Eurotunnel! First time user

Associate
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19 Sep 2010
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Morning all.

Taking the Z4 on a French adventure this year and it's my first time taking the car abroad, also the first time using the train. So a couple of queries...

When I was booking I mentioned that it was a car with low ground clearance, the advisor helpfully said that they'd book it in as a high vehicle so to assign me to the single level decks and avoid any issues with embarking. Now, I assume this means I just follow the signs in the terminals for vehicles over 1.85m high and ignore the car lanes?

Second, I assume it works a lot like Eurostar in that customs checks are done before embarking both sides so getting off is as simple as driving off and away you go.

Third, sort of related. Any decent pub food near Folkestone? We are travelling on a Sunday with a 8:30pm departure or similar, so planning to take our time driving down and eating en route, then staying in a hotel in Calais for the night
 
Soldato
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Bucks and Edinburgh
When Ive driven through, Ive only ever had passport checks going into France, never any customs checks. Ive only ever had any customs checks coming back home but yes its all done before getting onto the train. Once stopped at the other side you just drive off and go.
 
Associate
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I would have thought this might depend on Brexit

Granted, but speculation in that area seems fruitless as nobody has any idea what is going to happen. Guess we find out a bit more this week... Maybe... Assuming it isn't all changed again :rolleyes:

When Ive driven through, Ive only ever had passport checks going into France, never any customs checks. Ive only ever had any customs checks coming back home but yes its all done before getting onto the train. Once stopped at the other side you just drive off and go.

Fair enough, sounds a lot like Eurostar then where the French border UK side was very much a case of flash your passport and go, whereas the UK border France side was a thorough check.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Jul 2005
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Bristol
Brexit aside, you are correct on the checks. You'll have passport checks on the UK side before boarding then drive off on the French side, on the way back you'll have checks on the French side and drive off home on the UK side. You may / may not get customs checks, I got pulled to one side once and they had a quick look in the car on the French side on my way home.

As for the height thing, tbh, I don't know. I've always just booked in as a normal car and when loaded on I've been directed to the lower deck, partially likely due to the people loading you having common sense and seeing that my car is really very low and wouldn't make the ramp well.

And then food, again, not very helpful there from me as I've always done early morning trains and driven stupidly early from Bristol straight there.
 
Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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Castle Anthrax
I've been through a couple of times with a trailer so used the high vehicle option. There's not really much to it, you'll initially go the same way as all the other car traffic. The holding area where you wait to board is just a series of numbered lanes, you'll be told which lane to be in by the person who checks your boarding pass. Some of the lanes will be for the high vehicle carriages (It'll be obvious as they'll be the ones full of vans, campers, caravans, coaches, trailers etc).
 
Man of Honour
Joined
21 Feb 2006
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29,297
I always select the wide lane as my car is wider and it means I don't have to worry too much and don't have to worry about bottoming out climbing in and out of higher decks. I would advice anyone to do that frankly, it's just better unless you get a bus full of schoolkids in the same carraige who all pile out to finger print your expensive car...to death. Luckily all I got were Lap Dancer and Victoria Secret busses, so I got a win, but you might get a borstal day out to France bus.

Just sayin and to be honest Adriana Lima still left fingerprints on my knobs.
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Sep 2007
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4,137
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Newcastle
I've been across twice and the second time the French weren't even manning their passport control sections. No checks at all outbound from UK but we were leaving around 5am. Coming back we were pulled over for secondary by the UK border control, asked a few questions, their eyes lit up when we mentioned a music festival at primary. Secondary asked more questions, had a rummage about the boot and then sent us on our way.

When booking as a high vehicle there's separate lanes you'll drive through at both sides, the lower than 1.85m seems really low when you come towards it.

TripAdvisor says there isn't exactly a great choice down there! We only popped to Tesco early doors so can't help there.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g190749-zfg11776-Folkestone_Kent_England.html
 
Soldato
Joined
15 Nov 2007
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13,101
Location
Enfield
Went across this weekend and the French were running 'enhanced customs checks' on the way back (on every car). Despite turning up 1h20m before the 6.20pm service (earlier than the guidance said at the time), we only managed to get on a train at 7.20pm.

They were asking drivers to open their car boots, rummaging around, even asking for receipts to prove where things came from.
 
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