Americans React: How Cars Travel the Channel Tunnel by Train
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- 📦 Want to send me something?
Reacting To My Roots
P.O. Box 439
Jasper, Indiana 47547
USA
In this video we react to how to travel the Channel Tunnel by car. We've never seen anything like this before. In order to travel the Channel tunnel you have to drive your car onto the Eurotunnel train called LeShuttle. I can imagine that not only is this a more relaxed way to cross the English Channel between England and France, it's also much safer.
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this reaction please give this video a thumbs up, share your thoughts in the comments and click the subscribe button to follow my journey to learn about my British and Irish ancestry.
👉 Buy me a coffee:
ko-fi.com/reac...
👉 Join my channel membership: www.youtube.co...
👉 Subscribe to my channel:
/ @reactingtomyroots
👉 Original Video by London Dashcam:
• Eurotunel - Last train...
creativecommon...
Avinash Jha: • crossing english chann...
![[Live] : ONE 168 วันนี้!! "โจนาธาน vs ซุปเปอร์เล็ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0jIN65KgJsI/mqdefault.jpg)
They are far from being "little" trains. They also have 17 transport shuttles that hold 32 HGV's (semi trucks) each. The other trains carry up to 12 coaches and 120 cars at once, so they are very big indeed.
This shows the freight shuttle the drivers cannot stay with their vehicle as this video shows.
th-cam.com/video/MiFVNEBEIV0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=h3sXRlwXoemMt1RR
Back in the day, Eurostar used to go through our station on its way from London to Ashford, and some of those trains were over 15 carriages long!
yes I think some of them are a mile long
Still small compared to a lot of American trains.
@@Mat-eq8mk but they travel a lot faster. Even freight trains in UK and Europe travel faster than express passenger trains in the US. Most European commuter trains run at 100 mph.
Passports always required and security is tight. Illegal immigration is an issue in the UK as well as in the US
The UK and Ireland, despite the latter remaining part of the EU, were never part of the Schengen Treaty that eased border controls. For the countries that have a national ID card (that neither the UK nor USA do), these can be used instead of a passport. There is also a new e-visa system soon to start for entry to the EU.
not in uk boats from france come on.
You don't need a passport to cross the channel 😂😂😂😂
@@mrbeanmrbean9047 Yes, you do. All passengers (including pets) will need a valid passport or ID card. You will also need your ticket hanger, which will be given to you at the check-in booths.
A 10 second Google search found that out.
@@XENONEOMORPH1979.
Why would that be different?
I used it for the first time last month. I’m 71 and it was my first time outside the U.K.
It was only a day trip to see if I could do it - I tend to worry about panic attacks etc. I watched a few TH-cam videos of people using it and thought I could do it, so gave it a go. My wife drove on and off and I drove in France. We went to Dunkirk, only for an hour or so, just to see the beach.
We have now booked a few days in Belgium in a few weeks and I hope to go to Holland in the autumn.
It felt a bit strange at times, but I managed.
Enjoy your future travels,How exciting 😊
How exciting and you're building your confidence to do more trips. I hope you enjoy your new found freedoms to explore - I know I have.
Well done! I too suffer with panic attacks and Agoraphobia. I can't even make it in my own back garden unless someone is with me.
You give me inspiration to get back out there. You've also just helped me remember I need to renew my passport. 👍
Here's to many more happy (& uneventful= my wish whenever I do have to leave the house) trips at home or abroad!
@@hellsbells8689 I also suffer with panic attacks and agoraphobia so totally understand. My greatest travel achievement was a 9 hour flight to Barbados followed by a three week cruise. I finally managed in in my late 60`s. Never give up hope. x
@@hellsbells8689
I hope you are able to overcome your fears. Ironically it was my cataracts that got me there. I had only ever had 1 hospital operation - my tonsils removed when I was 3 (standard practice at the time) other than that it was only ever the dentist, which I was not good at either. At age 40 I was told I had cataracts developing, for nearly 30 years I had the fear of that op in the background. The point when I knew the time was now happened to be the start of Covid, so my eye test was delayed. During this time I had to stop driving. I just couldn’t see well enough. I had never been comfortable being driven and got panicky in traffic jams. I found that I was more comfortable on motorways and in jams with my wife driving. Having survived the cataract operations with no problem (first with a sedative, second without) I still let my wife do all M25 driving.
I watched a couple of TH-cam videos of people using the trains and thought I could do it, especially with the confidence boost of getting through the ops, so gave it a go. Being able t get out of the car and walk to the toilets was a big plus, not feeling trapped in the car made a big difference. On the way back, I just stayed in the car.
I hope you are able to do it.
I phoned my daughter from Dunkirk, showing her where we were. She was shocked, as were the rest of my family when word got out.
Loading faster than waiting two hours in airport after checking in
loads faster than a ferry too
Well that's good to know!
@@reactingtomyroots On a good day, with the time change (1 hr) I can be on French roads by the same nominal time I left the UK's roads.
