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We took some back roads and whilst it took 5.5 hours from Dorking (normally 90 mins) it seems we were lucky…Many folks I chatted to had taken 8-10 hours from Surrey and London but sticking to the main roads. They had sold too many tickets for the road infrastructure and checkin could take. Lots of folks blaming French immigration but they were the quickest stage of the transition from checkin to train.
We had the same yesterday. They blamed the road infra but it was fine, all the queues were in the terminal itself and had just backed up into the road. If the terminal had been ok, the road would have been fine
Bums, heading that way next week.
I'm booked for next Saturday. Really hopes it settles down a bit by then. Have a long drive down to Bilbao..
8-10 hours from Surrey and London but sticking to the main roads
I did it in less than that and I drove from Glasgow
They had sold too many tickets for the road infrastructure and checkin could take.
Don't they usually sell the maximum capacity of the trains at this time of year? Can't see how this year would be different in terms of infrastructure and check-in.
We came back this morning, on the 8:35 train from Calais. It took us about an hour to clear check-in, PP control & customs at Calais (mainly UK PP control).
The entry checks for either country take longer than they used to.
Now that English schools are off, I recon it's likely there will also issues heading north on a week or two.
Once we cleared Folkstone, there was a good 10 miles of trucks parked southbound on the M20.
They had sold too many tickets for the road infrastructure and checkin could take
The Conservative government introduced a hard border with France on top of infrastructure that wasn't developed to cope, and was already running at near capacity before Boris and co decided to throw sand in the gears.
Took us 4 hours to drive the 15 miles from Ashford to the tunnel yesterday - was all going so well until we were diverted on to the A20 for the last 4 miles or so.
Once we got to the tunnel it was pretty quick to get on the train. Suspect Dover is the bigger problem.
2016: we want to restrict freedom of movement.
2020: government rejects expansion of passport booths to cope with movement restrictions.
2022: why can't we move freely??? Blame the French!
2016: we want to restrict freedom of movement.
Evidence would suggest that's one policy they've managed to implement extremely successfully!
I take it it’s just last week when passport stamping has come into force?
Why is the tunnel especially bad? I came back into Dover recently with no problems at all. Security at Calais was pain in the bottom, not queues, just some jobsworth making me empty my entire van.
No...they've been doing it for a while but this is the first time with post pandemic numbers of travellers at the start of school holidays
Drove to Germany and back beginning of the month via Dover/Calais. Queued for about an hour at French border control on the way out, 2 booths open and stamping passports, and about 45 mins in British border control on the way back, bigger queues but more booths open. No problems coming off the ferries either side. Biggest delay was ferries being cancelled.
Don’t they usually sell the maximum capacity of the trains at this time of year? Can’t see how this year would be different in terms of infrastructure and check-in.
Exactly - Eurotunnel has been open since 1994 but this is the first time there have been delays like this. The only changes to the road network in recent years has been the 'operation Brock' stuff to queue up trucks. Because of delays caused by the removal of free movement of goods. Because of Brexit.
Went on tunnel a couple of weeks ago. 2hr q at terminal UK side. Passport control was not really any slower than previous years. Just a stamp on top of a look at each passport.
Got a ferry from Dover yesterday. After hearing news of delays, we got a hotel close by night before. Got there 2.5 hrs early. 1hr q before passport control. It looked like immigration hasn't started working because queue suddenly started moving into passport control. Our guy was slow and rude. Just like someone reported on news. Took passports, closed window and took a while. 3 vehicles next to us passed through in the time.
So no real issues with us, and that's twice in 2 weeks
Brexit.
Got a friend trying to get through the tunnel this evening who's been spouting off on social media that it's ridiculous. He really didn't take it well when a few of us pointed out that he was a fervent Leave supporter and that this was the result of not having Freedom of Movement any longer. He went on a massive rant about its to stop the immigrants coming here, not holidaymakers going there. He was the same when he realised that he could only spend 90 days continuously in his holiday home in Greece where he usually goes for the winter and that he'd be breaking a few rules by working while over there too (just needs a computer and a phone to do his job), again not his fault.
