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How long are the queues at Eurostar?

Quick and easy. When travelling on our trains (except to and from London), just look for your train on the departure board and head straight to the platform. For stress-free boarding, we recommend that you arrive in the station 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your train.



In 2026, Eurostar queues at major hubs like London St. Pancras, Paris Gare du Nord, and Brussels-Midi have become more predictable due to the full implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). On a standard weekday, you should arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes before your departure. For peak times, such as Friday evenings, Sunday afternoons, or holiday weekends, Eurostar officially recommends arriving 120 minutes early. The queueing process involves three stages: the initial ticket check, the security screening (similar to an airport but usually faster), and the dual-border control (French and British). In 2026, Business Premier and "Carte Blanche" members have access to a dedicated "fast-track" lane, which can reduce the total queue time to under 20 minutes. For standard travelers, the "bottleneck" is typically at the biometric passport gates; ensuring your documents are ready and your mobile ticket is bright on your screen is the best way to move through the lines efficiently and avoid missing your train.

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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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Our trains are fully booked Weekends and bank holidays in particular are always very busy so try looking at another date if you can.

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A cut in the number of border officials means it takes nearly 30% longer to process passengers leaving St Pancras International than before Brexit and the pandemic. Also contributing to the delay is the post-Brexit requirement to stamp UK passports for outbound travel.

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What if I miss my Eurostar / National Rail journey as a result of delay? If you miss your Eurostar service as a result of delays or cancellations to your National Rail service on your outbound journey you will be placed on the next available service to your Continental destination at no extra charge.

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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.

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How does Eurostar check-in work? Once you've scanned your ticket at the gates, you'll join the baggage check, identical to what you have at an airport. After that, you'll enter a line for passport inspections. For EU passengers, there are also electronic gates which you can use if you have an e-passport.

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Items containing incapacitating substances such as gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, CS gas, phosphorus, acid and other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable. Any quantity of inflammable substances, including empty canisters e.g. petrol, methylated spirits, paint thinners.

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Eurostar passengers require a valid passport or identity card. You will pass through UK, French, Dutch or Belgian customs depending on the journey you are undertaking.

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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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Our trains have free wi-fi throughout. To connect, choose EurostarTrainsWiFi then go to register.onboard.eurostar.com to get started.

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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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76% of trains arrive within 5 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. 86% of trains arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. There are occasions, usually outside of our control, where trains may be delayed or disrupted.

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Our trains can carry up to 894 passengers, so there may be times when you experience queues at the station. This can particularly happen on peak days or when checks take a bit longer. But don't worry – our staff will be on hand to guide you through the departures process and ensure you board your train.

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Passport checks used to be carried on the international Eurostar train, but all formalities are now carried out before boarding. At some border crossings, the train stops twice. First on one side of the border for checks and then on the other side for a second set of checks.

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Train tickets for the Eurostar usually go on sale 330 days before the date of travel. Book in advance to make sure you get the cheapest options as those tend to sell out, leaving only the more expensive tickets.

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It depends which trains and what times you are looking at - Eurostar is very expensive in times of high demand because the cheap tickets get snapped up but can be relatively affordable if you choose less popular times.

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Make it midweek. Savvy travellers know that the cheapest Eurostar tickets are usually for trains on Tuesday and Wednesday. It isn't only the fare that's a bargain, the hotels are too.

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