Almost full, mostly Brits, but one very nice couple from Blackpool offered to make a bit of room for us whilst rest pretended we were not there!

 

[Minxy]

I paid £142 for my 8.73m van, two dogs and two humans. Dogs were £19 each (I see they're £18 with FT but can't find any moho prices). Would a Frequent Traveller account save me anything? I reckon I will do three round trips a year, maybe four. I currently use the CCC travel service who were cheaper than anything else I saw on the web.

Cheers

Tim

Yes you WILL save! The cost each way is £46 + £12 supplement for MH so £58, that's £116 for your return crossing instead of £142 and you can amend it at any time without any cost (unless you go into one of the peak times but there actually aren't many of those).

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/tickets/types/frequent-traveller/frequent-traveller-times/

You have to buy a minimum of 10 single crossings but if you 'get cosy' with someone else you can have 2 people on the account so can share the crossings, that's what a lot of funsters do.

Here's a previous thread about it, the prices have gone up a little bit since then but the way it works is the same.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...nt-traveller-share.168235/page-4#post-2686822

 

[Roseandpeter]

Namwaldog. ..if you are interested in WW2 history...When we stayed at Watten, we went to the massive blokhaus museum. Its about 20 mins walk from the aire.
Rose

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[namwaldog]

Thanks for that Rose, we may well have a look around the area, as at first glance, it looks quite nice. Enjoying watching the barges go past at the moment and just hoping it cools down a bit. Too warm at the P&R last night and the van is still showing 30° now. Thanks for the info!

 

[Roseandpeter]

You're welcome, Barry . Have a great trip.

 

[Minxy]

Pitched up about 3/4 hour ago on the Aire at Watten.
Train was delayed by 1/2 hour by who knows what but spoke to a couple of MH's who were also not offered an earlier crossing.
1st time at Watten & very nice by the canal. Almost full, mostly Brits, but one very nice couple from Blackpool offered to make a bit of room for us whilst rest pretended we were not there!

Watten is nice isn't it ... but can be a bit 'tight' for space, we were there in early April 2017 and just managed to squeeze on the end ... if we'd had a fatter or longer MH we'd have been out of luck.

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[Roseandpeter]

When we stayed we arrived early, parked in a spot at the rear, facing the entrance with a good view of the canal. After an hour or so, a an elderly french couple arrived and parked in the space beside us. No other vans on the aire. We needed water, so we went onto the borne . It was fairly obviously, we were not actually leaving. We were therefore gobsmacked when this generated a flurry of activity from the french couple, who promptly fired up their van, moved forward and reserved into our very recently vacated space. My objection ( in polite french) was met with a shrug of the shouldnt. I was livid....i know we had no actual right to that space, but where does common courtesy come into play?

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I paid £142 for my 8.73m van, two dogs and two humans. Dogs were £19 each (I see they're £18 with FT but can't find any moho prices). Would a Frequent Traveller account save me anything? I reckon I will do three round trips a year, maybe four. I currently use the CCC travel service who were cheaper than anything else I saw on the web.

Cheers

Tim

The price is £44 for the basic ticket for a car and an £11 supplement for the big vehicle regardless of the length. You will get and extra for a trailer. The times are worked when you book in at the gate and you may be offered earlier for another £20 if it is before the break point no charge if it is in the specified band. Using it again for the second year now.

 

[Minxy]

The price is £44 for the basic ticket for a car and an £11 supplement for the big vehicle regardless of the length. You will get and extra for a trailer. The times are worked when you book in at the gate and you may be offered earlier for another £20 if it is before the break point no charge if it is in the specified band. Using it again for the second year now.

The prices I gave above are correct if you sign up for it now, I assume that you signed up before it increased as I did.

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[GWAYGWAY]

Gone up, GONE UP! how dare they , I am glad I paid out before that happened, I suppose the supplement at £12 applies to ME even though I signed up early. I am now destitute, all that money going out to Eurotunnel, I could have earned 47 p if I left the money in the bank for a year and not paid out to go to the other side of the channel for a jolly a few times.

 

[orridge]

Can you do that with FT bookings? I thought you had to leave at least 24 hours between the time you make the change and the new booking date/time.

Yup ... just found it in the T&Cs.

5.3 Bookings can be amended or cancelled up to 24 hours prior to travel (subject to availability and payment of any applicable supplements)​

Those might be the T & C’s but the system will let you amend up to much closer time than that. Last week I was due back from a meeting in Rotterdam and knew I would be several hours earlier so made an online change within 4 hours of departure and then still rocked up earlier to get put on an earlier service and this is with a FT account.