@@captvimes after hours of waiting outside lol
@@CeleWolf yea because you never wait outside for a ferry
For foot passengers there is the Eurostar train which runs from St Pancras Station in London to Paris France and Brussels in Belgium and nowadays onwards to several other European cities.
For cars it is called Le Shuttle and, as you saw, cars enter one by one and drive to the front of the train and line up behind each other ready to drive off at their destination. That means no reversing!
For lorries, buses etc it is the same idea with larger coaches to hold them.
There are toilets on all the trains if needed, but on the Shuttle you are advised to switch off engines and stay in the cars where possible.
All trains go through the same tunnel, there aren't separate ones for freight, so timings are important. When you arrive at the terminal you may have to queue in your car until your train has emptied all the vehicles which have just arrived. Then you just drive on to the designated platform and onto the train.
There have been a few fires on trucks coming through the tunnel, but no passengers died although many were checked over due to smoke inhalation. The third tunnel is used to evacuate people and allow emergency vehicles through.
On the whole it is a quick and convenient way to travel to the continebnt.
they stopped serving all UK train stops between London and the EU, because the UK dont allows foreigners in!
The Euro tunnel can hold 20 coaches (buses) and 120 cars. You any pets travelling with you must go through passport control before you get on. The train is about 775 metres long and has 4 entry points. You are marshalled onto the train. You and your pets stay in the car, the journey takes 35 minutes. 350 trains run each day and at peak time there is a train every 3 minutes.
Pets need specially approved documentation to show they have had inoculations, otherwise they will be put in quarantine. This is to prevent diseases such as rabies from getting into the UK .
@@weejackrussell Or getting nasty diseases out of it to Europe... (like mad cows etc.)
I have travelled as a foot passenger from London to Paris and back a couple of times on Eurostar and it is much more straightforward and satisfying than flying.
My sister works here booking coaches & horses (not to ride through btw haha) the entrance to the channel is where I live in Folkestone Kent. You can see France & on a good days even the whites of their cliffs or at night car head lights.
And yes passports were ALWAYS needed, it's a different country!
@@22rosanne Not because of Brexit. We needed passports even when we were in the EU as we were not part of the Schengan agreement. Stop trying to blame everything on Brexit.
@@limeymax indeed, if travelling to france you would first go through British passport control and then drive couple of hundred yards to French passport control then onto the train.
@@22rosanne I'm guessing you've never left the UK
@@22rosannePlease google Schengen. The UK has never been a part of the Schengen area, so passports have always been needed. Brexit made no difference whatsoever.
@@kelly6504 her brain cells has never left the UK
You do need a passport. The French passport control is in England and the English passport control is in France. So you show your passport before you board. Therefore on arrival you just drive off and go.
( British Passport control )
Yes UK passport control
A passport to enter the UK and a passport for non EU citizen to enter the EU, for EU citizen + Schengen citizen outside the EU an ID is enough.
why go for a hostile country, we have 27 none hostile countries in the EU!
@@Arltratlo hostile to the EU - not the continent and its people. Stop being so paranoid!
My husband drives freight trains through the tunnel. He's one of a very few British train drivers that are licensed to drive in both the UK and France.
wait for him to be fired....
they will give his job to a south american, he will be payed less and have no connection to a union..
i am very sure your husband is a Tory voter, so he will get what he voted for!
Yes you need a passport and your vehicle is likely to be searched. I used to travel driving a truck, they travel on open carriages and drivers are taken by bus to a conventional train carriage for the journey.
I think the car carriages are two decks, so there will be more cars above those seen in the video. There are fire doors all along the train so In that video a few cars behind the car shown, a fire door would have closed.
Before the tunnel, we had ferry boats. You drive on the boat, it crosses the channel, and you drive off in another country. Pretty much the same principle.
You still have ferries.
@@xtophgerard1169 Not as many as we used to have.
@@colinp2238 and that’s a reason to imply that they don’t exist anymore? My point of view is that if you’re going to comment, be accurate. That goes for your response to me: don’t give me an excuse justifying your inaccurate information implying that you were right to be inaccurate. Not a good way to communicate and prone to start an argument unless people just walk away thinking it’s not worth correcting you but still thinking you don’t know what you talking about or are motivated to be biased and inaccurate… just saying
@@xtophgerard1169 Okay Popeye.
yes, but P&O fired only their UK staff,
because the EU staff have protection from EU,
for job security!
FYI. Each train has 28 carriages. The front part of the train is single level for coaches (not buses) and overheight vehicles (cars with roof boxes or bicyles), camper vans etc. There is a separate carriage at each end for loading and unloading. After that are 12 double deck carriages, and at each end there are two carriages to load and unload. Normal height cars and motorcycles travel in this part. There is a CoCoCo electric locomotive at each end. The trains are huge for Europe, and the carriages are so high and wide that the cannot go outside the confines of the tunnel and terminals.
