# Euro Tunnel fares ripoff



## flyboy (May 10, 2005)

while toring in Spain I received a call that my Brother - in - Law had been involved in a flying accident and was in a bad way. We packed the van and headed home. When we got to the Channel tunnel check in. and because we did not have a reservation they told us it would be £285.00 one way. I said that it was a lot cheaper on the internet and I was told that advanced bookings were cheaper. I said ok I would like to book a place on the first train in the morning, I said that was an advance booking and could I get a better price. I was told no, as any ticket bought at the check in point was a standard charge. I said I refuse to pay that fare and asked for a pass out of the area. I went back into Calais and found an internet cafe were I booked a trip on the next departure, cost £118. I returned to the tunnel and cought the same train as I would have if I had parted with £285 If you have to return without a booking it pays to drop into an internet cafe and buy your ticket that way. You will save your self a packet!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Rip Off*

Hey,

Hope your Brother gets through it!.

A similar thing happened to me about five years ago. At the time they wanted £380 return for a car. I asked for the pass out and went to find an internet Cafe. However, it was easier to go to P&O and get the next boat for £100 ish return.

Does not make any sense to me. I have had a couple of problems with Eurotunnel since and they did sort it out at no extra cost to me. Once when our Daughter was in hospital and the other was my mistate.

Speaking to the staff direct they are very frustrated by what you mention. One day they told me they were not accepting any "turn-up-and-go" bookings that day despite having space and idle trains. In fact they said "if you offered to pay us £1,000 one way we are unable to accept your booking despite us having capacity". Asked could it have anything to do with securtiy threats, I was told no.

The mind boggles, still a great way to travel the channel and I will continue to use it where I need to.

As I said, hope your Brother is going to be okay, let us know how he is.

Trev.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Well I suppose it's symptomatic of all the cross-channel operator booking policies. :roll: 

If these guys would simply get their act together and invent a straightforward and easily understood fares/booking policy everyone would be much happier and they might not be running quite so many half full ferries/trains.

How many times have we looked at the internet price to find a different price on each of the "cheapest" booking agents and the operators themselves. If you then take the cheapest price and phone the operator they'll quote a completely different price and if you then tell them you can get a better price on one of the other ferries they'll often simply reduce their quote or offer free "premium lounge".

Crazy. :roll:


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Complicated pricing 'strategies' are the norm now. There are people on huge bonuses who get them for obscufating the system. For about 20 years now it has almost been impossible to get on a scheduled flight with someone who has paid the same price as you. Moreover nowadays as someone has probably only paid a penny (or some equally ridiculous figure) lots of people have paid extra to compensate.

Its difficult to compare prices on any commodity or service, how many times has someone on here said about an insurance deal that when others look into the small print find they are not fit for purpose.


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## Midnightrambler (Nov 12, 2007)

Hi all
Very interesting thread. Does anyone know if the ferry companies do the same?

We are going to France this year but may not be able to book in advance for either departure or return. As are unsure of holiday dates

Thanks in advance

Alan


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Ferries*

Yes the Ferry companies do exactly the same. Difference, is that with Short sea crossings, the turn-up-and-go prices do tend to be fairer. Though still far more than advance online or telephone bookings.

When I first looked at Easter Crossing before Christmas, the prices by Eurotunnel was around £122 return and Ferries (short sea) from £65 ish, again return. Just looked now and the prices have doubled and availabilty low. Only found one operator who's prices havent changed. Anyone have any Ideas who it might be?

Only way to get a good price, prefered times is to Book Early!.

Trev.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi
Hope is all ok with your brother.
Eurotunnel are expensive if you dont book well in advance. If i were you i would just try contacting [email protected] and ask if they have a policy for sympathetic sales under such circumstances as yours. It may come to nought but its worth a try.

I must say that i found eurotunnel very good when i had to cancel a crossing in june because the day before i fell and broke me arm. This wasnt the same circumstances as yours i understand.

For anyone booking eurotunnel you can change departure dates at any time as your ticket is for 12months so as long as you ring up before your crossing they will change it. I changed 3 times during the recovery from my fall with no problem.

the cheapest crossing you will find for a m/c is £61 each way. Dearer than the ferries of course but much quicker and of course smoother.

Hope your bro is oK

Phill


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Eurotunnel*

Hi

My understanding of fares in that when booking in advance, the fares are generally lower subject to availability. The same model applies to rail fares, air carriers and so on. The trend would then be, the closer you are to departure day, the fare will rise. However, if a particular crossing is empty, they may actually lower the threshold to try and achieve some income.

