Do the Channel Tunnel prices vary much?

[Cycling Naturalist]

If you look at the Channel Tunnel website, they urge you to book ages in advance. I'm going to be travelling in mid January and common sense tells me that it's unlikely to be a peak time. I don't really want to commit myself to a specific time for the crossing and would rather just turn up and get on the next train, particularly on the return journey. Has anyone any experience of this? Do you end up paying a lot more if you don't book well in advance?

 

[Hover Fly]

Is this for Eurostar or the car shuttle?

Eurostar does get more expensive the nearer to the date.

 

[Crankarm]

No, Eurotunnel are always a rip off.

Speedferries used to be the quickest and cheapest way to cross until they went bust a couple of years ago. Now I believe it is LD Lines or Norfolk Lines if you are prepared to mix it with the truckers and make landfall in Belgium. £19 one way is the fare I often see NL advertising.

 

[Haitch]

In my experience fares can vary widely and are always cheaper when booked in advance. What's more, if you do pre-book and arrive late you might lose your right to a crossing and have to pay full fare for the next one.

Boats are usually cheaper than the tunnel but are not as frequent and take a little longer. The Norfolk Line Dover-Dunkerque service is often the cheapest (we paid 60 euri return last week with car).

 

[wafflycat]

No, Eurotunnel are always a rip off.

Speedferries used to be the quickest and cheapest way to cross until they went bust a couple of years ago. Now I believe it is LD Lines or Norfolk Lines if you are prepared to mix it with the truckers and make landfall in Belgium. £19 one way is the fare I often see NL advertising.

Not quite. There's been times when Family Wafflycat has crossed the Channel and the tunnel was the cheapest - as well as being the fastest, most comfortable and no sea-sickness! Having crossed the Channel by tunnel (Eurostar & car transporter) normal ferry (including Norfolk Line) and on the high-speed catamaran, my method of choice is the tunnel.

 

[Haitch]

the tunnel was the cheapest - as well as being the fastest, most comfortable and no sea-sickness!

And you get to see the little fishes through the windows!

 

[Crankarm]

And you get to see the little fishes through the windows!

fish!

 

[yello]

I believe you can get something like a multi-trip ticket for the tunnel. That apparently works out relativity cheap if you just want to turn up and go without booking... x number of times!

 

[rich p]

If you're going skiing and there a few in the car then the extra would be negligible anyway.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

If you're going skiing and there a few in the car then the extra would be negligible anyway.

Well, if it's an extra fiver then it's no problem, but I've heard rumours, that if you miss the right slot then it can double. These rumours may of course be put about by Eurotunnel to get you to book and pay months in advance.

 

[Haitch]

I've heard rumours, that if you miss the right slot then it can double.

Not a rumour, my bank account still has the scars.

We once had bargain tickets (literally a couple of pounds for a return crossing) but delays, traffic jams and road works prevented us from using them. The alternative to going back home was to buy a ticket for the next crossing, which was about 100 times more expensive.

That might have been one of the conditions for the cheap tickets, though. Is there no information on the website about the conditions applicable to standard tickets?

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Not a rumour, my bank account still has the scars.

We once had bargain tickets (literally a couple of pounds for a return crossing) but delays, traffic jams and road works prevented us from using them. The alternative to going back home was to buy a ticket for the next crossing, which was about 100 times more expensive.

That might have been one of the conditions for the cheap tickets, though. Is there no information on the website about the conditions applicable to standard tickets?

The standard tickets allow you to be 2 hours late with no price penalty provided there are spaces. However, the price difference is from £53 with the standard ticket to £199 with the flexi ticket! It's a fair old jump.

 

[Speck]

Norfolk Ferries from about £40 return, Dover to Dunkerque and the truckers are in a different lounge. Used it a lot

 

[rh100]

Well, if it's an extra fiver then it's no problem, but I've heard rumours, that if you miss the right slot then it can double. These rumours may of course be put about by Eurotunnel to get you to book and pay months in advance.

The last trip over we had, we were about 3 hours late due to serious jams on the M25, we ended up taking a huge diversion. When we got there, the lady on the booth just booked us in, said we had to wait for a slot which meant we got boarded about 1 AM, but no mention of any extra charge. I'm not sure if that was because everyone was late though because of the jams, but great service.

 

[Aperitif]

Patrick, get on a shuttle and it will be marvellous. So simple, straightforward and easy to deal with. Of course, the 'formula' cafés are a bit like motorway s/stns. when you arrive. But, get a paper, roll on. Stop, handbrake on. Snooze or read for 45 minutes or so et voila! You are driving in France. Three hours later and even Paris is your friend, and along the way, plenty of 'Aires du Quelquechose' - well signposted and offering good conveniences and refreshments as you please. You'll be on time.