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Can I take sandwiches on Eurostar?

Can I take food on board? Absolutely. You can bring your own food on European and London routes. And unlike in the sky, we won't restrict you with stifling rules on liquids.



Yes, you are absolutely allowed to bring your own food, including sandwiches, onto the Eurostar. Unlike air travel, there are no restrictions on solid food passing through security at London St Pancras, Paris Nord, or Brussels Midi. You can also bring non-alcoholic beverages, though there are specific limits on alcohol (typically one bottle of wine or four beers per person). However, a critical 2026 update involves post-Brexit customs regulations: while you can eat your ham or cheese sandwich on the train, you generally cannot bring meat or dairy products into the EU from the UK (and vice versa) due to strict phytosanitary rules. To avoid issues with customs officers upon arrival, it is best to consume any fresh sandwiches before you disembark or stick to vegan/vegetarian options that are less likely to be seized.

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More prohibited items Unlicensed firearms, including replicas and de-activated firearms. Imitation or toy guns that have the appearance of a genuine weapon. Ammunition of any calibre and in any quantity.

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Your passport will be checked by UKBA security staff before being checked by French passport control. This will only take a few minutes.

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Keeping devices fully charged is non-negotiable. Our continental trains have individual electrical outlets to charge your phones, computers and other devices. We have UK and European power sockets at every seat on our trains. We also have USB sockets in Standard Premier and Business Premier.

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The check-in procedure for Eurostar train journeys takes roughly 20 minutes from start to finish, and depending on the class you're travelling in, it's recommended that you arrive at least 90 minutes before your Eurostar train leaves.

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On Eurostar there's no weight limit for your luggage, but you must be able to carry and lift your bags safely on your own, as there is no porter service at the station and our teams are unfortunately unable to help with luggage. Each bag can be up to 85cm long at its widest point and should be clearly labelled.

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All passengers boarding at any station to use Eurostar trains will have their luggage scanned. It's similar to scanning at airports but with importance differences. You can take more things on a Eurostar than you can on aircraft.

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Passport control is a totally separate process, and passport control only wants to see passports. On board Eurostar, staff don't check tickets (because you've already scanned yours in to get entry to the departure lounge and platforms), let alone ask names.

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How long does the Eurostar check-in take? The check-in procedure for Eurostar train journeys takes roughly 20 minutes from start to finish, and depending on the class you're travelling in, it's recommended that you arrive at least 90 minutes before your Eurostar train leaves.

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Generally, if you'd left enough time had the delay not happened, Eurostar will re-book you onto the next available service. If you're delayed getting to the Eurostar station by something other than a train, YMMV, so it's probably best to leave more time for that.

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Yes, you can bring food with you for personal consumption between Folkestone & Calais, and for your onward journey. However, there are certain kinds of food that you cannot bring into the EU —use this resource on restrictions as a guide.

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How long does the Eurostar check-in take? The check-in procedure for Eurostar train journeys takes roughly 20 minutes from start to finish, and depending on the class you're travelling in, it's recommended that you arrive at least 90 minutes before your Eurostar train leaves.

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Usually, you just hop on the train… no security checks or bag searches. They do random bag checks sometimes, but they don't make everything go through security like at the airport.

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Port or Channel Tunnel Operators are permitted to search any public vehicle travelling through their system, and may, where necessary, involve the Police in this process. This includes searching of the Coach itself and all baggage carried on it.

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The actual under sea section is 37 kilometres or just under 23 miles long. The passenger trains slow down on approach to 160kph/100mph when they enter the tunnel so they only spend about 13 minutes under the sea section of the tunnel.

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Check-in for Eurostar journeys opens an hour and 15 minutes before departure. We recommend that you arrive at least 90 minutes prior to your train leaving so you can have a stress-free check-in.

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We apologise for any frustration caused, though our list of prohibited items includes kitchen knives and household utensils which cannot be carried on board as accompanied hand luggage.

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Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags. Liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 oz are not allowed in carry-on bags and should be placed in your checked bags if possible.

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