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We are looking at going over to France via Eurotunnel. If I book a return ticket then it's £188 outbound and seven days later £160 return a total of £348.
However if I do a day return from Folkestone to Calais then its £140 and seven days later a day return from Calais to Folkestone its £120 a total of £260.
What is to prevent me from travelling the second option and never completing the return journey?
I'm unable to find anything which says I can't.
I've wondered the same.
Used to be the same on the ferries. We did it a few times without issue They did start saying you needed to use both bits or get charged but we never did.
Don't forget you can use 2 for 1 clubcard vouchers for the tunnel
Got two trips booked for next year in the camper using clubcard vouchers when they were 3 for 1 and one waiting to swap for 2025. Both came in less than £300 per trip but tend to book them as soon as they are released
Can you still turn up and get put on the next Shuttle as long as you’re within two hours of booked time?
We have never had a problem in getting on an earlier shuttle in all the years we have been using it
Can you still turn up and get put on the next Shuttle as long as you’re within two hours of booked time?
I think so but only if they have space. We tried last week but was full on the one within two hours and they wanted payment for ones before that. Spent it on coffee instead as wasn't in that much of a rush
I booked the day return this year when I went to France on the motorbike as it was cheaper and never used the return. But I did end up coming back by ferry from Santander so can't comment if they pull u up on the return. I used one of those use once only virtual bank cards from Revolute to pay incase they tried to charge extra.
Eurotunel weren't letting anyone on an earlier train on Boxing Day last Christmas. Forcing everyone to queue in the terminal carpark before queuing for the border crossing. It was a bit of a farce TBH.
Mostly got a "free" Flexiplus upgrade with our accommodation so that is usually much smoother.
The booking process has become less easy. It is quite difficult to book Flexi one way for instance. It was much easier a few years ago,.
We've done the same thing before and nothing's been said. If you're worried don't book with your reg number, just your make and model. If you're super worried book each trip in different names? Don't worry about getting one over them, they will fleece you if they can. (£50 to change a booking when they've got a 5 hour delay!)
We use the Tunnel a lot but it has become extremely expensive and the service has got much worse. Usually they will put you on an earlier crossing if they can, as it helps them in case there's a problem, for that reason, it's always better to go to a manned booth if you're early. I did notice on one trip this year, when we used the automatic check in booth, that they were charging to go on an earlier crossing. Good luck with getting on early (or even on time) when it's close to any sort of public holiday though.
Also, as soon as your train is called, get going! Despite what the Daily M*il says it's UK customs/passport control that usually causes delays. The French usually can't be ar*ed to stop you.
As far as i can tell from my trips over the last couple of years, their timetable has become aspirational. Trains seem to leave randomly, and I've not been able to tell what time departure I've actually got on.
They do check. Not always though.
Ts&Cs say (I can't remember the detail) that they can charge you, retrospectively to original payment method, full one way fare if you don't use the return portion of a cheap return - where "full one way fare" means something expensive.
I haven't done it for years, too chicken, but if you insist, best way is to book using a UK address "out" and a French address "back" (and like @mercuryrev says - not using reg number).
Used to be the same on the ferries.
Easy to book single ferry sailings. We went out with Irish and came back with P&O this year.
Less than half the price of the chunnel IIRC, so we didn't mind the extra hour journey time.
I have just priced up our summer 2024 trip and it's over £150 more than last summer and last summer was booked pretty last minute. That is annoying.
@savoyad Sadly (last time I checked) the UK site is cheaper than the French one. We live in France so I always book as a UK resident and pay with a UK card.
We did what the OP wants a few years back, so it may well have changed. For the past few trips we have booked one way tickets each time as we didn't know when we were returning.
£13 cheaper for me (£212), similar dates to earlier this summer (£225), a 6 week period from mid June.
I only booked with them, vs ferry, as it was 1.5 hours quicker and only £25 more. Guess how long the delay was..........