Eurotunnel - daytrip/overnight vs. normal ticket

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hi,

I am looking at ticket prices for Eurotunnel for a return trip to the UK (10 days). If I book standard return tickets, the price is GBP 250+

However they have very good prices for daytrip/overnight (GBP 30 per journey). I was thinking of booking x2 daytrip/overnight bookings, just skip the return leg of each.

Has anyone tried that? Do you know if there is any consequence? The rep on the phone either did not know, or wasnt prepared to tell me.

Thanks

2
I have done this in the past (but not for 6 years at least)

You can also book the return leg when you are over there, and if questioned make up an excuse about a dead granny or such

3
doesn't work anymore, eurotunnel have massively clamped down on this and will charge you full whack for a each ticket you don't use both parts of. They used to allow to travel on the next train regardless of the time you arrived, thats also stopped and if your outside the 2 hour window they charge you extra

4
Thanks for your replies.

Dammit! Oh well guess will have to cough up the full wack. Tried the Ferry option last time, as was way cheaper, but my goodness me did I lose time, felt like we were crossing the atlantic.

5
Which website are you using?

Have you tried looking on the sncf Website?

In the past, I sometimes found the same journey cheaper there than elsewhere.

6
I have been looking on the official Eurotunnel / Le Shuttle website. Hadnt thought of looking on sncf.fr -- are you sure this is possible? I'll check again.....

Just to clarify, I am driving to the UK, not looking for a Eurostar train ticket...

7
Do you know anyone caught out doing this? I got a letter once saying they noticed I hadn't used the return and explaining me the rules etc. A friend of mine used to buy tickets giving a false address and use different credit cards.

8
giving false addresses to eurotunnel, who in turn give the information to the police what a sure fire way to get pulled over into one of the booths for your car to be ripped apart.

Personally no, I don't know anyone who had been charged for only using half the ticket, plenty of stories online from those who have. I have been charged for turning up early / late which they never used to do, I've even turned up 24 hours early before and wasn't charged, those days are over

9
So, in the end I've gone and booked full price tickets. Not worth the stress in case they decide to mess you about.

BUT, there is a but!... prices were significantly cheaper if one selects the UK as their place of residence (rather than selecting 'other' as place of residence). I have a UK passport, I think Im entitled to select that option :-)

The difference for me was a reduction from ~ 150 quid each way to just under 100 GBP.

10
Absolutely.

The car reg is read by cameras on the approach lane to Eurotunnel, and linked up to all the booking information given. My clients used to have a problems using Eurotunnel if they were using a rental or hire car because there's a deadline for adding the car reg to the booking. If the address you've given doesn't match either the registered address for the car, or the address on your driving licence, expect to get pulled over.

As the OP is a British passport holder, they shouldn't encounter too many issues, but forgive me for not posting any ideas for how to circumvent border controls. If the OP wants to consider doing something criminal for the sake of saving a few quid, on their own head be it.

They're not 'messing you about'. It's called Border Control.

1. Taxes are different depending on which way you're travelling. They're imposed by the UK Government. Take the issue up with them.

2. If you don't have a physical address in the UK, no, you're not entitled to select that option.

3. I do have a physical address in the UK and don't select that option because I'm very careful to not lie on such things. I don't even bend the truth slightly. It's simply not worth the hassle.

11
When I checked for my family+car, the tunnel would be more than GBP200, while a ferry would be slightly above GBP100.

Is the tunnel such a time saver?

12
Did the same as well (and as you it was a few years back), bought a same day return France-England but continued up to Scotland, 2 weeks later bought he same for the return leg and came back home to Switzerland.

These were "day shopper" tickets.

13
yes! you have a 2 hour windows for getting to the tunnel where they will get you on the next available train, outside of that window they *may* charge you extra if you bought an off peak ticket but you'll be travelling on peak (they never used to do this, but the last few times I've been charged), so the pressure of getting to calais is really off with the tunnel.

Also no one seems to barricade eurotunnel like they do the ports, never had an issues on the many many times we've used the tunnel, motorway (in the uk and france) goes straight to the tunnel booths.

14
I found it to be quicker.

Loading and offloading has less fuss, quicker transit to the motorway.

15
Also, and as there are more trains per hour than ferries, if you actually arrive earlier than your booked time they will ask you if you wish to take an earlier train if they have the space.

16
The addresses you give are not part of an application for entry into the UK but they surely have better ways to checks such things such as the registration number. Me nor my friends have ever had our cars 'ripped to pieces' by border control.

Do whatever you feel comfortable with.

17
Place of residence & having a physical address in the UK are 2 totally different things. If you not a UK resident you cant select that option.

18
Just look at the required fields for a Eurotunnel booking and count how many possible forms of ID you need to provide, name, address, car reg, credit card details, API, etc... The only field that can be left TBC, is car reg, but it must be completed before travel.

Then read the T&C of the booking, such as...

1. Ticket validity

Failure to complete both the outward and return journeys in respect of a return booking will invalidate your booking and in the event that you complete only one journey in respect of a return booking, you will be liable to pay the difference between the price that you paid for your return booking and the single fare applicable at the time that your journey was made.

3: Payment

The cardholder must present the card used for payment on arrival at Check-In.

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/ticket-terms/

Privacy Policy

6. To whom may your data be disclosed.

In order to be compliant with the Immigration Act 2014, booking details and travel information of clients and passengers leaving the UK will be communicated to the UK Government.

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/privacy/

Add to all this CCTV footage, etc... by the time you've reached your destination, the only info they haven't got is your shoe size and inside leg measurement.

19
always a good move giving fake easily verified data to the police at a high value terrorist target, what could possibly go wrong?

20
Which is what I said. I still pay council tax and utilities, plus have UK bank accounts and a credit card linked to my UK address, but I wouldn't dream of putting it as my place of residence. It's a bit daft claiming to be a UK resident if you're carrying a Swiss driving licence.

The point I'm making is, don't lie on border crossing travel, whether it be flights, Eurotunnel, etc... for the sake of trying to save a few quid.