Ongoing problems using the Chunnel between the UK and France

[Pauline]

This has been going on for the last few weeks and is getting worse - striking French ferry workers at Calais and a large camp of people trying to illegally get into the UK from France. The fallout is creating havoc for travelers driving or taking the train between the UK and France.

Here is the latest article. http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...orkers-block-calais-port-route-with-huge-fire

Other alternatives are flying or car ferries from Portmouth, Poole or Plymouth on the southern coast.

 

[jonathan]

I'm booked to take Eurotunnel on Tuesday morning, so I've been keeping a close eye on the situation! It varies from day to day; unsurprisingly, Twitter is the best place for updates (@LeShuttle).

Eurostar, the passenger service which runs between London St Pancras and Paris/Lille, has only been slightly affected on some days. It's Eurotunnel, the shuttle service which carries cars (and, in separate carriages, trucks) between Folkestone (near Dover on the Kent coast) and Coquelles (near Calais) which has been more affected. Eurostar and Eurotunnel trains both use the same tunnel, but the Eurotunnel services have been subject to more disruption for a variety of reasons: the proximity of the Coquelles terminal to the Calais migrant camp, and to the Calais sea port (where striking French ferry workers have been sporadically blocking both autoroute and rail lines).

At the moment (toucher du bois!) Eurotunnel is operating with only minimal delays, and the road approaches to Folkestone are running much more freely than last week.

If I had flight connections on either side of the Eurotunnel crossing, then I'd certainly think about taking an alternative route. But virtually everyone taking Eurotunnel is (like me) using their own car to travel between the UK and the continent, so delays are annoying, but you can adapt your travel plans more easily.

 

[Pauline]

The traffic was thick Friday morning driving to Dorset. It took us 3 hours, but should have been 2hrs 15min. It is the time of year; everyone going on holiday. You forget about it once you arrive.

Thanks for giving more details.