Eurotunnel, arrival earlier than 2 hours before booking.

We have never in all the years of using ET got the train we have booked, always an earlier one, sometimes many hours earlier. We have also never paid extra for it.
 
Arrived a few times and had random push forwards on earlier train, sometimes not... but I've never outright asked.
 
I've decided i am going to arrice at Calais's end of the tunnel bout 6-6.30pm before it goes dark.
If they say your not on they can reverse the bloody truck and trailer back themselfs (only those that have tried will know whot i mean)
 
If they do turn you away, you do not have to reverse. They send you down a slip road back out. Head to Cocquelles where you can park up for a short while. There is a hypermarket and other stuff there. Then just loop round to pick up the Autoroute and straight onto the back of the queue if it's busy.

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We have also frequently been offered an earlier train, both at Calais and at Folkestone. More likely in off-season. As we tow a trailer, we tend to get our allotted time at Coquelles, but at Folkestone, quite often. Not sure how that will be affected by the EES which is coming in from Sunday 10th November this year.

Just a point to note about the Carrefour Hypermarket round the corner at Coquelles. There is an area that is designed for motorhomes. However, when the Hypermarket is closed, (Mon-Sat 08:30 to 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 12:30) they will frequently shut all the car parks and chain them off. Most of the other parks in the area have height restrictions on them.
 
been offered earlier trains when turning up around 2 hours before cheapest was 71 pounds declined.
bobnick said:
I've decided i am going to arrice at Calais's end of the tunnel bout 6-6.30pm before it goes dark.
If they say your not on they can reverse the bloody truck and trailer back themselfs (only those that have tried will know whot i mean)
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As said you don't have to reverse straight back out forwards. Same at dover .I turned up 4 hours early once. offered another boat but to calais which I didn't want, so it was leave.& come back
 
DDJC said:
We have also frequently been offered an earlier train, both at Calais and at Folkestone. More likely in off-season. As we tow a trailer, we tend to get our allotted time at Coquelles, but at Folkestone, quite often. Not sure how that will be affected by the EES which is coming in from Sunday 10th November this year.

Just a point to note about the Carrefour Hypermarket round the corner at Coquelles. There is an area that is designed for motorhomes. However, when the Hypermarket is closed, (Mon-Sat 08:30 to 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 12:30) they will frequently shut all the car parks and chain them off. Most of the other parks in the area have height restrictions on them.
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I must be going mad. Could have sworn it was an Auchan hypermarket. Used to do cheap fuel on the other side of the road.
 
meanders said:
I must be going mad. Could have sworn it was an Auchan hypermarket. Used to do cheap fuel on the other side of the road.
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No, you are not mad! There is also an Auchan a half a klick north of the terminal area.

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Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?

Crossing tomorrow but the way things have worked out I can be there 4 hours early. If I could get a much earlier train then more travel time on the other side. Normally we arrive around the 2 hours and they bump us onto an earlier train when we check into the pet reception centre.

Appreciate advice from those who have arrived early and experienced this.
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When I used to use the tunnel (not any more, too expensive) I did arrived around 4 hours early than my booking (not a flex ticket) and was told I could either pay an additional cost, or wait in the car park until at least 2 hours before my booking,
I have used DFDS Ferries the past 5years and their pricing is much fairer......Just my experience.
 
Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?

Crossing tomorrow but the way things have worked out I can be there 4 hours early. If I could get a much earlier train then more travel time on the other side. Normally we arrive around the 2 hours and they bump us onto an earlier train when we check into the pet reception centre.

Appreciate advice from those who have arrived early and experienced this.
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Always worth an ask. If you can't get on and you have a fee hours to play with go and visit the lidl on the other side of Folkestone and top up with bottled water and cleaning supplies!
 
We always get there at least 2 hours early and have always been offered an earlier train.
The same again in July this year but on the ferry this time.
Like someone said in an early post, it is probably pot luck.
 
Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?

Crossing tomorrow but the way things have worked out I can be there 4 hours early. If I could get a much earlier train then more travel time on the other side. Normally we arrive around the 2 hours and they bump us onto an earlier train when we check into the pet reception centre.

Appreciate advice from those who have arrived early and experienced this.
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I had to return 2 days early and pulled in to the ticket check in kiosk and they just swapped my ticket and let me on the next train.

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For those that are interested.
I have just checked in Calais's at 4.30pm for a 10.20pm train. Nearly 6 hours early.
I was offered a train in 1.20mins for the additional sum of £231...........ouch, i have already paid £330.
I asked for the earlist train with no additional cost, he said 9.20pm as apposed to my booked time of 10.20
I accepted.
Now waiting.
So i think it is ALL pot luck how ones check in goes.
 
bobnick said:
For those that are interested.
I have just checked in Calais's at 4.30pm for a 10.20pm train. Nearly 6 hours early.
I was offered a train in 1.20mins for the additional sum of £231...........ouch, i have already paid £330.
I asked for the earlist train with no additional cost, he said 9.20pm as apposed to my booked time of 10.20
I accepted.
Now waiting.
So i think it is ALL pot luck how ones check in goes.
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Update on above.
They put me on the 8.20 lovely jubbly.
 
Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?

Crossing tomorrow but the way things have worked out I can be there 4 hours early. If I could get a much earlier train then more travel time on the other side. Normally we arrive around the 2 hours and they bump us onto an earlier train when we check into the pet reception centre.