The freight trains are huge as well. After driving onto the train, the drivers leave their vehicles and are transported by minibus to a 'clubcar'. After the crossing they are transported back to their lorries to drive off.
Appreciate the info!
35 mins in tunnel, by ferry 1.30 ish … great video I was posted in Dover in the army when they was building the tunnel….
Yes, we are used to the crossing. Went in our car to do some shopping in France to buy some wine and cheese.. it was delicious.
It’s nice to go on the tunnel for convenience but there is also something quite nice about taking the ferry and seeing the white cliffs of Dover too, as long as the weather and sea state is ok.
Yeah, could definitely see the appeal of both!
The ferry is just very long by comparison, depending on where you cross, of course, but even the shortest crossing is around 3 or 4 hours.
@@reactingtomyroots There is a few videos about proposed bridges and tunnels from Ireland to scotland,but they are a pipedream totally unfeasible.The two biggest problems are the weather which would mean it would be closed for months every year and Beauforts dyke which is 1000 ft deep and fuel of dumped explosives and radiactive material that could blow up at any time during construction.
@@penname5766its 90mins from Dover to Calais which is kinda ok if you have to stop to eat lunch anyway as there are restaurants on the ferries and none on the tunnel except for the terminals
@@djs98blue Ah ok, thanks. That’s a lot quicker than I thought. Not sure I’ve ever done that crossing. Have mostly gone from Portsmouth I think due to being on the southwest side of the country, which is a significantly wider point in the Channel.
I can remember seeing on the news the day the two teams met up in the middle of constructing the tunnel sometime in the 90s
The Channel Tunnel was built (I think?) In 1994... Please feel free to check, as I won't be offended if I'm mistaken.
I prefer to learn the true facts, so please let me know if I am in error. Thank you. 🏴❤🖖
My husband was a design engineer who designed elements of the first generation trains' power systems.
and since he is a Tory voter, he will stop every foreigner in the street and call the coppers on him/her!
It’s awesome, we went to Disneyland Paris a couple of years ago. Such a quick trip! Takes about 35 mins.
Edit - you have to book your size of car, different areas of the train take different size vehicles. On the way out, we were upstairs! There’s a heavy goods train too that trucks etc. can go on.
Edit 2- you queue in your car and then all in fairly quickly. Yes that was a toilet and yes you need a passport. Passport control is both ends.
Edit 3 - the car one also closes like the bus one, but it fits 3 or 4 cars in each carriage and the car wasn’t right the front, the bus was.
I believe the Disneyland stop is not functioning at the moment, but hopefully will again soon. I'd love to take my grandkids one day. 2.5hrs from London to the disneyland gates is pretty impressive.
@@MsPinkwolf we went by car so were let out in Calais and drove it. There’s a huge train station right in Disney Village I assume the passenger one goes to (when it’s running).
@@BrewmasterAdarynFor foot passengers from London to Disneyland, you currently need to change trains at Lille Europe, a major interchange. But you can do it on one ticket, I think.
@@MsPinkwolf yes, but you need explain to the kids that you hate the EU so much, that you made sure they can never move here!
@@Arltratlo Who said that I hate the EU?
We used the tunnel with a 26ft caravan towed by a 16ft car. That’s length, the maximum width was 8ft. It was absolutely fine. Getting on was as easy as you watched. It’s just a gentle curve so it’s really not a problem. It’s like changing lanes on the freeway. It’s the same getting off. We had much worse problems on the ferries.
They were just millimeters away as well when they dug from each country. Amazing.
When my Dad was a trucker back in the 90s I'd go with him all over Europe. I've been on the Euro tunnel countless times. Just never in a car always a truck. We would drive on. Park up. Get off the train on foot and board a shuttle bus that would take the truck drivers to another carriage where we could eat. As far as I can remember, car passengers had to sit in their cars.
Good morning lovely people!
Yes you need passports... remember England is in Europe anyway...just not on the continent.
You can go for day trips. Actually you can go for day trips all over Europe. It's easy to grab a flight to Rome or Spain or Lithuania or Denmark anywhere you want pretty much. Day trip flights can be as low as £20 per person.
You can take your car on the ferry too... it's 2-4 hours on the ferry depending on which ports you use.
We used to take our car towing a caravan back in the '70's -'80's and then drove to other countries camping a few nights in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and then camp a few nights at different areas on the way back.
I haven't been on the Chunnel, the last time I went to France was probably 20 years ago now, just because of other things in life happening. I'd have no worries using the Chunnel at all, except that I really love the ferry.
I love boats and being out in the ocean. At least on the ferry you can walk around the decks, go around each floor of the boat, stop in one of the many restaurants and browse through the shops on board.
And hey Steve, you'll be driving on the right again once on the continent! Just brush up on some basic French for local stores and businesses though, as the French are known for being a bit abrupt if you talk to them in English! Bigger Hypermarkets in Calais are slightly more tolerant with that though.
