Eurotunnel - a Quick 35-Minute Journey

Long gone are the days when travel from the U.K. to France took an inconveniently long time.  With the advent of the Eurotunnel, travel is both convenient and quick, making France an easy travel destination at anytime of the year.  In fact, more and more British people are making France the destination of choice for either work or leisure.  

What is the Eurotunnel?
The Eurotunnel is a train service that transports both cars and their owners under the English Channel.  Basically, it’s similar in concept to the traditional car-carrying ferry, except it travels underground.  That’s a plus if someone has a tendency to become seasick.  Travel only takes 35 minutes (45 minutes between 12 midnight and 6:00 am), which is shorter than most intercity commutes, and one of the quickest ways to cross the channel.  Train service operates between Folkestone (southeast coast of Britain) and Calais (northwest coast of France).  

Timetables
The Eurotunnel operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Two trains run each direction per hour from 6:00 am to 12 midnight and one train from midnight to 6:00 am.  It’s recommended that you arrive 30 minutes before departure time to properly check-in.  At peak hours, up to three trains can run at a time.  

Fares
Channel Fares are reasonable – they start at about £49 for a one-way ticket (fares differ depending upon length of stay).  Prices do go up if booked on short notice.  However, since booking can be done online, tickets can conveniently be purchased in advance, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, from the comfort of your home.  The fare includes the vehicle and the passengers, but cars over a certain height (1.86 and higher) will cost more, as well as any pets that you might be transporting (£30 extra).  

Special fares
The FlexiPlus fare option offers passengers extra bonuses such as the ability to change your ticket at no additional fee, as well as the use of the train’s lounge facilities.  Priority boarding is also available with the FlexiPlus fare.  Some specific FlexiPlus fare options are the short stay over fare (good for up to a five-day stay) and the overnight fare (extends your stay for up to two days). 

Searching for an ­apartment for sale­, houses for rent, or vacation rentals is simple on Homelist24’s online property listing site.  

NB: Prices quoted Oct 2008

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