Le Shuttle

[crackfoxy]

Hello has anyone used the shuttle before Folkestone - Calais?

Any tips/advice, is there duty free?

TIA!

Used it this year. Found signage confusing on the way out... not clear where you park, when. Though was efficient in that you did UK passport control, then French passport control, one after the other on this side, so just drove off on French side. We also travelled on a very hot day and it was so hot inside, but you can get out your car and walk about your carriage - and I could stand next to the vents, which helped. I think I'd do it again, though boat is more of an 'adventure'.

Thanks @DowntheTown I wanted the ferry but DH was keen to get going! I'll leave plenty of time just incase we get lost. Sounds efficient though!

We used it a few years ago and DD described it as feeling like a bad simulator ride. Coming back the sat-nav took us to the freight part rather than the car part. We much prefer the ferry as it is a chance to stretch our legs and grab food.

Use it often. Great with the dog compared to any other travel routes. We prefer it to the sheer hell that is a DFDS boat!!! I would avoid a ferry in the winter if you have sea sickness. We had a dire experience a few years back and swore never the ferry again. Shuttle takes 28 mins. Passports can be slow sometimes but overall we like it.

We use it quite often, much faster and easier (and more expensive) than the ferry. 35 minute crossing time once you are on the train, and not affected by the weather.

(Sadly you can't look out of the window and see the fish as the tunnel is under the seabed.)

The terminal at Folkstone is a bit of a mess at the moment as they are installing all this new stuff for EES (European Entry/Exit System) which in theory comes into effect in November. (EES is for non-EU travellers)

Yes in the UK there’s a building with a duty free shop and some other small shops and places to get food and drink, as well as a small area to walk a dog and a small soft play area. After you do the drive-through check in , you can park up and use the facilities. There are also toilet blocks where you queue before boarding the train.

When you come back the other way it’s similar - it’s also really near City Europe if you want to shop before you return.

If you have Tesco vouchers, you can redeem x2 against the cost of a ticket.

In the past they used to let you board early if there was a space on a train but that never seems to happen now. Be prepared that often in peak times train departures can be delayed up to an hour.

I really like the train - we find it hassle free and reasonable value with the Tesco vouchers.

We used it recently for the first time in years because we were taking our dog with us to France. I must say I found it all very straightforward, efficient and smooth at both ends, including the dog check-in. There is an area with shops and cafes which i am pretty sure has duty free.

We got to board an earlier train on the way there but not on the way back, although we arrived equally early both times (it says to allow an hour, we were probably more like 1 hr 40 because traffic was better than expected)

Always found it very efficient.

I get a little excited when we get to take onto the Upper Deck.

Lots of YouTube videos about this, such as:

It's fine. I never bother going to the duty frees on either side, as it's much cheaper in the French Supermarkets.

Sometimes they'll give you a "hanger" (what they give you at check in to show which train you're on) for an earlier train, if you're early, but even if not, I usually start to head through just before they start calling my particular letter, and I more often than not manage to get on to the earlier train.

The other good thing, is that if you get held up in traffic and are late, you don't miss your boat, they generally put you on the next available train.

We use it all the time as DH and boats of any size don't work together.

The duty free section is tiny and honestly not worth going into. We normally grab a coffee and use the toilets and then just wait.

We recently paid for the flexi tickets, expensive but so worth it. Not having DH grumble and be annoyed to wait or to leave too early because of unpredictable traffic is worth the money to have a relaxing trip.

The facilities are better than at Dover Ferry if there is a wait. It is pretty efficient, we come from the north so usually get a cheap hotel somewhere nearish and get an early tunnel and have breakfast in France .