The ferries and Chunnel trains can take you into Belgium or The Netherlands too. You can get a train right to Disneyland Paris but be warned, it's not one direct train and you need a mortgage for Disneyland! 😂
Bon voyage!
Lots of love to you 3. 😘😘😘 xxxxx
If Europe is one of the 7 continents on this planet then England is on the continent.
@@newmageo9179 let's not split hairs now! You knew exactly what I meant! 😜
The carriages that the cars go on are double-decker, you can see the ramp up to the top deck at 6:01. You should really show her the original video too, the tunnel boring machines and the tunnellers meeting through the hole when they break through are definitely worth seeing.
Yes U.K. does need a passport to travel to European countries we need one before Brexit also
But before Brexit we only needed passports because we don’t have European style ID cards.
@@ffotograffydd actually it's because we're not part of the Schengen area treaty, which is the treaty that allows for no border controls between e.g. France and Luxembourg.
@@alexmckee4683 No it wasn’t, EU citizens from countries with ID cards could use them to travel to the UK and Ireland. Brits needed passports because we don’t have ID cards. It was nothing to do with Shengen.
Those travelling from countries outside Shengen Area have to go through passport control, but if they’re from an EU country they don’t need an actual passport if they have another form of officially recognised ID.
In the mid seventies you could take a day trip on the Hovercraft to France, no ID required
The first time I used this I was amazed at the length of the train!
It's a great way to get your car to France, once the train starts it's journey you arrive in France about 30 mins later.
There are several methods of using the tunnel, the eurostar (passenger train), the eurotunnel (cars on trains), and the freight version ( lorries/vans on the trains, with the drivers sat in passenger compartment) . The eurostar can be taken to Brussels, amsterdam, geneva, paris and other destinations. There is a "ski train" that departs st. Pancras and arrives at bourg st. Maurice (french alps) 9 hours later. When the two workers broke through the centre in 94, they were the first humans to cross the channel by foot since the last ice age. There are also two prior tunnel attempts , one in 1880 anf one in 1970, you can still walk down the 1880 tunnel (about 1600 metres). It was abandoned before completion.
The trains load quickly, between 15 to 20 minutes. Lots of staff to direct you. Very efficient. They do this all day, every day.
I’ve been across the channel many times on the car ferries, the Eurostar as a foot passenger, and Eurotunnel in cars as I only live 15 minutes away from the tunnel and 30 minutes from the ferries at Dover. It’s routine to pop across for the cheap French wine shops, Christmas markets etc.
I am a claustrophobic person who also hates boats and the ocean, however, I have travelled from London to Paris on the Eurostar train, through the channel tunnel and I had no problems at all! It was fast, comfortable and no different to travelling on a train through a long tunnel. It was amazing and we were in Paris quicker than getting through customs in an airport!
No problem getting on, I use it for my RV. 10ft tall, 22feet long.
Soon after the Tunnel opened , my son and I with 2 Friends in our Land Rover took the evening crossings to Calais, stopped at the supermarket in Calais for food. then into Belgium for diesel, then back to Calais for booze, then catch the train back to Folkestone. the return fare was £10.
You can get out your cars but they prefer you stay in board. It’s a great convenient way to get to France and then you get out of France as quick as you can!!!
I have been both on the Eurostar (passenger train) and the Eurotunnel by car many times back and forth from the UK to France, Belgium, and Holland. The total time by train from London to Paris is 2 hours and 20 minutes with twenty minutes of that a tuly in the tunnel under the sea. The Eurostar is very comfortable and a very easy way to get to Paris
, Brussels, Lille, Bruges and Amsterdam. I enjoy these trips very much.
We've travelled by Eurostar passenger train from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord through the tunnel.
City centre to city centre takes 3 hours, with passport check at the start. No fooling around at airports or waiting for bags either. Great meals en route too.
This week one of my sons is going skiing in Europe, travelling in a SUV with friends through the Shuttle service. We shall see if he likes it too!
did you told him, that you made sure he cant move to Europe and can only stay for 90 days in 6 months, because you hate the EU that much and that you dont like EU citizens coming to the UK??
@@Arltratlo You completely stupid or just mostly?
Hi Steve and Lyndsay it is not just cars that use the channel tunnel coaches use the tunnel as well. It takes about 35 minutes actually in the tunnel.
And trucks.
Also 1.5 million lorries (trucks) use the channel tunnel every year. An average of 4,600 lorries (trucks) everyday.
That's amazingly quick!
From Folkstone platform to Coquelles platform about 35 minutes.....actually in the tunnel about 21 minutes
I've taken my motorbike four times through the tunnel. When it's quite your in the only carriage.
It is a remarkable level of engineering. When I lived in central London I used to take the early train to Paris. I’d have my lunch on the Chemps Elysees, do some shopping, then I’d take the last train home & have dinner on the train.
It’s a great day out.
I took an American friend of mine on, and he could not get his around the fact that in 2.5 hours we were in Paris, I was speaking French & that we could do this in one day! 😂.