He may no longer be a friend when he comes back!
I take it it’s just last week when passport stamping has come into force?
Nope. We went out on the tunnel with a 3 hour delay three weeks ago, 2 hour delay on the return the other week. Passports stamped outbound and inbound. Only consolation was the piles of classic sports cars in the queue on the way out heading for Le Mans.
You should try living around here when this happens, it is carnage with everyone looking for a way round the gridlock, local roads become impassable too.
He may no longer be a friend when he comes back!
Brexit benefit right there!
Great. I hope it is sorted out by September. I have Eurotunnel and then a road trip to Venice through France, Belgium, maybe Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Monaco. What could possibly go wrong?
What could possibly go wrong?
Given some of your threads I am terrified, have you pre-warned them?
We used Harwich to Hoek of Holland on Friday when it was all kicking off in Dover. Very smooth, no traffic and friendly Dutch customs doing the stamping.
Brexit - have your country back.
Son's been through Dover on way to France and was fine this morning.
Another fine mess to file under 'predictable Brexit problem.'
Saturday - took 22 hours from joining back of queue on M20 to getting to france at 6am.
The first 14 hours were because of the queue barging bell-endery going on before you were inside the eurotunnel complex which meant that if you were queuing like a decent human you were in effect going backwards. Kent police needed to sort this - at times the entire M20 was blocked because of it. I (yes yes) stood in front of queue bargers so wife and kids could get through and got hit by a car for it (reported, obvs).
OP your back routes were the correct thing to do.
Yes eurotunnel was overwhelmed once inside but it was moving - passport control was fine - it was just sheer numbers from my view and between eurotunnel and the highways they should’ve had a plan. Eurotunnels provides the service so I ultimately blame them.
Eurotunnels provides the service so I ultimately blame them.
Although they don't have any control over passport control with the UK Border Force nor the French Douane.
Guy on five live saying it's not brexits fault, it's the people in charge of it, the people who manage it, stop bashing brexit, it's done nothing wrong. Poor little brexit, everyone picking on it. Give it five years, then it'll all be ok, "time will tell." Best thing "we've" ever done apparently. 👍🎉
queue barging bell-endery going on before you were inside the eurotunnel complex which meant that if you were queuing like a decent human you were in effect going backwards. Kent police needed to sort this – at times the entire M20 was blocked because of it. I (yes yes) stood in front of queue bargers so wife and kids could get through and got hit by a car for it (reported, obvs).
Tell us more. This sounds interesting.
Hoping they've got is at least mostly sorted in a few weeks time - I've got a train booked early friday morning. Usually we drive down to the terminal at 4 in the morning - might have to leave the night before and sleep in the queue
When a queue is forming I always leave a gap for people in the right hand lane to pull into. It never gets taken , the scumbags always want to go right to the front.
I hope the person who bumped you was dragged from his car and crucified on the nearest telegraph pole.
Whilst I'm sure the problems were caused by passport checks I have a feeling Eurotunnel didn't help the situation any.
I have no idea what they have done but the service has changed since CV. Whether they have reduced the number of staff, cut back on trains, or economised in other ways, they are a totally useless bunch of money grabbers now, with no consideration for their customers.
We have to use them a lot, as The Better Half hates ferries and we have been back to the UK four times this year. The prices have doubled but the service has got worse.
Recently there was a break down in the tunnel, which caused 5 hour delays. We were caught in the queue on the M20 but were able to travel back the next day. We rang them and said we could swap days, which will help us both. Certainly sir that'll be £50 for the late change! No amount of yes but it helps the current situation worked, as the 'computer says no'
We complained and were told they would report back to us.... 5 months later we're still waiting.
As for it not being Brexit, we recently crossed over into Spain, no queues, no hard border....
Hoping they’ve got is at least mostly sorted in a few weeks time – I’ve got a train booked early friday morning. Usually we drive down to the terminal at 4 in the morning – might have to leave the night before and sleep in the queue
I'm booked on the 09.36 on Friday morning - i was feeling pretty smug about this a few weeks back when the airports were in chaos but now i'm dreading it.
