'Eurotunnel' 20 years of service today!

I used it for the first time two weeks ago on my buses maiden voyage (with me) to europe..... I was going to take pictures, I was going to tell you all how it went. I was worried about driving the bus too far. I was worried it was not a citroen or a renault, because thats all they can fix in France.

I guess I'll do it here then...

We had an 8 1/2 hour delay on the Eurotunnel. All the campsites were shut by the time we reached France. My wife and little girl were tired and hungry and upset before we had even had a chance to pop the top for the first time. In short, it was a disaster. We ended up parked close to the beach. My wife fell asleep holding my little girl while I sat eating cold hotdogs out of the can, wandering if i could fit in the spare three inches or if I would ever see a pub again.

While I will persevere with attempts at family getaways, I already know for sure that this has set our camper van adventures off to a bad start.

oh... and if anyone works at Eurotunnel... I think a free return ticket may be the only way my bus will ride your tracks again.....

 

I travel to the UK by car several times a year but only used the tunnel twice. It's quick yes but not worth the money. Last trip I made at Easter for example:

Eurotunnel €239
MyFerryLink €54

Ok it adds a couple of hours to a trip but it takes me 10 hours anyway so to be honest it's nice to have a couple of hours break from driving and take in the sea air!

What really puts me off though is their pricing structure. A 24 hour return is cheaper than a single! but if you don't make the return trip they will charge you the difference

 

Agreed Ferries are nearly always better.
The main reason we used the Tunnel is they class this as a camper and trailer and we paid £75!

 

I've used it a couple of times but not recently. Better than a ferry in rough weather but too expensive.

Interesting to see how it looks nowadays. When I was at college I spend months working round the area on my middle year placement. Planted thousands of trees along the access roads. Also spent some fun times strimming around trees and hitting the remains of ww2 bombs and incendiary devices. Apparently when the bombers were returning, they'd try to dump unused explosives if the planes were damaged and they were worried about crash landing. Most dropped over the sea but some fell on land.

A few months before we started planting they had the bomb squad there checking and clearing the area. But you'd still hit bits of old rusted shells/casings etc whilst strimming.

 

Been on it many times - it's ace. Through the tunnel, lunch in Brussels, then back home again, all in one day!

 

Yep. I am a fan too. Have done Disney and Paris on it simple and no hassle. Have not taken the bus across on it but that is a great price @Top Banana Racing . Who could argue with that.

 

Used it for a bike trip a couple of years ago, was cheap, efficient and quick what more could you ask for!!

 

Many many times, went in it a bout a week after it first opened. The car train is über efficient, 40 minutes from dock to door, rarely are you waiting more than 10 minutes to board. Even better is we use our tesco vouchers to travel for free



I've used Eurotunnel from London to Brussels a few times too. It's as quick to drive to Birmingham airport, get on the train from there to London, tube to St Pancras, Eurotunnel to Brussels and to my meetings as it is to fly direct to Brussels and get a hire car, and about half the price

 

@chillicamper it looks exactly the same today as when it first opened. Only older. It hasn't changed in the slightest

 

Just got the good news on this..... We have been refunded for this journey..... *AND* a free return journey some time in the next year.

While it was a horror story on the day, I do think that will help towards making my family feel better about going camping in the van again!

 

We are booked on the Euro tunnel this year for following the Tour de France. First time on the tunnel, previously always used the ferry which I like but my wife hates because she gets sea sick from the smell of the diesel even before we set off. Hope the train doesn't smell.

 

We took the bus over on the Chunnel and returned on a bank holiday back in 2012.
So few cars and even fewer campers were making it through the traffic jams before and at the terminal at Calais we got an entire coach carrying carriage to ourselves.
We had so much junk from the trip to the Floriade in the Netherlands they could not inspect the gas bottle under the cooker but they believed us when we said they were off.
A good days drive .. about 500 road miles plus the Chunnel from Cologne to Southampton.

 

ive been down it a few times, firm i did work for got me to do the vent drawings, snorkel came in handy when i did the measuring up a few times ,the mole did its job .