The day after I flew him up to Edinburgh - his head was all over the place. 😂😂😂
We travel with trucks through the chunnel
You hardly notice before you come out on the other side, it goes a bit dark like any tunnel and there’s a feeling of descending slightly then ascending but it’s so quick you hardly believe you have been under the sea.
I've done the trip many times in buses as well as by car. Those carriages are BIG. Barriers close between the carriages. There are toilets at the end of some and you can walk through to other carriages. Yes, it's about half an hour once you're going. Loading and unloading is very efficient and quick.
It’s brilliant! Been through dozens of times as my son and his family live in northern France and we had most of our holidays in France before that. It is very easy, through the passport checks then through to the waiting area and then off you go. the train has two levels, upstairs and downstairs and you are in the tunnel for about 30 minutes. On to off is about 35 to 40 minutes. On the passenger trains it is quicker than that. All the checks are done as we get on and at the destination we just drive off. I love it, nice and smooth and quick whatever the weather!
The car carrying coach’s are double decker. There are fireproof doors at the end of the carriage. Leaving a sort of airlock between coaches. The fireproof door have spring loaded doors allowing pedestrians to pass between carriages.
I have travelled through the Chunnel many times as a foot passenger on Eurostar and a few times in the car. As someone who used to use the ferry to France several times the Channel is so quick and efficient I can highly recommend it. The trains actually load quite quickly and yes you do turn your engine off. They prefer you to stay in your car but you can get out and use the bathroom.
You are allowed to get out of your vehicle to stretch your legs or use the WC. Most people stay in their cars. Windows and sunroofs have to be kept open for ventilation purposes. They usually check your passports when buying your tickets or when arriving at the port. The price of the tickets varies with the time of day or whether you want an 'open return' etc. But generally speaking, it is usually more expensive than the sea ferry.
I've found in real terms it no more expensive. On the boat you're a captive punter to be sold overpriced food and drink, and souvenirs etc. You spend money as you use up the time on board (loading takes longer than the shuttle). However, I arrive at the tunnel terminus the evening before, sleep in the van, then get the cheap 5.30 am crossing, which gets me into France early enough to miss Calais' and Rouen's morning traffic, and pass through Chartres during the quiet spell between morning rush hour and the lunchtime traffic. After that, it's an easy drive to my brother's place near Béziers in the South West.
On my first trip through the Chunnel I was driving a car towing a caravan. That was worrying but turned out to be surprisingly easy. The train in front broke down. We had to stop and the train move over to the other tunnel part way across!!!!
we have friends in Germany ,and we have used Eurostar,across on the Dover to Calais ferry and have crossed on a coach when we travelled from London Victoria to Munich in Germany. What a journey that was!!We spent a two week holiday there and enjoyed it..Euro star trains are not very spacious,built for speed and there are restrictions,no smoking etc.
its sad they still let people in....
we need to close the borders, so foreigners can only come if they are desired!
The carriages that take the cars are two decks high. In the first video you can see two entry doors, the first to the upper deck the second to the lower deck. Yes you can get out of your car. The doors that close are designed as fire doors so each carriage is sealed so if a fire occurs a fire system can contain the fire until the train makes it through to the otherside of the tunnel. Car passengers would evacuate to the next train carriage in event of fire. If the train had to stop in a fire there are three tunnels. One tunnel in each direct and a central service tunnel for emergancy access.
You may not have noticed, but the very back entrance to the train there is a ramp which takes you to the upper level. And yes, of course you need a passport! You're going out of the UK! We have done the train about 3 times.
My cousin worked on the construction of the tunnel. He was paid the equivalent of around $2000 US per week.
No problem for coaches as the train carriages are tall. The carriages for cars are double-decker.
There are passenger trains as well for inter-city trains from London to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam. The Channel Tunnel part of the journey is only about 20 minutes or so and frankly - if you forget about the fact that there's a sea bed above your head - it's not very different to being on the subway.
Hi guys, I actually worked as a machine tool specialist back then keeping the machines running that made the tunnel ring segments, the same system also used on the London Jubilee line.
do you work on HS2, too???
Having trains running through the tunnel rather than cars and trucks being driven is safer in terms of accident risk, but one of the main drivers is ventilation. The tunnel is underwater, which means that you can just pop up a ventilation shaft every mile or two. Electric trains don't generate any pollution at the point of use, but if all those petrol and diesel vehicles were being driven through a 30 mile tunnel with no ventilation then you would very quickly run out of breathable air.
Passport control is in both terminals ie England and France. In both Terminals you will find toilet facilities with plenty of cubicles, as well as facilities for disabled users and baby-changing areas. Recommended use the toilets in the Passenger Terminal prior to boarding because the number of toilets on board the shuttle is limited.
When i lived in London we used to regularly do day trips to France to go shopping via the tunnel. My partner is french so it was a matter of buying favourites that you can't get in the UK. Plus we used to get wine to bring back as it's much cheaper there. There didn't used to be any restrictions on what you could bring back but that has now changed since Brexit and there are duty free allowances.