As for Eurotunnel, many of you will recall my dealings with them last year. I was overseas when Oscar, (dog) passed away. I decided to come home from my trip and as such was about 6 weeks early at the tunnel. I telephoned the tunnel prior and asked for an early crossing and also asked that the dog be removed from the booking. The booking I travelled on was a lot more expensive but the lady at Eurotunnel waived the fee under the circumstances. Weeks later, a cheque rolled up for £30 being the cost of what would have been the dog crossing. Maybe they have changed their policy, maybe I simply spoke to someone with a heart.

Russell


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## Saxonman (Aug 23, 2007)

May I suggest folks have a look at Eurotunnels "Frequent Traveller" offer?

Bob


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## flyboy (May 10, 2005)

Thanks for the input folks, I am glad I am not the only one that feels this way about Euro Tunnel. Just to up date you on my Brother-in-laws progress he is now off the danger list, he has had three major operations and more to come but he is alive and holding his own. You may have read about his accident he is the chief pilot for the Great North Air Ambulance. He and his friend crashed on a golf course in North Yorkshire after a part of the tailplane fell off a micro lite plane the were flying. Two years ago we had to return early as he fell down Ben Nevis his co pilot was also with him on that occasion and saved his life although a doctor who was with them died. Again it was a long hard road to get him fit again. Before that as a RAF pilot he was the only one to survive a helicopter crash at an air show. I have asked him to give me the lottery numbers!!


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> Complicated pricing 'strategies' are the norm now. There are people on huge bonuses who get them for obscufating the system. For about 20 years now it has almost been impossible to get on a scheduled flight with someone who has paid the same price as you. Moreover nowadays as someone has probably only paid a penny (or some equally ridiculous figure) lots of people have paid extra to compensate.
> 
> Its difficult to compare prices on any commodity or service, how many times has someone on here said about an insurance deal that when others look into the small print find they are not fit for purpose.


Obscufating What does that mean? is it a new word!

Wobby


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

A friend of mine has recently booked with SeaFrance to take his motorhome over to France in June. IIRC he has paid about £100 all in. He did say that he had looked at prices for June crossings over the Christmas holiday and that they were all nearer the £300 mark so it would seem that prices reflect a supply and demand policy rather than being fixed, much in line with most people's experience.

Last year he booked for a similar time and paid about £64 in total (return).

Last November I went over in the car on Norfolk Lines and found booking direct with them cheaper than through an agent (Ferrybookers and the like). The other good thing was that their pricing structure was available to see on the website so you could mix and match your times / prices. I paid £29 return for a Friday / Monday crossing and not at silly times either, which I thought was excellent value. I was impressed with the new boats too!

JohnW


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

I've just booked one way April £64 which I think isn't bad for the convenience, speed and no sea sickness.

Wobby


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Price Quote*



drcotts said:


> the cheapest crossing you will find for a m/c is £61 each way. Dearer than the ferries of course but much quicker and of course smoother.
> 
> Hope your bro is oK
> 
> Phill


Cheapest for a Motorhome is 
£55 single 
£27 for a day/overnight (again single)

If you go for the Frequent Traveler it can work out cheaper but times for these tickets is very restricting, unless you pay a hafty premium.

Trev.


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## 108717 (Dec 12, 2007)

Whenever the tunnel gets a bashing for drive up fares I often wonder what the equivalent is for ferries? I'm sure for sheer cheek Eurotunnel is going to push the boundries (All GPS software takes you to the tunnel unless you tell it otherwise) but I would be interested to see what the equlvalent south coast Dover type prices are if you just wheel up to the booth?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Eurotunnel*

Jimbo,

My sat nav does as you state, point me toward eurotunnel. However, Autoroute "sometimes" does, depending on where you route to/from suggest other routes. Including, the DFDS/Old Fjord Line route and Brittany Ferries.

In my previous reply on this topic, I have quoted a difference in price when turning up to the Ferry booth after getting miffed at eurotunnel.

They do say the Channel is the most expensive stretch of water in the world to cross. I read somewhere on here about crossing from Spain to North Africa for a Fraction of the costs per nautical mile in comparison.

Now I remember Speedferries, when they first started out they offered massive savings over other operators. I was introduced to them by recomendation and have in the past recomended them meyself. If you look at their crossing prices now compared to other operators, the scales have tipped some way. Who is the Pirate or who are the pirates now?. Or is it just competition? Or are they saving for a new vessle?

Trev.


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## 102138 (Dec 17, 2006)

I have not read all of this thread-sorry- my daughter priced ferries from her computer ,, She later did exactly the same on a laptop and the prices were cheaper ----the answer may be a "cookie" planted on her system.Makes you think.
Nigel


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Good point Nigel it pays to police your cookies

I dont know what it is in IE but in Safari 

Preferences/Security/Show Cookies then delete the ones you don't like the look of, or delete all (worth doing once in a while but MHF etc won't recognise you at first until it replaces its cookie)


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