The Eurotunnel train, how does it work?
Although many people travel by ferry between France and England, there are also many tourists who opt for the faster Eurotunnel. If you want to travel through the Eurotunnel, you can do so with two different types of trains operated by two different companies.
- You can travel by car or other means of transport with the train “Eurotunnel Le Shuttle“. It is not possible to book tickets for this train as a foot passenger.
- You can travel as a foot passenger with Eurostar.
The trains run on the same track, but the boarding points differ. For Le Shuttle you can enter the train in Folkestone or Calais. If you book as a foot passenger, you can hop on the train in London, Paris, Lille, Brussels, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.
An alternative to the Eurotunnel is booking a ferry between the UK and France. We will dive into this later on this page.
View the maps with the routes and information about the two trains on this page.
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Map Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
For the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle you first have to The Strait of Dover. From here you can enter the train by car, motorcycle, camper or any other means of transport. You can also board the train with a bicycle. These are placed on a special trailer.
As a pedestrian, you must choose the P&O ferry or Eurostar train. The Eurostar trains depart from London and various other European cities such as Paris and Brussels.
Also on this page
Travel with the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
Le Shuttle is the fastest connection between France and the UK if you travel with a car or other vehicle
- Travel duration: 35 mins.
- Check-in: >60 mins.
Eurotunnel Tickets
you will find both the costs for the Eurotunnel and for the ferries in the booking module below. You can simply use it to compare first, but you can also book directly if you want.Timetable, availability, and compare prices
Our online booking module makes it easy to find and book your desired ferry or train crossing. All you have to do is enter your departure port, destination, and travel dates. The system will show you the best routes and possible alternatives. You can then choose the ferry that best suits your needs and budget. Have a great trip!
Travel tip: book early
The prices for the train tickets and ferries rise sharply as peak season approaches. Therefore, book far in advance and save big.
Travel with the Eurostar through the Eurotunnel
The Eurostar connects the capitals of England, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Eurostar offers a pretty fast connection.
Eurostar Trains Travel Duration
| Eurostar From London | Duration | Eurostar To London | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Paris | 2h 16 mins. | Paris to London | 2h 17 mins. |
| London to Brussels | 1h 53 mins | Brussels to London | 2h 01 min. |
| London to Amsterdam | 3h 52 mins. | Amsterdam to London | 4h 09 mins. |
| London to Rotterdam | 3h 13 mins. | Rotterdam to London | 3h 30 mins. |
| London to Lille | 1h 22 mins. | Lille to London | 1h 22 mins. |
Eurostar Tickets
Eurostar tickets can be quite cheap of you book far in advance. You can check the following websites for the fares.- UK passengers: thetrainline.com
- FR passengers: sncf-connect.com
- BE passengers: b-europe.com
- NL passengers: nsinternational.com
About the Eurotunnel
The Channel Tunnel between France and England is known by several names. On the English side, the tunnel is called Channel Tunnel or Chunnel. The French use Tunnel sous la Manche.
Because the Eurotunnel Shuttle company drives through the tunnel, the name Eurotunnel is regularly used for both the car train and the tunnel itself.
The Eurotunnel (or Channel Tunnel) is just over 31 miles / 50 km long and connects England to France. The tunnel runs between Folkestone (not far from Dover) and Calais.
Freight trains and passenger trains run in two tunnel tubes. A third tube is intended as a maintenance tunnel and escape route.
At the Eurotunnel Shuttle stations, all vehicles are driven sideways into the wagons. After they get off at the other end, the train continues its route in a turning loop to end up on the other side of the station for tourists travelling from the opposite direction.
- The name is Channel Tunnel or ‘Chunnel'
- Also known as Eurotunnel
- 31.35 mi / 50.45 kilometers is the length of the tunnel
- Construction started in 1986
- The tunnel opened on 5-6-1994
- The first passenger train went through on 14-11-1994
- The lowest point is 380ft / 115 meters below sea level
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