Eurotunnel from Calais to England
About the Eurotunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel between France and England. It is used by freight trains, Eurostar passenger trains and Le Shuttle, the vehicle shuttle service. If you want to travel with your own car, motorcycle, camper or caravan, you need Le Shuttle. If you are travelling without a vehicle, see our foot passenger guide. Eurostar is a separate passenger train service that runs between city stations such as London St Pancras, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Le Shuttle carries vehicles between the terminals at Calais and Folkestone, while Eurostar is for rail passengers only. If you are comparing the tunnel with the ferry, you can also check our Calais Dover comparison.
How Le Shuttle works
You do not drive through the tunnel yourself. Instead, you drive your vehicle onto a Le Shuttle train at the terminal in Calais or Folkestone. Standard cars, motorcycles and many other vehicles are carried on the shuttle, while some larger vehicles use different railcars depending on height and size. When booking, it is important to enter your vehicle details correctly, including any roof box, trailer, camper or caravan, so you are assigned to the right type of shuttle. If you are travelling with a vehicle, this also ties in well with our guide to taking your car on the Calais Dover route and our page about travelling with a caravan.
Travel time
The crossing itself takes around 35 minutes, which makes the Eurotunnel one of the fastest ways to travel between Calais and England with a vehicle. Le Shuttle describes the service as a 35-minute crossing between Folkestone and Calais. Check-in is done at the terminal before boarding, and your booking confirmation will show the latest check-in time for your trip. On busier summer travel days, it is sensible to allow more time than usual before departure. If timing is a big factor for your trip, it can also help to compare the tunnel with the ferry and review the current Calais Dover prices.
What it’s like on board
Once you are parked on the shuttle, you stay with your vehicle for the crossing. You can get out, stretch your legs and use the toilet during the journey, but this is mainly a short transfer rather than a travel experience in itself. On arrival, you simply drive off the train and continue your journey by road. If you are planning to continue deeper into the UK or mainland Europe, our guide to driving in Europe may also be useful.
- Le Shuttle is the service to use if you want to take your own vehicle through the Channel Tunnel.
- Eurostar is a separate passenger train service and is not used for taking cars through the tunnel.
- Make sure your booking reflects the correct vehicle type, dimensions and any extras such as a roof box or trailer.
Channel Tunnel
- Also known as: Eurotunnel or Chunnel
- Length: 50.45 kilometers / 31.35 miles
- Construction started: 1986
- Opening: May 6, 1994
- First passenger train: November 14, 1994
- Number of tunnels: 3
- Deepest point: 115 meters below sea level
- Speed: 160 km per hour
- Travel time to Eurotunnel: 35 minutes
⚠️ Check your booking confirmation email for any additional requests. Sometimes you must submit Additional Passenger Information (API) no later than 24 hours in advance.
Timetable
This Le Shuttle train is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round. The frequency of the rides varies depending on the crowds. There are fewer trains at night, while during the day there are usually two departures per hour. During busy periods this can increase to three to four departures per hour.
Eurotunnel Tickets
On average, the cost of taking your car through the tunnel is higher than the ferry services between Calais and Dover. The big advantage of the tunnel is not the price, but convenience and speed.
However, if you make a short trip outside the high season, it can be very beneficial. Then you can make a return for £79.The lowest price for a normal one-way ticket starts at £117. But as the specific train is booked more, this amount will increase.
You can compare the prices of tickets for the Eurotunnel together with the ferry prices in our booking module at the top of this page.
You can buy tickets on departure, but this is usually much more expensive than if you arrange this online well in advance.
If you want to book Le Shuttle ↗ directly with Eurotunnel, you can only do so with a credit card. Do you want a different payment method? Then we recommend that you book via DirectFerries ↗.
Journey
1. Checking in
Your ticket will tell you how far in advance you need to be there. The Eurotunnel ticket indicates 75 minutes.
From the highway you quickly enter a small roundabout, behind which the drive for the check-in gates immediately begins. After checking in, you can choose to make a stopover in front of the terminal building. Here you can eat and drink, exchange money or take a bathroom break. There are also many electric charging stations here for those who need to charge their car.
- Are you very early and is there room on an earlier train? Then you have a good chance of being able to participate!
2. Customs
Customs can be busy, so keep this in mind if you want to catch the train with a specific departure time. You first go through French Customs and are then checked again by British Customs. Keep the passports of all passengers at hand for a smooth journey.
3. Boarding
Driving on board the car train with your car is quite a fun experience. Eurotunnel employees will help you drive on board. It is narrow on the train, but luckily you only have to steer straight ahead.
Photos of the train journey and the facilities in the terminal
Eurotunnel foot passengers
It is not possible to board the car train as foot passenger. You must have at least one bicycle with you, which will be transported in a special van with a bicycle trailer.
Foot passengers can travel through the tunnel as follows:
Eurostar trains
The company Eurostar ↗ transports passengers from London St Pancras to France, as well as various cities in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Ferry
Alternatives to the Eurotunnel
As an alternative to the Eurotunnel, you can also board one of the ferries of the companies below. These are usually cheaper but also slightly slower.
- Up to 11 crossings per day
- 90 minutes
- 1 pers. by car: ± £67 to £118
- Up to 15 crossings per day
- 90 minutes
- 1 pers. by car: ± £74 to £151
- Up to 14 crossings per day
- 90 minutes
- 1 pers. by car: ± £60 to £101
About us
The ultimate traveler's guide from Calais to Dover, the shortest distance you can travel from France to England by ferry or train.
Compare tickets from P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries, DFDS and the Eurotunnel on Calais-Dover.com.
