Another Eurotunnel Check-in tip (don’t tell anyone else though)

[s2bear]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this before but we’ve done it a few times so here goes.

When travelling to the Eurotunnel terminal FROM THE SOUTH, if it’s busy, the queue often tails back onto the motorway slip road and beyond. Even with the new ‘Welcome Area’ (not actually welcoming) this queue can be MASSIVE.

So, drive straight past, as though you’ve missed your turn off. Your sat NAV will then tell you to take the next available exit so you can turn around and head to the terminal FROM THE NORTH. This Queue is often MUCH shorter or non-existent (until you get to the actual terminal that is). I reckon we shaved 45+ minutes off our time doing this on Sunday.

Obviously the actual check-in and immigration process is still an absolute sh*tshow knocking on 90 minutes plus but not much you can do about that. Eurotunnel always blame passport control but I‘m not sure that’s fair. The French check is cursory on leaving (30 seconds). The UK check seems the same as it always has been so I’m not sure where the blame lies.

Anyway. That’s my tip for the day.


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[paradise city]

Excellent tip, don't tell anyone else

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[Gary&Heather]

I will pretend not to hear that

 

[Tom Rae]

Your secret is safe with me.
Tom

 

[MartG]

That's a bad tip if you're coming from the North!

Tom - picking up the van this week?

 

[Tom Rae]

That's a bad tip if you're coming from the North!

Tom - picking up the van this week?

Got it today thanks, happy bunny.

Tom

 

[s2bear]

That's a bad tip if you're coming from the North!

Tom - picking up the van this week?

Yeah, it’s not really reversible, sorry


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[Jay20cali]

Thanks for that....... sitting in queues,traffic jams or anything stopping me going on holiday is rubbish.especially when there’s people that are more interested in road rage than being decent

 

[LemonDrop]

Love this!

 

[Birty]

Sorry but could you please clarify? The M20 runs west/east direction.. What do you mean coming from the South.. Do you mean heading towards the west from Dover direction? And is North (Eastbound) coming from M25 Direction... Im all Confuseded up? Or are you talking about the French side?

 

[ejmoore]

Do you mean on the French side, ie in France?

 

[westfalia]

I read it as being the french side.

 

[kp64zl]

Ha ha very funny

That trick just took me to the next roundabout and then back to the same place as the south approach would have got me to adding 2 minutes to the journey but to the same check in queue.

Perhaps I misunderstood

Writing this whilst waiting for train to leave the Calais side

 

[s2bear]

Do you mean on the French side, ie in France?

Sorry, YES, I meant the Calais side.


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[kp64zl]

Sorry, YES, I meant the Calais side.


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Hi @s2bear can you explain this pls? At the Calais side going round from the north took me to the same check in

 

[s2bear]

Ha ha very funny

That trick just took me to the next roundabout and then back to the same place as the south approach would have got me to adding 2 minutes to the journey but to the same check in queue.

Perhaps I misunderstood

Writing this whilst waiting for train to leave the Calais side

Only worth it when the queue is long. In our case we’ve only done this when the queue is stretching back to the motorway slip. You cut that out by going past and there probably isn’t anything like that same queue on the north side. You DO get to the very same check in but on our last trip we got straight to the point right in front of the check in booths (where you’re then diverted to the ‘welcome area’) and we could see the queue on the elevated section of road stretching way back on the south approach.

In short we skipped a stationary section of queue which stretched from at least 500 metres BEFORE the motorway slip all the way through the elevated approach to just in front of the booths. Doesn’t sound much but trust me when I say it moves SLOWLY.


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[kp64zl]

Ok I understand thanks

Yesterday it was busy and they created some kind of diversion once we arrived at the check in point- so creating a holding area but after the north and south approaches had converged

So worth it if the slip road queues up

Thanks

 

[s2bear]

Travelling from the south the queue started at A. Going past and approaching from the opposite direction, the queue started at B.


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[westfalia]

Travelling from the south the queue started at A. Going past and approaching from the opposite direction, the queue started at B.


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That would be travelling from the North to me.

Travelling from the South would be up on the A16 from Boulogne.
I knew what you meant though

 

[s2bear]

That would be travelling from the North to me.

Travelling from the South would be up on the A16 from Boulogne.
I knew what you meant though

Sorry, have a got the map upside down? Think of it as travelling up from Reims, go past and back again. Starting to confuse myself now


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