Eurostar check-in at St. Pancras - is 30 minutes enough or should I leave longer?

[Snowstorm]

Trying to work out what time to book my taxi for.

Am checking in with two children (9 and 10 so not little). Is the recommended 30 minutes about right or should I leave longer? I prefer to err on the side of caution but the poor DC are fed up with having to kill excessive excess 'just in case' arrival times and so I'm trying to pick a sensible time to arrive.

TIA.

You need to check in 45 mins in advance, I recall. I would probably get there 45 - 60 mins ahead of that to be honest. I was stuck in a huge queue the last time I travelled back. If there are no queues you can always go and have a look in the shops or something.

30 minutes is fine. Seriously excellent service at St Pancras and Ebbsfleet. You'll wish you could Eurostar everywhere.

Just been on Eurostar from St Pancras 2 weeks ago. 30 mins was fine.

If you have to collect your tickets at the machine there and are travelling at a busy time, then 45 minutes might be better. But 30 is usually fine.

i went with work recently on a business class ticket and it said check in 5 mins before departure (or maybe 10). I would never have been brave enough!

If you have your tickets already you should be fine although I'm always paranoid so leave extra. If not, there are sometimes massive queues just to pick up tickets so factor that in too.

Ha!ha! @ BettyYeti!

We've got the cheapest, non-flexible tickets that I could find. I have our tickets printed out. We're on the 0831 train on Tuesday of half-term, so imagine it could be quite busy at St. Pancras. I haven't been on the Eurostar for about 15 years and so am feeling quite the virgin tourist about it all.

Hmmm ... maybe I should leave an hour.
Hmmm ... you see ... that's why I have to ask - I always err on the side of too much caution. Had a heart-stopping journey in a cab to an airport about 15 years ago and did get there just in the nick of time but have always been a bit OTT with 'just in case' arrival times since then - poor family!

30 mins is fine, but you need to be at the check in gate by that point, so make sure you leave enough time to get across St P and find the relevant area.

Good point. Thank you.

I would be leaving an hour too as it could well be pretty busy in half term.

It's always good to leave extra time for getting there anyway -- London traffic, signal failures on the tube, it's always something.

30 mins from arrival at the check in machines is fine...but as others have said it is getting to that point that is unpredictable. I cut it very fine once (tube delays and then it takes a good 5/10 mins to get from KX tube to St P) and was slightly stressed. Also had to print out tickets and the machine was a bit dodgy. There are loads of cafes / shops around BEFORE you go through the check in (just a very busy cafe nero the other side), so if you get there early, spend time at St P.

Right - an hour it is then. We can have breakfast there. Thanks very much everyone.

You can get breakfast on the train too. I see to recall the croissants are not bad.

*seem

I would leave an hour to check in, queues can be very long and that whole check in area is narrow and can descend into chaos.

Agree with others saying An hour for half term. If the queues aren't long then you can have a leisurely breakfast (there is a "le pain quotidienne" in st P near the check in. Not been to that one but another in Londn and it was excellent)

Okay, thanks all. Now to work out how long it should take (plus 'just in case' time) to get across London in a cab!!!!!!!!!!!