How long does it take to go through the Eurotunnel?

How long does the crossing last? The crossing takes approximately 35min, platform to platform.



The standard journey time for a passenger vehicle (car, motorcycle, campervan) through the Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle) is approximately 35 minutes from terminal to terminal.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the total travel process:

  1. Check-in: You must arrive at least 45 minutes to 2 hours before your booked departure time (earlier during peak periods or for first-time travelers). This allows for check-in and border controls (French and UK passport/ID checks).
  2. Boarding: After check-in and security, you drive to the loading lanes and board the shuttle train. Boarding typically begins around 30 minutes before departure.
  3. The Crossing: The actual channel crossing, from when the train leaves the terminal until it arrives at the other side, takes just 35 minutes.
  4. Disembarkation: You drive off the train and exit the terminal, which usually takes just a few minutes.

Total Door-to-Door Time

While the tunnel crossing itself is 35 minutes, you should plan for a total travel time of about 1 hour and 30 minutes from arrival at one terminal to hitting the motorway on the other side. This accounts for the entire process.

Key Points to Remember:

  • You stay in your vehicle throughout the journey.
  • The service runs 24/7, with up to 4 departures per hour during peak times.
  • The times are very reliable, as the shuttle is not affected by weather conditions like ferries.

In summary: The iconic underwater section takes 35 minutes, but allow at least 1.5 hours for

People Also Ask

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What's the quickest way to drive to France? The quickest way to cross the channel is using Eurotunnel, which takes around 35 minutes compared to the 90-minute crossing of the quickest cross-Channel ferry from Dover to Calais.

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It is made up of three tunnels, each 50km long, that link Folkestone in Kent to Calais in France. Two are rail tunnels, used for freight and passenger trains, and the third is a service tunnel. Eurostar is one of LeShuttle's biggest customers and their trains take only 20 minutes to pass through the Channel Tunnel.

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If you are travelling on LeShuttle, which uses the Channel Tunnel, you stay in your car during the 35 minute journey from Folkestone to Calais. Once your car is loaded onto the deck of its shuttle and your crossing starts, you can leave your car to stretch your legs or use the on board toilets.

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If you are travelling on LeShuttle, which uses the Channel Tunnel, you stay in your car during the 35 minute journey from Folkestone to Calais. Once your car is loaded onto the deck of its shuttle and your crossing starts, you can leave your car to stretch your legs or use the on board toilets.

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Dover - Calais ferry tickets start at around €36 for foot passengers and at about €80 for passengers who travel with a vehicle. On the other hand, prices for the Eurotunnel start at over €100 for a one-way drive to France from the UK. Conclusion: the ferry from the UK to France is usually cheaper than the Eurotunnel.

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Yes, you can bring food with you for personal consumption between Folkestone & Calais, and for your onward journey.

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If you miss your Eurotunnel crossing, for example due to bad traffic, and want to continue to travel you can: Be placed onto the next available shuttle. The Eurotunnel operates 24/7, so there should always be a next shuttle, unless there is an issue with the service itself.

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In theory yes you can. You may have to pay extra, but in my experience it is not too much. BUT when I was travelling last year, I arrived a few hours early on each leg and could not travel earlier because the trains were fully booked.

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You can pay a lot to just turn up without a booking. There are plenty of crossings (up to 4 per hour) and it runs all night, so it is never fully booked for days on end, though you might have fewer choices of departure time still available when you do book. Guess your arrival time as best you can.

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1 Answer. To allow for adequate fire suppression, in the event of a vehicle fire in the tunnel. The tunnel's fire suppression system depends upon complete mixing of the released halon gas with all air, without having pockets of high (or low) halon concentration.

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By combining 3G and 4G mobile data signals along the route, we'll keep you connected where we can as we speed across borders and time zones. Whether you're working or unwinding, you can email, tweet and post using any wi-fi enabled phone, tablet or laptop, subject to connectivity – even in the Channel Tunnel.

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All passengers (including any pets that are travelling with you) will need a valid passport.

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Travel very late or very early in the day and you can cut the Eurotunnel fare to around £200 return on Saturdays or £165 return midweek. By doing so, you could tackle the driving during the night when there will be less traffic.

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Eurostar trains are for foot passengers only, so are ideal if you don't need or want a vehicle for your trip. Eurotunnel Le Shuttle carries freight and all forms of vehicle, including cars, motorbikes, campervans, caravans, coaches and lorries.

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Your licence is recognised in France for as long as it is valid. Paper licences are usually valid until you are 70. For plastic photocard licences, the expiry date is on the front. If your UK licence has expired, or has less than 6 months' validity remaining, you must exchange it for a French licence.

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Our service is available 24hrs a day, 365 days per year. With up to 7 departures per hour at peak times, our hourly capacity ensures traffic fluidity and the fastest possible journey via the Channel Tunnel with an average crossing time of only 35 minutes.

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