Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Folkestone to Calais
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Folkestone to Calais
The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle runs solely between Folkestone and Calais. The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle is a railway service that operates between Folkestone in the south of England and Calais in northern France. It is the fastest and most convenient way to cross the English Channel by car. The journey takes just 35 minutes. We travelled on an early train on a Sunday in February, departing 07:20 (Arriving 08:55, France was 1 hour ahead.) The ticket price was £116.00 for a small campervan. We did not want to take the boat (Newhaven to Dieppe.) The winter crossing may have been a bit rough.
The Eurotunnel Le Shuttle terminal in Folkestone is located at the end of the M20 motorway. It is just a few miles from the town of Folkestone. It is well-signposted and easy to find. The terminal offers a range of facilities for passengers, including shops, cafes, and toilets.
At the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, there are several options for eating and shopping. Here are some of the options available:
Eating – Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Folkestone to Calais
- The Food Village: This food court offers a range of options, including fast food, coffee shops, and a sit-down restaurant. The food on offer includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more.
- Restaurants and cafes include
- Leon, Enjoy naturally fast food that tastes good, does you good and is kind to the planet.
- La Gare, Soak up the atmosphere and relax in our French bistro style café.
- Burger King, Burger and chips
- Starbucks, Enjoy your favourite coffee!
- Marks & Spencer Simply Food: This store offers a range of pre-packaged food items, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, and snacks.
Shopping
- The Terminal Shop. This store offers a range of souvenirs, gifts, and travel essentials, including toys, books, magazines, toiletries, and more.
- World Duty Free. This duty-free store offers a range of products, including cosmetics, fragrances, spirits, wines, and confectionery. Passengers can take advantage of tax-free prices and special offers.
Duty-free Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Folkestone to Calais
Passengers travelling from the UK to EU countries can take advantage of duty-free shopping on board the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. This means that they can buy products such as alcohol, tobacco, and perfumes at tax-free prices. However, passengers travelling from EU countries to the UK are not able to buy duty-free products.
Overall, the Eurotunnel terminal offers a range of options for eating, shopping, and duty-free shopping. This makes it a convenient and enjoyable experience for the passengers who arrive early.
The journey on the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle train is a unique experience. Passengers and their cars are transported through the Channel Tunnel. It is 31.4 miles long and runs under the English Channel. The train itself is made up of special carriages that can accommodate cars, vans, motorcycles, and coaches. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The journey under the English Channel is an exciting and memorable experience, as passengers can see the inside of the tunnel illuminated by bright lights as they pass through. There is no need to worry about safety, as the tunnel is heavily monitored and maintained to the highest standards.
Arrival in Calais
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Folkestone to Calais
Once passengers arrive in Calais, they can easily explore the surrounding area. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, charming towns, and delicious cuisine. There are plenty of transport options available, including buses, trains, and rental cars, making it easy to travel further afield. We headed for the A16 towards Rouen. Our first stop would be at a large supermarket to buy some food supplies. Nearly all the shops in France close about 12.00 pm -1.00 pm on a Sunday. (which I think is a brilliant idea, family time and all that). Our 1st day destination is Vierzon which is about a 5-hour journey, well after the food places have closed.
Overall, the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle is a fast, convenient, and memorable way to cross the English Channel. It is a must-do for any tourist visiting the UK or France.
Location Euro Tunnel
Ashford Rd, Folkestone CT18 8XX, United Kingdom
Get directions – don’t trust your satnav!
Eurotunnel is near Folkestone, They have their own motorway exit at junction 11A on the M20 straight to the check-in booths. Do not follow a satnav route that includes ‘Terminal Service Rd’. Get Directions
Check-in – Folkestone Eurotunnel Check-in Point
Arrival and check-in times. Check-in at least one hour and no more than 2 hours before your booked departure time. Have all your booking details, passports and travel documents ready to present.
We found it very easy, we arrived about one and a half hours before departure. We came off the M20 and drove up towards several barriers with booths. Pulling up beside a large information screen near the barrier. Like magic my name appeared on the screen scanned number plate recognition camera on the barrier. I had to press to confirm my name, vehicle, number of passengers, and animals on board yes or No. It then came up with a question? Do you want to travel earlier than your booked time at no extra cost? I pressed Yes and the message read “Please be ready to board within the next Thirty minutes”. The machine printed a large boarding pass that had all the details on it.
We then drove to the terminal building which contained the Cafe, Duty-free and the shops and restrooms. Both inside and outside the building are large screens that display the time for you to board your train. We had 30 minutes spare, so just had a walk around the duty-free section. The screen shows a list of numbers ready for boarding. when ours came up saying please board we went back to the van and drove the easy route to the Train.
Passport Control
Passports are checked at a booth by the UK Passport Control, then just shortly after there is the French passport booth to show your passports to. We joined a line of vans and boarded the train. within minutes we were off on our journey. It was good, around 30 minutes just sitting in the van with windows halfway down for safety. Each carriage is sectioned off by large doors as you travel and when you arrive they open and it becomes one long open train again. We drove off and straight towards the A16. No need to check passports or anything, that was all done in the UK.