Eurotunnel Shuttle

Eurotunnel Shuttle (in the past the Shuttle ) is the name of a service of Ferroutage exploited by the company Eurotunnel in the Channel tunnel. This service, which functions between the terminals of Calais /Coquelles (France) and Folkestone (England), includes/understands two types of shuttles:

of the shuttles Freight transporting Truck S,
of the shuttles passengers transporting of the cars and the Coach S

The traction of the shuttles is ensured by a couple of engines " Class 9" BBB (three bogies with two axles) built by Brush Traction of 1993 to 2002. There is an engine at each end of the oar.

Shuttles

The total park includes/understands 25 shuttles.

Shuttles trucks

They consist of flattened coaches plates. The drivers must leave their vehicle and gather in a coach club (club because) during all the way.

The shuttles trucks are in direct competition with the ferries, and indirect with the maritime lines and the goods trains the SNCF/EWS forwarding by the tunnel.

Shuttles passengers

The shuttles passengers are in direct competition with the ferries for the travellers with car, and indirect with the air lines and the services Eurostar forwarding by the tunnel for the travellers without car. A shuttle passengers is composed of two parts of approximately 400 meters each one:

12 coaches simple bridge intended to receive the coaches and vehicles of which the height is higher than 1m80;
12 coaches on two levels intended to receive the cars.

The vehicles enter by an end of the train, and leave by the other. The passengers remain a priori inside their vehicles during the crossing, but they can leave to take some steps in the Wagon S.

Good with knowing

A police force at the border exists to control the clandestine migrations in England. For a French citizen, the passage in Great Britain is done without procedures, it is enough to present either a national card of identity or a passport.

On the other hand, for a foreigner having a residence permit, it is initially necessary to ask a visa the Embassy from Great Britain in Paris (count 2 weeks to have an appointment, the visa is delivered in the course of the day even)

The momentary price of the shuttle depends on the type of stay: it is much less expensive for if the duration of the stay does not exceed 2 days (thus a return in the 2 days which follow the outward journey) The reservation is done for one hour defined in advance but one can take a shuttle in an interval of 2:00 (before and after the departure envisaged), and this without additional charge.

Some small anecdotes

On a side like other of the English Channel, each one tries to post its differences:

With the terminal of Calais, a large panel of pub indicates to you that it is your last chance to buy alcohol in France
In the Calais-Folkestone direction, the driver wishes you the welcome in English and in French, in the other direction, you will hear only the security instructions, preregistered
Arrivé at Folkestone, of the panels indicate to you to keep your left, while while arriving at Calais, you will have " juste" " Welcome in France"
It is not rare only when one starts from Folkestone towards Calais, the police officer at the border lets to you pass as soon as it sees the panel of French registration, whereas in the other direction, the police officer systematically will look at your identity papers

See too

Piggyback traffic

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