We only live an hour from the tunnel (Orpington) i think i'll leave home about 6.00 and what will be will be...
**** Brexit and all who voted for it.
Simon Calder appears to be just about the only media commentator who is prepared to actually spell it out in simple terms. Has he been on the Beeb recently, not seen him there?
Not sure why GBNews booked him, bit of a malfunction on their part:
https://twitter.com/bmay/status/1551464675711324160
Is it just Dover where the issues are? Or issues at other ports too. Weirdly I have just returned from turkey, upon arriving at our gate there was a sign saying the UK had requested additional security checks for UK bound flights, which included being frisked and swabbed for drugs, Are we trying to isolate ourselves from the whole world?
Has he been on the Beeb recently, not seen him there?
He was on the news on bbc2 about half an hour ago
Are we trying to isolate ourselves from the whole world?
I believe that was the general gist behind Brexit, yes.
Is it just Dover where the issues are? Or issues at other ports too.
Curiously, just at the ports/terminals where the hard border is, by agreement, on UK soil. Dover, Folkestone, Eurotunnel.
Blaming the French for something that is funded (or not) and implemented in a different country to them.
When a queue is forming I always leave a gap for people in the right hand lane to pull into. It never gets taken , the scumbags always want to go right to the front.
Zip-merging is much more efficient than a single file queue, and is taught as the correct way to drive in some other countries. Our British obsession with queuing doesn't do us any favours here.
We went to France on eurotunnel in April and it was carnage then! Fair enough only maybe 2 hour delays, but getting through the passport control was just a mess.
I think they need to look at how they funnel cars through to passport control, 2 lanes round the car park is shit if you end up in the wrong one (bloody missus needing the toilet!). Keep queues to specific lanes so people don't get upset with queue jumpers, I was trying my hardest not to get cross with people, which I did manage mostly, but just sitting there watching people from all angle fill gaps in front of you when you can't move is just annoying. Once through PP control we just drove straight onto a train as there was no queues at the gates before the trains!
It must be a nightmare for the locals around Dover as well. What happened to the airfield they were going to use for stacking lorries after brexit. Stacking on the motorway doesn't seem to be working.
That Simon Calder bit is good. Anyone denying this is a brexit related issue is deluded! Infrastructure needs to change as well though.
Blaming the French
Brexit rule #1
Everything is the fault of the Europeans. Britain is perfect.
Zip-merging is much more efficient than a single file queue, and is taught as the correct way to drive in some other countries. Our British obsession with queuing doesn’t do us any favours here.
I completely agree with this, but it needs to be controlled not just a free for all.
We travelled out on Eurotunnel mid June in the camper and had no problems or queues. a lot smoother than we expected. Thought it may be more difficult on the way back two weeks ago and allowed a bit more time just in case. No queueing or delays and was offered a hour earlier train at no extra cost.
Going back out again at the end of September so hopefully it will be back to as near normal as we could expect.
Anyone denying this is a brexit related issue is deluded!
It's a problem created by Brexit which could have been mitigated by even a semi-competent government.
I take the tunnel to France nearly every week for work, been doing so for a few months now. When I booked my last ticket, all I could buy was a Flexi+ at about double the price of what I normally pay, so I assumed it was heavily booked - work pays, so not an issue, but I try not to waste their money unnecessarily. I generally take the 6:20am train, so leave Wimbledon at 4am, and was very glad of my Flexi+ ticket this morning. All the check-in booths were operational, 6 passport booths instead of the usual 2 (occasionally 3) but then when arriving at the boarding queues, they were about 75% occupied instead of the usual 10-15%. Looked like about 4 trains worth of cars waiting, so minimum 2 hours. Typically regardless of what time your train booking is, you get in the queue to get on the next space on a train. Despite my 6:20 booking, I'd be lucky to have got on much before 9 at a guess. I however with my Flexi+ was diverted to a deserted queue and was the first to board the 6:20 train.
