What time would you leave?

[ManCityMickey]

Hi All!!

Our return Eurotunnel train departs at 2120, Friday 8th June. What time would you leave DLP in order to get to the terminal in plenty of time?

First time self-drive so not too sure of what to expect.

 

[cherrymarzipan]

Hi

We find the journey usually takes three hours and allowing for arrival 30 mins before departure time we would probably aim to leave around 17:00 knowing full well that this would mean we would actually set off by 17:30.

At least Euro Tunnel are usually fairly flexible with their times if you do run late.

 

[scampbunny]

id say 5pm too..... it gives u enuf time to get there, and it is a nice easy drive.... but of course, as cherry above says, if u miss it they can usually get u on the next train....

 

[mummybear]

We drive over a few times a year, and usually give ourselves 4 hours to get to the Tunnel - 30 mins before departure and 3 1/2 hours for the drive. Normally does take 3 hours, but we always give ourselves the extra time incase it's raining with the speed limit being lower. We've never been late for a Shuttle, so cannot comment on how that side of things works, but have been early, and nearly every time, been let on an earlier one

 

[tennisfan]

I would say leave about 5pm as this will allow for traffic & as mentioned the weather as the speed limit lowers when it rains.

Eurotunnel have a 2 hour time window either side of departure i.e. 2 upto 2 hours early & 2 hours later providing there is space

 

[angel_nix]

We allowed four hours from leaving the car park to departure and we stopped for about 20 minutes on the way and made our train with no problem. Think it will take us longer this time with a newly potty trained toddler!!

 

[jothp]

On our return journey we are booked on a 22:20 crossing and will be leaving about 6pm. We find leaving about 4.5 hours before our departure allows us time to stop if we need to without worrying. We often find we arrive about an hour early but I would rather this than stressing that we might not make it. If you do arrive early they will put you on an earlier crossing if there is space. They will also put you onto the next available crossing for no extra charge as long as you are no more than two hours late.

 

[ManCityMickey]

Thanks for all your help fellow DISers. Getting a bit nervous about the drive now.

How many toll booths are there en route? Will I need to keep my DW awake? (She prefers to sleep in the car)...

 

[angel_nix]

I think it's two tolls, but hopefully someone who has been recently will be able to clarify this (and prices please)

 

[jothp]

You will go through the tolls twice, once to pick up your ticket and then once to pay. When we went last June the toll was something like E20.40 but will probably have gone up a little since then. You will need your wife awake to go through the tolls because they will all be on her side of the car! The drive is really very straight forward, the only slightly tricky bit is getting off the A1 not far after Charles de Gaulle airport and getting onto the A4. We went wrong at this part on our first couple of trips but now we know what to look for it is fine. I will dig out our French road map later and tell you the notes I wrote for myself to help us.

 

[scribbleuk]

A note on the tolls. We always pay using a card. It saves playing around with change and is usually much quicker. You don't even need to put your pin in, it takes 5 seconds and the card lanes normally have much shorter queues. Also DW likes them because she doesn't have to practice her french talking to the toll booth cashier.

 

[cherrymarzipan]

As others have said, just two stops. You will pick up your ticket outside Paris at Chamant/Roissy/Paris and pay at Setques/Calais. Plenty of time for your DW to nap in between! The official site says €21 for the toll but I am sure we pay 22.

 

[tennisfan]

I think when we went in January this year the toll was €21.40 or close to that. When you get your ticket you should be able to get it from either side, its just when you come to the paying one you have to pay on the left.

 

[jothp]

As promised here are the notes I keep with my road atlas. It is the bit between leaving the A1 and getting onto the A4 which can be a bit confusing.

Out of Calais take the A26 signposted to Paris.
Follow A26 for approx 75 miles
Follow signs for the A1 to Paris
Stay on the A1 all the way to Paris and under Charles de Gaulle Airport (just over another 100 miles)
Then get on the A104 following directions for Lyon, Meaux, Marne-la-vallee + others
Then get on the A4 towards Reims, Metz, Nancy
Exit at junction 14 for the disney hotels and follow signs.

 

[Cuthbert1969]

When we went last month, the toll was E21 each way. Coming back towards Calais, they have removed the humans at the toll booths and you have to pay with notes or a card through a machine. So I wasn't able to use my small change like I normally do.

We also encountered long queues to get through British passport control once we got to Calais. I'm not sure if it was a one-off or if it's linked to the cuts in numbers of staff but several people missed their train because of the queues. As you're travelling so late, it shouldn't be a problem for you.

 

[tennisfan]

When we went last month, the toll was E21 each way. Coming back towards Calais, they have removed the humans at the toll booths and you have to pay with notes or a card through a machine. So I wasn't able to use my small change like I normally do.

We also encountered long queues to get through British passport control once we got to Calais. I'm not sure if it was a one-off or if it's linked to the cuts in numbers of staff but several people missed their train because of the queues. As you're travelling so late, it shouldn't be a problem for you.

UK immigration have always been slow in Calais at both the tunnel & port. I think I have only ever come across one who was friendly & polite too!

 

[angel_nix]

We got through immigration pretty quickly at the tunnel, thankfully Lottie slept through it as I was dreading her telling them her name was something else, or that she was stolen (both of which she has said to other people!)

 

[ManCityMickey]

Thanks for all your advice guys!!

How easy is it to exit the train at Calais? Is it really straight onto the Motorway?

 

[tennisfan]

Thanks for all your advice guys!!

How easy is it to exit the train at Calais? Is it really straight onto the Motorway?

Its really easy, just follow the signs. Its a couple of smaller roads before you get to the motorway. Just remember you give way to the left on the roundabouts

 

[angel_nix]

It's easy as long as you don't pull into the petrol station BELIEVE me!