Appreciate advice from those who have arrived early and experienced this.
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Think they put you against the wall and shoot you..😃😃 Will be no problem at all..They usually offer an earlier train..BUSBY
 
We tend to get bumped to an earlier train every time. They once asked me did I want to pay to travel earlier I declined and within 10 mins a member of staff came over to where we were parked and said if we wanted to get on next one just go through and that was earlier than the one offered for payment?
 
Mick and Ruth said:
We tend to get bumped to an earlier train every time. They once asked me did I want to pay to travel earlier I declined and within 10 mins a member of staff came over to where we were parked and said if we wanted to get on next one just go through and that was earlier than the one offered for payment?
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That happend to me on the way out this time.

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Always arrived around 11pm for 5am train and slept in car park. Not this September. Turned away at 11pm and again at 2.30am. Not easy to find somewhere to park up. Used Tesco and lay by near services which were full for CVS and MHs. Very little space at Folkestone now, as they prepare areas for new EU entry regs, so overnight stays a thing of the past.
 
Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?
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I think it all depends on whether their "computer says no" or not.

In December 2022, in snow, we decided to come home earlier in the day rather than hang around Calais. We arrived three hours before our booked train. They offered us the train before the one we were booked on for £60! We aborted and went to the pet check-in again and hung around there until two hours before crossing. Then went back and they offered us the same train but for no additional price.... At least then we could get a coffee and browse the shop.

In April I came back from my annual trip to Vimy Ridge on the bike and was there two hours and twenty minutes before my booked crossing as it was lashing down with rain. Easter school holidays too. The "personned" booth gave me the next train available for nothing extra. I still had an hour to kill but at least I was out of the rain. Until being called and getting soaked at three different points before getting on the train in the last compartment with the doors just able to close...

It seems very hit or miss.
 
Panda73 said:
Always arrived around 11pm for 5am train and slept in car park. Not this September. Turned away at 11pm and again at 2.30am. Not easy to find somewhere to park up. Used Tesco and lay by near services which were full for CVS and MHs. Very little space at Folkestone now, as they prepare areas for new EU entry regs, so overnight stays a thing of the past.
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At Coquelles we have managed to hang about in the pet check-in area a couple of times when early, but their security is quite tight.
 
Andy MacD said:
Thanks all. I’m well used to arriving 2 hours early and being put on an earlier train. Like others I wouldn’t pay to travel early.

My question has (not) been answered, if you pitch up earlier than 2 hours then sometimes you’ll get in and sometimes you won’t. 😀

Anyway, by this evening I’ll be in France and in a couple of days by the Med with 21c temps. 😎

Pity it’s going to be a bit cooler next week.
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We have arrived at 20.00hrs for a booked crossing at 05.00 next morning and stayed in the main car park over night without any problem now done that a few times😊👍
 
Yesterday we had to return four days early from our French trip when a problem developed with our motorhome. We paid an additional £31 for our amended crossing as it was at a more expensive time of day.

Travelling a long distance through France we arrived at the Tunnel 3 hrs ahead of our modified crossing time. We were then charged an additional £57 to catch the first train despite it being in a cheaper time spread than the one we had just paid the extra £31 for.

OK, it was our choice to take the first available train because of the problems we were having but we still felt ripped off.

We will be using Ferries next year anyway as we taking the Plymouth/Santander crossing for a tour of Portugal but I think we would have ditched the Tunnel anyway after their customer “service” yesterday.
 
Andy MacD said:
I have an ordinary ticket, no flex etc.

Guidance says to arrive no more than 2 hours before departure time. Has anyone arrived really early e.g. 3 or 4 hours before? What happened, did they let you in or were you refused entry?

Crossing tomorrow but the way things have worked out I can be there 4 hours early. If I could get a much earlier train then more travel time on the other side. Normally we arrive around the 2 hours and they bump us onto an earlier train when we check into the pet reception centre.

Appreciate advice from those who have arrived early and experienced this.
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Depends on the time of year.
 
Dragging up a somewhat old thread, but the above comment held very true for us.

We had a crossing booked for today (wife prefers it to the ferries, overriding the cost), late morning. Picked up the AHC for the dog yesterday morning in Folkestone , so rather than spend a second night in a drizzly P&R at Canterbury I went online and changed the booking. This was at around 11am, and we paid £21 extra for a 14:22 train. Went straight to the terminal so were there about 3hrs before our departure. Got through check in machine no problem and straight to pet reception. She checked the AHC then said "You're a bit early, I can get you on to the 12:22 train if you want?". Didn't even have time to nip in to the terminal building, straight back to motorhome and through customs, passport control etc and onto train.

If we'd changed the booking to any time earlier than 14:22 it'd cost £87 extra, a no cost change wasn't until 20:00 or so. They can be very flexible, but it was extremely quiet, much more so than I'd have expected, even for a Sunday in Feb. How the pricing works though is somewhat of a mystery.
 
stewartwebr said:
Looking at prices for the end of August for the first time in many years the tunnel is actually the cheapest option at £143, even cheaper than Irish Ferries which is very unusual.
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Interesting, we switched to ferries last year as they were so much cheaper and it was the same booking for this year - maybe the tunnel are learning?

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