There used to be trains to carry people & their cars between London & Scotland, to save driving all the way, there were several car train services around Britain.
There are train cars for heavy goods trucks etc, which have 'open' sides to clear fumes.
Hundreds of trucks cross the Channel each day this way. There is a constant service, with trains more or less following each other through the Tunnel all the time. There are normal train carriages for passengers without cars at all, so you don't have to be in a vehicle at all.
No bridge or tunnel will happen between Ireland & the UK, there just wouldn't be enough business for the cost & difficulty of constructing it. The Channel & North Sea are only about 200 feet deep, but there is a much deeper trench in the Irish Sea which would be too deep to go under, & harder to bridge, plus only is a small part of Scotland close enough to even consider, & the difficulty of getting there itself makes the idea a none starter.
An average of 4,600 trucks a day use the Channel Tunnel. 1.5 million trucks a year use it.
I first found travelling under the Channel great fun - you can get out of your car, walk around a little and listen to the music on your radio.
Yes passports required. They were also required when we were still in the European Union as well.
Don’t worry Lindsey it’s not a bit claustrophobic and is well air conditioned.
You don’t even think about being under the sea and the ground. To be honest it’s a bit boring.
It’s so much quicker than the ferry. When I went you couldn’t leave your vehicle.
Personally I prefer the ferry but I think I was a mermaid in another life. I love the sea.
Agree with you 100%. It's basically sitting in a guard's van for half an hour.
When we were in the EU we only needed passports because the UK doesn’t have ID cards. People from other EU countries could travel here on their ID card.
@@ffotograffydd We needed passports because we like Ireland were never in the Schengen zone, people from the EU needed a passport to enter the UK and Ireland, ID cards did not allow entry into the UK.
@@georgebarnes8163before Brexit EU citizen could enter GB with only an ID, I did it multiple times. Now a passport is required !
As Irland isn't in the Schengen zone, we have to show a valid ID to enter. Inside the Schengen zone no need to show our ID, except for restricted months or common trans "border" police operation.
I use to travel to GB, first by ferry but the last one we took was the Herald of free Entreprise who sunk 3 months later with more than 300 deaths in an NL port ! Never again a ferry !
Then we took the hovercraft, was fun !
And then the tunnel ! So quick to cross and to be on GB roads avoiding Dover traffic jam and no need to check the weather?
Interesting fact for you… look up the British Rail Class 92. They’re a group of locomotives designed specifically to operate in the channel tunnel. They were going to operate freight and a never introduced Sleeper service between the Uk and Europe.
They’ve spent most of their working life doing freight in the Uk, and more recently the Caledonian Sleeper. In the last few years they’ve been stored and in some cases exported elsewhere because they were too expensive to run on the electric wires (especially during the pandemic).
They’re around 30 years old and never actually completely a run they were designed for… it’s mad.
Passports are required and were required even while the UK was part of the EU.
I live in Folkestone about 5 mins from the channel tunnel, it’s weird living closer to France than it is London when we go to the beach if it’s a clear hot day you can see the coast of France.
Sounding a lot clearer voice wise guys , good to see you on the mend ❤ I used the “Chunnel” for the first time just before Christmas , amazing operation , very easy and very quick (30 mins) .
Thanks, Julian :) I bet it was a cool experience.
Have done this a few times now and it couldn’t be easier for my journeys to Normandy.Sometimes though there are mishaps and delays happen that cause massive backlogs but so far have been lucky👍
The Irish Sea Bridge has been talked about on and off since the 1800s. The last feasibility study in 2021 pretty much concluded that it would be economically unviable.
after NI joined the RoI nobody needs it anyway...
its better to travel to Europe to travel to the plague island!
There are 2 "rakes" of 12 cars, one double deck and one single deck, plus loading and unloading wagons, with a 7mw locomotive at each end (one pulling and the other pushing). So a total of 30 vehicles in the train. Each wagon is sealed by twin fire doors, which open during loading/ unloading. I've used the tunnel many times as we live 15 miles away. There's also the Eurostar for foot passengers from London to several destinations in Europe via high speed lines, but these share tracks with the Shuttles through the Tunnel proper.
Hi. You don’t need ventilation to clear the vehicle fumes while travelling through the tunnel as you must park up and switch off your engines for the duration of the time in there.
Used the tunnel, many times, on my motorcycle. They (the loaders) wave us on last, after all the cars have loaded. The train is run so smoothly we don't even strap the bikes down. You usually don't even notice when the train starts moving!
Of course you need a passport! There's high security just like if you go via plane or ferry into an entirely different country. Last time I went through the tunnel with my car I seem to remember there were different access points along the train, and I didn't have to drive that far to get to the end of the queue, maybe it's just the luck of the draw where you are in the queue. It's no weirder going through a tunnel than flying in a metal box in the sky if you think about it.
