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Kent to Calais Day Return Ticket Options

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JB_B

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I don't see why Folkestone Central should have any problem issuing it.
 

Hadders

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You’ll probably have to shop around to get this ticket issued. If you do purchase it at Folkestone i wouldn’t mention anything about starting short as it’ll just arouse suspicion and confuse things.
 

simonm

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You’ll probably have to shop around to get this ticket issued. If you do purchase it at Folkestone i wouldn’t mention anything about starting short as it’ll just arouse suspicion and confuse things.
Thanks. I must be honest, it's a poor state of the railways that you have to go cloak and dagger round booking offices to get a ticket that is perfectly valid and that should be freely available. Many thanks.
 

Hadders

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I agree but you do need to realise that the number of tickets to Calais that get sold each year can probably be counted on one hand. The chances are the clerk will never have heard of it, let alone have ever sold one before.
 

simonm

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I agree but you do need to realise that the number of tickets to Calais that get sold each year can probably be counted on one hand. The chances are the clerk will never have heard of it, let alone have ever sold one before.

I guess you're right. I never take it out on the booking clerk. I just try to remain firm.
 

RabbieBurns

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I’m looking to travel to Calais from London this Thursday returning on Monday. Could someone please advise how I would get the tickets and coupons (using two day returns as cheaper than separate rail and ferry tickets) at a non London office. Would be grateful if anyone could enlighten me on what I should say to the ticket clerk as I suspect they won’t know how to issue the tickets/coupons with railcard discounts. Many thanks in advance.
 

LondonJohn

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I’m looking to travel to Calais from London this Thursday returning on Monday. Could someone please advise how I would get the tickets and coupons (using two day returns as cheaper than separate rail and ferry tickets) at a non London office. Would be grateful if anyone could enlighten me on what I should say to the ticket clerk as I suspect they won’t know how to issue the tickets/coupons with railcard discounts. Many thanks in advance.

You need to tell the station staff to look for full instructions on how to issue this as follows in The Manual

The Manual

>Shipping Links>France>Calais>Railcards

Just a reminder there is no longer a bus from Dover Priory to Dover Eastern Docks, a taxi will cost around £5 or it’s a 25 minute walk.

Because of extra security and processing foot passenger check in now closes 1hr before departure both ends.

You won’t be allowed to travel from Dover with anything larger than a small bag. At Dover they now scan your passports with a hand held device as you board the bus for the ship and they do stop Day trip passengers abusing period return fares by refusing bags. Sometimes foot passenger luggage is checked in airline style and reclaimed at the other port and if this happens you definitely won’t get away with anything bigger than a small backpack.

At Calais they do X-ray all luggage but this is done after check in and part of the immigration process and they also have airline style handling of luggage reclaimed from the carousel at Dover prior to going through customs.

Be wary that P&O are very strict on revenue management with people using Day returns as period returns and sometimes stamp the Calais Dover control coupon at Dover so that if you don’t present a stamped coupon at Calais they know you haven’t left Dover that morning. Now that names are taken when they scan your passports ex Dover they also can and do cross reference passenger lists at Calais and will surcharge you the full amount for a standard single ferry crossing.

Is doing it this way really a lot cheaper? If rumbled at Calais you will have a hefty surcharge before return ferry travel is permitted.
 

RabbieBurns

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Seems the person who told me it would be cheaper to do that wasn’t aware of the revenue protection element or the one small bag rule. I’ll need to rethink the whole trip. Thanks for the very detailed reply it’s very much appreciated.
 

LondonJohn

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Seems the person who told me it would be cheaper to do that wasn’t aware of the revenue protection element or the one small bag rule. I’ll need to rethink the whole trip. Thanks for the very detailed reply it’s very much appreciated.

I’ve done this trip several times. If you look on the P&O website it says if you don’t use Day returns as day returns you will be surcharged for the appropriate fare. If you book directly they of course have your credit card details to be able to do this. It also says only hand luggage is permitted on day trips.

If you’ve read through this thread you can see they have increased foot passenger check in from 30 mins to 60 mins for the extra processing and checks.

They are definitely tightening up on matters, previously they used to give you one of their own tickets that would be exchanged for a laminate boarding pass. Now when the bus goes through security your passports are scanned by a hand held reader. I’ve been issued with a control ticket each time one time it was stamped on the reverse the other time on checking in at Calais port they printed out one of their tickets with my outward and return saik8ng times on there. If you do travel message me as I’ve got a WiFi code for younto use onboard as this is now chargeable.
 

RabbieBurns

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I've got a plan. Splitting tickets GLA-EUS, London Terminals to DVP (including HS1) and saver return on the ferry. Going by Eurostar at this short notice is only available at eye watering prices. Thanks for the offer of the WiFi code. Appreciated.
 

paul1609

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I've got a plan. Splitting tickets GLA-EUS, London Terminals to DVP (including HS1) and saver return on the ferry. Going by Eurostar at this short notice is only available at eye watering prices. Thanks for the offer of the WiFi code. Appreciated.

It really depends what your going to do in France, I don't believe anybody would want to spend more than a couple of hours in Calais but some hints:
a) have you considered a coach from London Victoria to your destination?
b) if you've luggage consider going via Edinburgh, the interchanges at Waverley and then Kings Cross to St Pancras are a lot easier than from Euston to St Pancras. St Pancras is just across the road from Kings Cross whereas Euston is half a mile away.
c) If travelling via Euston don't try booking a through journey on trainsplit unless it offers you a through ticket, otherwise it will give you a £4.90 single ticket between Euston and St Pancras which is easily walked if you need a bus or tube use a contactless bank card.
d) Don't necessarily buy an off peak return from St Pancras to Dover there are depending on the time of travel advances and super off peak singles back from the coast. Also look at tickets via the southeast mainline which has a lot better availability for advances the journey time is about 51 mins longer than HS1 but in context of a long journey its not that bad. The interchange in London is easy go to the St Pancras Thameslink platforms take the first train to London Bridge and get the Dover train from there.
e) second what others have said about using day returns the rail tickets don't get that much use so its easy for them to check. Ive seen somebody refused travel on a non rail day return earlier this year.
 

AnkleBoots

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You won’t be allowed to travel from Dover with anything larger than a small bag. At Dover they now scan your passports with a hand held device as you board the bus for the ship and they do stop Day trip passengers abusing period return fares by refusing bags. .
Yet I could go going out on a booze cruise with an empty suitcase to fill up in the Calais megastores.

Or I could be carrying a suitcase full of British gifts or other items to give to a friend in the Calais area..
 
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