So from my limited observation, it would appear as though Eurotunnel had just sold more tickets than they had capacity for, no delays more than the normal, and they had additional provisions for coping with customers, just no more trains. Hopefully won't be too many delays on my return, as I have fixed appointments, but a Wednesday early afternoon isn't typically peak travel time.
Remember
Zip-merging is much more efficient than a single file queue, and is taught as the correct way to drive in some other countries. Our British obsession with queuing doesn’t do us any favours here.
Hey! Our British way of doing things is the best AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY DIFFERENT.
If "other countries" (sour lemon face) want to do it that way then we should do the opposite. Efficiency has nothing to do with it.
yes but there is zip-merging - at the junction point - and then there is blatting your way up the left (possibly on the hard shoulder) in your Audi/BMW/Merc as far as you can until there is no room left and then just driving at the cars on your right until someone lets you in to avoid an accident.Zip-merging is much more efficient than a single file queue, and is taught as the correct way to drive in some other countries.
You just need one big sign that says MERGE LIKE A ZIP HERE. Brits insist on merging miles before there is any need, making the queue twice as long as available road space is not being used. Then seem unable to understand the concept of merging in turn. I have concluded you engineer such situations as you just love to moan about other people and their rudeness.
as above, we need a zip road sign to illustrate the point, most drivers/people are morons.
also positioning so cars merge in a new 'middle' lane (eg spanning lane 1 and 2) before flipping to where it really needs to be would be a massive help.
GB News booking Simon Calder to comment on the travel delays is great. only previously heard him on R5 late nigt
We went on Friday (just missed the crash) and it was exactly as Turboferret described.
Wednesday - Thursday was chaos, but all that was cleared by Friday morning. The initial delays were nothing to do with customs or the crash - it was simply more vehicles than train slots that caused an initial 2 hour delay. No more cars came on site after us due to the crash, but we were still 2 hrs late boarding (despite arriving 2 hours early). Then everything else backed up due to the crash and days of chaos ensued.
He was the same when he realised that he could only spend 90 days continuously in his holiday home in Greece where he usually goes for the winter and that he’d be breaking a few rules by working while over there too (just needs a computer and a phone to do his job), again not his fault.
Thank you!
As someone who has been extremely inconvenienced by Brexit, as well as the mild humiliation it now carries when introducing oneself as British in Europe, I'm extremely pleased to hear it's actually catching up with these tools who voted for it, esp. after the past two years of hearing their defence of Brexit was that "nothings changed". Maybe you can remind him that any of those days spent in Greece will be knocked off his quota in France, or anywhere else in the Schengen zone for a 180-day period.
It s been a few years since I last used Eurotunnel - when it all worked extremely well.
So what's actually different now? It sounds a bit like going through immigration at the airport. Do you queue at a booth to have your paperwork checked? And if so what paperwork do you need to have ready for inspection?
He went on a massive rant about its to stop the immigrants coming here, not holidaymakers going there. He was the same when he realised that he could only spend 90 days continuously in his holiday home in Greece where he usually goes for the winter and that he’d be breaking a few rules by working while over there too (just needs a computer and a phone to do his job), again not his fault.
ThIs iSn't the BrEXit I vOted for! etc
It will interesting to see how many of the Operation Yellowhammer criteria (report detailing the effects of a no-deal 'crash out' Brexit) we still manage to achieve despite Johnson's 'oven ready' deal.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/operation-yellowhammer
It s been a few years since I last used Eurotunnel – when it all worked extremely well.
So what’s actually different now? It sounds a bit like going through immigration at the airport. Do you queue at a booth to have your paperwork checked? And if so what paperwork do you need to have ready for inspection?
its no different in terms of where you drive through the passport control. It's just that the French authorities actually have to look at your passport now and check it, then stamp them all rather than just giving you a cursory glance and carrying with the conversation they're having with their mate in the next booth.
Not sure if Eurotunnel have sold more tickets as well though....
Yeah UK drivers ar idots.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/105986/70-per-cent-of-drivers-don-t-know-how-to-merge-in-turn
I always try and merge in turn (zip merge) as that's what the signs indicate. But you get loads of people getting grumpy and trying not to let you in.