I mean it's not a stupid question. Most of Europe is the passport free Schengen zone. Plenty of Americans are suprised that we aren't
There are three tunnels; North- and Southbound rail lines, and a service tunnel in between. Three kinds of train share the work; car and bus, semi trucks, and the Eurostar high speed rail. The latter goes slower through the tunnel section to mesh into the freight and vehicle traffic. The "Le Shuttle" trains have upper and lower car decks!
In the 1950's and 1960's before the motorways were built in Great Britain there were trains where people drove their cars on and then sat in ordinary train coaches on the same train for long distant journeys such as London to Scotland.
Hi Trevor, I would have never guested that about the 50s and 60s! That's interesting. You learn something new every day.
@@vincentryals2478It was known as "Motorail" and it ran from 1955 until about 1995. The trains consisted of sleeping cars, passenger cars and what were known as 'flats' where the cars were loaded and secured. It was not necessary to book a sleeping berth to travel on this service though.
Sadly, it didn't take too long before the modern day brain dead thugs began to come into the equation - smashing car windscreens by dropping stones (and worse) from bridges as the trains passed. They caused considerable damage at times. British Rail then required that the cars be carried in enclosed vehicles so cars were much better protected and out of sight of the idiots.
These trains travelled at a reduced speed of 75 mph purely in order to facilitate a full nights sleep for those in the sleeping cars. Often sleeping car passengers were allowed a 'lie in' at their destination before being served breakfast long after everyone else had left the train. They then alighted fully fed and replenished ready for the day ahead. However, by the time it all came to an end around the mid 90s it was a very expensive way of travelling.
First Great Western (one of the privatised companies) tried to revive the service in 1998 between London Paddington and Penzance. It lasted until 2005 before it was discontinued for good. They basically priced themselves out of it by charging obscene fares - like all of the so-called privatised train operators these days.
They still do this in America, AMTRAC have trains cross country. They load your car and get it off the other end. You can stay in sleeper compartments too, as the journey is days long, not just overnight.
Also was down to the West Country from Paddington, the cars were loaded according to their destination as the rearmost flatbed wagons were uncoupled at intermediate stops and shunted to a siding to be unloaded and cars reunited with their drivers. The reverse happening with up trains. In railway parlance up is towards London or closer to and down away from irrespective of travelling N,S,E or W.
We used it for the first time last year on a Harley... that was an experience..! It's actually a double decker but bike's don't go up and are loaded last...
Used it twice. It’s a very good service. Best part is looking at the fish out of the side windows.
🤣🤣🤣
Caught my daughter out with that one on our first trip!
Yes and the sharks and whales !
I remember in 1998 I was working for UPS in their call center in Nottingham and someone organised a 24 hour "booze cruise" to France and Belgium which used to entail crossing the English Channel by ferry. We travelled down motorways to the Channel Tunnel terminal in Kent by coach. The coach drove onto the carriage with everyone still on board. Once the train set off we were able to get off the coach and walk around. I do suffer from claustrophobia but wasn't troubled at all. I think we were in the tunnel for about 35 minutes. It didn't feel like you were in a tunnel under hundreds of feet of sea.
Ofcourse passports are required it's the same as flying in a plane or taking a ferry
I’m not the most confident driver, but I’ve used the tunnel a few times. Plenty wide enough and easy to enter and exit. And it’s a fast way of getting across the channel. I love it. Passports ARE required both ways. And were needed when we were in the EU.
We’ve always needed passports even before we left the EU. Border Control.
I used it a few years ago and took my car on the train, the cars are actually double-decker and has an upper floor which is filled first at busy times. It is accessed by a ramp inside the car, which can be lifted once the upper deck is full to provide a continuous ceiling to the lower deck. It is quite a normal seeming everyday way to travel with very little drama. There are special; trains for large trucks (you call them semis) which has drivers salons on them for the drivers to relax away from their vehicles. It is more pleasant than a ferry which can experience very poor weather conditions in the channel.
The ramps to the upper deck are actually permanent for speed and are behind different sets of doors in the side of the train.
Hey Steve ! If you want another weird thing...When heading for France, when you get on the train you were driving on the left...when you get off the train...you'll be driving on the right !
That's right (or left) 😃
Seriously I know some people in the US find it scary, freaky, panicky and hard to get their head round driving on the left. Whereas in the UK or indeed Europeans visiting the UK it becomes one of those things we just do without any fuss. All be it some better than others though!
I used to have a villa near Disneyland Paris, we always used the tunnel. Sometimes passenger trains from London.
I have used the tunnel to drive to France, Germany, Belgium,Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark
Glad to see you're both feeling better.
I once went to Amsterdam with Celtic supporters on a bus on the Shuttle, we got off the bus and did the Huddle in the spare space we had outside the bus! It was wild!
Yes we need passports now
What do you mean now?, we've always needed a passport to travel anywhere outside the UK
We always did. You might have got throug passport control more quickly, but not without a passport.
