Trains through the channel tunnel

[Piethagoram]

 

[Robbie]

The Eurotunnel was founded on a good principle to connect mainland Europe with the UK, but it has become a huge white elephant.

When I've visited Europe, I've always used the Ferry system, and it's much more interesting and fun to cross by Sea Ferry 

The Sea Ferry system has  always been the cornerstone of cross channel travel. We managed very well before the Euro tunnel and we would manage if it wasn't there.

 

[Piethagoram]

But @Robbie "huge white elephant"... it's basically in use 24/7 to cope with the demand of passengers and freight. 

In fact, many sea ferries have diverted to sail directly to Ireland  since Brexit... really affecting employment in places like Holyhead and Fishguard. 

In recent years, never forget the compulsory redundancies of UK sea workers, as shipping companies on the North Sea /English channel routes switched to cheaper overseas labour. 

However, in nostalgia, I did like the hydrofoil on Dover / Ostende run and the hovercraft Ramsgate /Calais

[Robbie]

5 minutes ago, Piethagoram said:

But @Robbie "huge white elephant"... it's basically in use 24/7 to cope with the demand of passengers and freight. 

In fact, many sea ferries have diverted to sail directly to Ireland  since Brexit... really affecting employment in places like Holyhead and Fishguard. 

In recent years, never forget the compulsory redundancies of UK sea workers, as shipping companies on the North Sea /English channel routes switched to cheaper overseas labour. 

However, in nostalgia, I did like the hydrofoil on Dover / Ostende run and the hovercraft Ramsgate /Calais

The Channel tunnel has reduced Ferry traffic and that in turn has lost jobs and that is a big regret.

The loss of British Sea jobs to cheap overseas labour is for another Topic, as that development is not really directly connected to the channel tunnel.

It's symptomatic with what has been happening in big swathes of our industry.

[Piethagoram]

54 minutes ago, Robbie said:

The Sea Ferry system has  always been the cornerstone of cross channel travel. We managed very well before the Euro tunnel and we would manage if it wasn't there.

So passengers for Paris, Brussels and to a lesser extent Amsterdam would have to switch back to the airlines! 

The Channel Tunnel or more specifically Eurostar has delivered a faster city centre to city centre journey times, much more carbon efficient than the airlines!

[Robbie]

Who's talking about airline travel to Europe @Piethagoram? I'm talking about Sea Ferries being the cornerstone of travel across the Channel and North Sea decades before the Channel Tunnel was built, and in my opinion there is still an important role to play for the Sea Ferries.

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

I would always chose the tunnel over the ferry if it wasn't so expensive... mind you I do have a fear of ferries, so I'm a bit biased. That said, for day trips the extra is worth it as you get an extra couple of hours in France / Belgium on the tunnel which is worth a lot as you can get away from Calais and do your shopping cheaply a bit more inland. It's a shame you can't bring much duty free back any more, that really made it worthwhile (but I am a lot healthier as a result so it isn't a huge loss).

One thing I have noticed is that the queues for the ferries are huge these days, but with far fewer lorries than there used to be. I used to walk on the cliffs above the port and you would see the  cars and lorries in short queues waiting to board, now there are queues everywhere.  

Losing the stops at Ebbsfleet and Ashford on the Eurostar was a big loss.  People could park easily at Ebbsfleet for a weekend in Paris / Eurodisney, and Ashford was good for commuting to Paris, Lille or Brussels (I used to do the latter occasionally).  The stations were always busy, but since they stopped I fly as it makes no difference between getting to St Pancras or Gatwick. 

[DangerousSausage]

I've never used it as it's simply too expensive - from Frankfurt you can get to London via Brussels. I looked at a connection in November (a quiet period) and it would have cost me over €1000. Just for me. I ended up booking Lufthansa flights for a quarter of that.

No longer using the stations in Kent also renders it useless for people who might have used it regularly. Having to negotiate your way through London is a deal breaker for many.

There was talk about a direct connection from Frankfurt, but to do so they needed a separate area for passport controls, which was just not feasible at such a busy station and the demand wouldn't have justified it. It would all be such a lot easier if there were no passport controls, but unfortunately they're here to stay. 

[Chris]

I didn't click the link, but when I saw this I did wonder if it was about all the supposed repairs that are required. That news sort of faded fast, but I don't see why people need to make life so complicated. The reason I didn't read it is I am fed up with the BREXIT stuff.

I personally would prefer taking the ferry over the Eurotunnel.