Eurotunnel vrs. flying

[crim1978]

Hi all

Just wondered if you guys had any experience (I sure you have) and have any pros / cons of the tunnel v flying.

Just doing my maths and it could work out quite a bit cheaper on the tunnel than flying as the are seven of us so we only pay for two cars not seven air fares.

Of course it takes longer so my question is, is it worth the saving in your opinions over time lost????

Any advice as ever greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Crim

 

[tennisfan]

I have done both and prefer driving as the time I flew we were delayed by about 6 hours coming back due to fog earlier in the day.

I don't think there is much difference in time when you take into account the time you have to be at the airport before flying and then getting from the airport to Disney.

You just need to remember there will be tolls to pay both ways if you drive.

Whenever I have driven it has taken just over 3 hours including stopping off for a break.

Nikki

 

[Sarah Sarill]

Thats driving the other side only is it Nikki ?

Am I right in thinking its another hour inside the tunnel and then however long it takes you to get to Ashford ?

We are weighing up the pros and cons too (December trip) so would like the travel times clarified

Crim,
We have always flown - we check-in the night before on-line which allows you to arrive 20 mins before the flight. Flight time approx 50 mins and another hour at airport and travel to DLRP. With travel to the airport it takes us about 3.5 / 4 hours door to door.

We guess it will take 7 hours by Eurotunnel (again travelling from S Wales door to door).

Flights average £100 each return and we paid £60 for the taxi one way the other side. Total cost for 3 was £420 by air.

Dont know other cost as fares for ET not out for December but am waiting to compare too

 

[crim1978]

Going from driving times on the AA website route planner would give us driving time from Calais to Disneyland of about 3 1/2 hours (217 miles)

I'm waiting for flight prices for November but looking at prices for October it would be about £140 per person including taxes etc.

Spending too long on internet, not getting enough work done.

 

[eliza]

The route planner time is quite accurate as long as you stick to the motorways. It took us 3 1/2 hours going back last year. With 1/2 break it took 4 hours in total. I was very nervous about driving in France but it was fine.

On the way there we came off the motorway at Senlis and got lost - it ended up being a very long journey. In addition you loose an hour on the way there due to the time difference.

 

[Cyrano]

I can answer this after the summer
We have booked eurotunnel using Tesco vouchers so that made it even cheaper than flying
The 30 minutes through the tunnel was a big draw for us rather than the 1 1/2 hours on the ferry.

 

[tennisfan]

Thats driving the other side only is it Nikki ?

Am I right in thinking its another hour inside the tunnel and then however long it takes you to get to Ashford ?

We are weighing up the pros and cons too (December trip) so would like the travel times clarified

Crim,
We have always flown - we check-in the night before on-line which allows you to arrive 20 mins before the flight. Flight time approx 50 mins and another hour at airport and travel to DLRP. With travel to the airport it takes us about 3.5 / 4 hours door to door.

We guess it will take 7 hours by Eurotunnel (again travelling from S Wales door to door).

Flights average £100 each return and we paid £60 for the taxi one way the other side. Total cost for 3 was £420 by air.

Dont know other cost as fares for ET not out for December but am waiting to compare too

That was from Calais, on Eurotunnel the journey is 35 mins. I'm fortunate to live in Kent so it is only about a 25min drive to Folkstone.

With route planners, the time are usually based on an avg. speed of 60mph. The speed limit in france is approx 75-80mph in dry weather. Thus bringing the journey time down.

It really depends on where you live in the UK, if not close to the Kent ports then flying would probably be quicker.

 

[Beerqueen]

It does depend where you're travelling from. When I looked into it for the first time last year I was tempted by Eurostar. But although the journey is quick from Waterloo, it would take me at least 3 1/2 hours to get there! And I think I would be stressing out about being delayed on the train to London! Getting an early train from home (5 o'clock!) would have got us to London in time to get to Paris at 1315 but would have involved a change at Birmingham, Euston and then tube travel in rush hour! Could have been very stressful!

Instead I found flights from Coventry to Orly with Thomsonfly for about £45 each return in August last year and I only booked them about a month before we went! Coventry is great - a tiny airport with only two check in desks and one boarding lounge! We got the flight at 7ish in the morning and were in the park by lunchtime, having checked into our hotel already! We're paying slightly more this year for the flights but still only about £60 each return I think. It's definitely worth looking into if you can get to Coventry - prices start at 1p plus taxes! (God I sound like a commercial now!)

 

[thehails]

We only ever use the tunnel now as we have two young children, advantages as far as we are concerened are you can take as much as you want in the car not limited by baggage allowance, you dont have long checkin to go through and the journey through the tunnel is only 35 mins.

The difference in cost is also a consideration, we block book 10 tickets at a time with the tunnel and have found that if we make only two crossings a year during peak travel periods we save money on the standard fare. Hope I havent rambled on too much and that what I've said makes some sort of sense!!!

 

[Beerqueen]

Sorry - realised I was comparing eurostar not eurotunnel. Nevertheless, much of what I said still applies - if you can get cheap flights, eurotunnel might not be any cheaper by the time you take petrol and tolls into account and it obviously (as you say) takes much longer. BTW if you fly you do need to get a taxi from airport to disney as well - we paid 140 euros return.

I'd choose flying everytime but there's other people who swear by driving - you pay your money and take your choice!