@carolineskipper6976 I was just saying we need a passport now making a statement I know we've always needed one
I used to drive from Somerset in the UK to Maastricht in the Nederlands via the channel tunnel, 444 miles, 8 hours and 4 countries. The Channel tunnel is a very slick operation. Just drive onto the train until you can’t go any further. There are doors between carriages that close before departure. 40 mins later arrive in France and drive directly onto the motorway.
You do need a passport.
I’ve traveled by train and by car through the tunnel. It’s a weird feeling sitting in your stationary car. You can feel the train moving but it’s dark outside so you can’t see anything moving by. We sat and listened to music and had some lunch. Then you come out the other end in a different country! Yes you do need a passport, just like when travelling to any other country. You and your car will be checked at French frontier and then again in Britain when you return.
Been on it a few times coach n car.... it's pretty cool shame it's not got windows to see the fishes 🤷🏻♂️😂. Glad you've both hacked your frogs up and spat em out. (Voices sound A ok at last 🤣👌🏻)
I remember it being on the news when they broke through into the middle and shook hands. Few people thought it would ever happen. Also when it was new you could get bags with 'Travel Chunnel' and lots of people had them, even if they hadn't been through the tunnel!
Peace love from England ❤
I've used this service traveling to se Spain
Faat comfortable and inexpensive
Yes you need a passport and a Visa for UK citizens to visit the EU max stay 90days
Before Brexit there was no Visa and you could stay for a lifetime
Damn Brexit 🤬
I worked as a crew member on board the passanger train. We tried to get 5 cars in each wagon if they would fit, otherwise it was 4. The French loaders didn't bother they just put 4 in so when it was super busy most of the time they had left over cars standing on the platform waiting for the next available train.
The only downside to the channel tunnel is it connects the UK to France, never a good idea.
😂😂😂😂😂😂 For which side?
@@isking1715 Beginning to wonder which myself
There are trains for freight (trucks) and trains for passenger vehicles. The wagons for regular cars are double-deckers so you could be either driving onto the top or lower deck.
yes you do need a passport even when we was in the Eu, unless you come over on a small boat illegally then you dont need a passport or a name.
But designer trainers and an iPhone are essential. Preferably military aged males are most common....🙄
English sarcasm at it best
@@tamielizabethallaway2413 super just what we need they will help us fight Russia,
@@lesdonovan7911 yeah we volunteer them for the front line!.....no hang on a minute... haven't they fled warzones??? Maybe if they think Russia will attack they'll all get dinghies out of here! 😁
Longest loading for me was less than 15 mins, journey time of 35 mins and off loaded in 5 mins
The individual carriages of the train have fire doors that close after the carriage is full (about 5 cars I think); each train can carry 120 cars and a number of coaches/ higher sided vehicles (trucks use a different train).
Loading/unloading is very quick as the cars drive on/off as a constant stream and can load upper and lower decks simultaneously. Passengers remain with their vehicle all the time (toilets are at the side in a number of carriages and you can open the door between (push button auto open/close). From the start of loading to being on the highway in France/England is under an hour!
Truck drivers don’t stay with there truck (the train carriages for trucks are open sided; for safety). The truck train has a separate drivers carriage with facilities.
The trains have a dedicated radio channel which you tune into for music and info during the journey.
I said I would never use them as I didn't like the idea of it and thought I wouldn't feel safe. My husband was really keen as we loved visiting France. I gave in and it was OK! A short journey and the time passes quickly. We travelled on them a lot. Happy memories.
Having done this many, many times, it's super convenient.
It takes about 30 minutes moving on the train, and about 15 minutes at each end. I think they say 55 minutes end to end.
They're long trains and load and unload at multiple points. The have bigger carriage for trucks and busses.
Each carriage has a doors that lock. You can open a door and walk through but they are for fire. There was a big fire and they got stricter.
Ive been through in a coach, a car and on the actual train. The train was the best. I loved it, travelled all the way to Paris
The Eurotunnel vehicle train is apparently 2540 feet long and can carry 120 cars. Just like a ferry, you arrive at the departure place, check in, go through cusoms (the last little bit of the UK "French" and the last bit of France is "English" - the other police force etc. You park in a big car park and wait for your train to be ready for boarding. Then each column of cars in the car park are beckoned forwards and follow the signs to the loading platform where they enter the train at the back. There are two entrances, a downstairs entrance and an upstairs entrance.. Coaches use other carriages with double height. Then you drive forwards as far as you can to where staff position your vehicle appropriately. You open the car windows and apply the brakes. The staff close the carriage doors and basically stay in the car. Folk do get out to use the bathrooms or to pack/unpack stuff from elsewhere in their car. Then the train sets off and you can see the countryside going past until the train goes underground when it is dark. About 30 minutes later you emerge and unload from the front in the matching fashion to loading. All the admin is done at the departure end, so on arrival you drive off the train and set off you your destination without pausing.
Off topic I know, but "Chesapeake" was one of my mum's favourite words! She just loved to say it, so much that she would call someone "My little Chesapeake".