I don't drive a BMW or Audi for reference 😀
its no different in terms of where you drive through the passport control. It’s just that the French authorities actually have to look at your passport now and check it, then stamp them
Wait till European Entry /Exit System comes in along side E visas to visit EU. EES requires biometric data checks for each traveller, how much of a cluster will that be at Dover?
This sign has been at the bottom of Elland bypass in Halifax since the mid 90's. You always used to get some **** in a van or lorry blocking the right hand lane from quite far back. I haven't driven down there at 5 o'clock on a week day for years now, but I bet it hasn't changed.
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....although saying that, when I spin the camera round is does look like it might be working....
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There's a merge in turn sign on an exit from a roundabout nr Amersham, as you can imagine it works seemlessly
There’s a merge in turn sign on an exit from a roundabout nr Amersham, as you can imagine it works seemlessly
If the locals somehow can cope with the Wycombe magic roundabout, they should be able to understand this concept.
Not sure if Eurotunnel have sold more tickets as well though….
Their max capacity is fixed, given number of trains, embarkation times and length of tunnel.
@ads678 - it's going to change very soon as they are upgrading the Salterhebble junction
It will interesting to see how many of the Operation Yellowhammer criteria (report detailing the effects of a no-deal ‘crash out’ Brexit) we still manage to achieve despite Johnson’s ‘oven ready’ deal.
All of them?
I note the column relating to government intent is mostly filled with "The government's mitigations are not clear" and a sprinkling of "moar gunboats".
Just an update on our personal experience. went out on Eurotunnel on 28th June well before the recent hiatus... no problems or delays of any kind.
Came back today (27/07) and experienced no delays at all - arrived earlier than booked at Calais but got put on an earlier train, the 14:20. Check in with no queue or delay, cleared French border control with only a bit of queueing (no worse than usual), cleared UK border control probably the quickest ever.
Now this was obviously mid-afternoon, mid-week.... come the weekend I've no idea.
So far so good. Booked on 13.50.
Assigned to 12.50
Currently 12.52 listening to security announcements on the train
🙂
And we're off
Questio is whether to try to find s campsite further into France for tonight...
Waiting for the 3.50 train. Everything just fine (faster than normal)..
Flew through today. No issues.
Eurotunnel was a piece of piss compared to the mont blanc tunnel
2 hours from France to Italy last week
1 hour from Italy to france today
However on our way down today, the queue to get into Italy was easily 3x the one we sat in a few days ago. Easily a 6+ hour wait today
We came back from France the other week, hit the tunnel at 1am, so much better! I would never use it during the day and really hope I never have to.
Only thing is after it, in UK main road to Dartford crossing was closed for night closures…. At that time I managed to miss the diversion signs which were confusing and ended up in a low emissions zone before I decided I needed to wake the missus up for help!
We must’ve added another 2 hours onto the journey just to get to Cambridge! Then another 3 hours from there… night closures and diversions can be the worst!!
We came through on Friday. Arrived early just in case but had no delays and was told we could board any of the earlier crossings so did.
Clutch has gone on the car now though so might not be coming home Tuesday as booked!😫
Went over Friday and everything went well (except the huge queue for Starbucks).
Coming back today was a different story. Arrived 1hr 20mins before the due check in time and appeared to be heading for an early train but the car park was gridlocked due to the backlog from the passport checks and we ended up on a later than scheduled service. Only toilet working was in the last carriage and we were in the first 🙁
Anyone been out in the last 24 hours? I am going CoD Friday set time 8.30am, flexi on the way back two weeks later
Heading out on the tunnel tonight, booked on at about 10:30pm but aiming to get there earlier and hoping for an earlier crossing.🤞
Anyone been out in the last 24 hours? I am going CoD Friday set time 8.30am, flexi on the way back two weeks later
Mate of mine... no issues.
Sounds good, I am heading out in the morning. Fingers crossed.
Looking forward to the 20 degrees in the Swiss mountains.
Now to pack 4x mtb's and assorted tat ....