British Pullman run by Belmond cancelled and replaced by Eurostar

[jrh2254]

I had an excursion booked on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. My agreed itinerary was to Board the British Pullman at London Victoria and once in France switch to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Venice.
Now the British Pullman part of the journey has been cancelled due to "restrictions that they have between the crossing border of France and the UK at the moment when travelling by car/van/coach or whatever, they have to change their routing slightly"

Instead of doing the British Pullman from London to Folkestone taking the coach, now its Eurostar (st pancras) to Lille , then Belmond have arranged a transfer Lille to Calais. Then we pick up the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
Compensation is 600 euro credit to spend on board or a day trip on the British Pullman incl lunch at a later date(3 year expiry).

I am accepting the British Pullman option.

What are the border issues ? And have others been similarly impacted?

Thanks.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

How were you crossing the Channel - are the problems with P&O Ferries affecting your journey?

 

[jrh2254]

How were you crossing the Channel - are the problems with P&O Ferries affecting your journey?

Not sure. I booked with Railbookers who booked with Belmond, so not 100% sure how we were crossing the channel? However as its Railbookers, I assume it was originally British Pullman to Folkestone then Eurostar Folkestone to Calais. Then pick up the Orient Express from Calais.
However they now want to change the route to St Pancras to Lille, then coach back to Calais. Just googled 'is Eurostar calling at Calais' and the answer is no due to Covid!
I was not offered a P&O ferries option - I did book via Railbookers!

 

[paul1609]

There's still domestic TGVs from Lille back to Calais. It's only Eurostar trains that are not calling at Calais Frethun.
I generally drive to Frethun from home via le shuttle and get a TGV to Paris it was much cheaper than Eurostar even before they stopped calling at Ashford.

 

[jrh2254]

There's still domestic TGVs from Lille back to Calais. It's only Eurostar trains that are not calling at Calais Frethun.
I generally drive to Frethun from home via le shuttle and get a TGV to Paris it was much cheaper than Eurostar even before they stopped calling at Ashford.

Thanks. Its Railbookers that told me Belmond have arranged a coach from Lille to Calais. However now I know there are domestic TGVs Lille to Calais I will ask them why this option was not chosen.

 

[30907]

Thanks. Its Railbookers that told me Belmond have arranged a coach from Lille to Calais. However now I know there are domestic TGVs Lille to Calais I will ask them why this option was not chosen.

Perhaps they already had the coaches booked for the Cross-Channel transfer.
Or there wasn't a convenient TGV? Or both?

 

[Snow1964]

When I did it (April 2002) it was still the British Pullman Victoria - Folkestone Harbour, then road coaches via channel tunnel to Calais Ville.
Actually we were doing it in reverse (Venice-London), and had road coaches Venice-Villach (train had been moved previous evening, due to a rail strike in Italy on day of departure) so got a trip through places like Zell am Zee and Kitsbuhel instead of Brenner pass. I am sure the climb from Folkestone Harbour was a mix of 33 on front and 73 at rear, which sparked heavily as conductor rails were pretty rusty by then

Not sure why it has now changed to a Eurostar to Lille and road coaches to Calais

 

[The_Van]

When is your trip?

I'm due to go towards the end of June and nothing from Belmond yet

 

[30907]

Not sure why it has now changed to a Eurostar to Lille and road coaches to Calais

The OP has quoted a reason as given by the operator.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I hope you are at least being given a standard/business premier ticket on the Eurostar?

 

[jrh2254]

When is your trip?

I'm due to go towards the end of June and nothing from Belmond yet

End of the month. I was told by Railbookers that this is a decision by Belmond until further notice.
I booked via Railbookers over 12 months ago so it was Belmond that informed Railbookers of the change. Apparently all new bookings with Railbookers start from Paris with Eurostar London to Paris which they say is a better option in the circumstances.
Overall I think I prefer the start at Calais as I get longer on the Orient Express.

The OP has quoted a reason as given by the operator.

Thats right , it was a decision conveyed to me by my agent Railbookers who dealt with Belmond on my behalf.

 

[RT4038]

I had an excursion booked on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. My agreed itinerary was to Board the British Pullman at London Victoria and once in France switch to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Venice.
Now the British Pullman part of the journey has been cancelled due to "restrictions that they have between the crossing border of France and the UK at the moment when travelling by car/van/coach or whatever, they have to change their routing slightly"

Instead of doing the British Pullman from London to Folkestone taking the coach, now its Eurostar (st pancras) to Lille , then Belmond have arranged a transfer Lille to Calais. Then we pick up the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
Compensation is 600 euro credit to spend on board or a day trip on the British Pullman incl lunch at a later date(3 year expiry).

I am accepting the British Pullman option.

What are the border issues ? And have others been similarly impacted?

Thanks.

I think you will find that there are massive delays at Dover and Folkestone due to increased customs checking following Brexit, and the suspension of P&O services which is causing backlogs . E* is not affected by these issues, so is a more reliable way of getting from London to France; currently the first stop of these in France is at Lille.

Belmond is no doubt making block bookings from London to Lille on E* for their passengers and I would imagine railing passengers back from Lille to Calais just adds another uncertainty (possibly no convenient connection anyway). So it is by bespoke road coach.

Not sure. I booked with Railbookers who booked with Belmond, so not 100% sure how we were crossing the channel? However as its Railbookers, I assume it was originally British Pullman to Folkestone then Eurostar Folkestone to Calais. Then pick up the Orient Express from Calais.
However they now want to change the route to St Pancras to Lille, then coach back to Calais. Just googled 'is Eurostar calling at Calais' and the answer is no due to Covid!
I was not offered a P&O ferries option - I did book via Railbookers!

There is no P&O option. Their services are not running .
It would never have been Eurostar Folkestone to Calais [no Eurostar pick up at Folkestone] - only a road coach between Folkestone & Calais travelling on LeShuttle or a ferry. These are both quite disrupted at present.

 

[jrh2254]

I think you will find that there are massive delays at Dover and Folkestone due to increased customs checking following Brexit, and the suspension of P&O services which is causing backlogs . E* is not affected by these issues, so is a more reliable way of getting from London to France; currently the first stop of these in France is at Lille.

Belmond is no doubt making block bookings from London to Lille on E* for their passengers and I would imagine railing passengers back from Lille to Calais just adds another uncertainty (possibly no convenient connection anyway). So it is by bespoke road coach.


There is no P&O option. Their services are not running .
It would never have been Eurostar Folkestone to Calais [no Eurostar pick up at Folkestone] - only a road coach between Folkestone & Calais travelling on LeShuttle or a ferry. These are both quite disrupted at present.

Thanks for your reply , very helpful and informative. In the circumstances the Belmond solution seems the best of a bad job. I would have liked to take the train from Lille to Calais but as you say a train builds further risk for Belmond. The option of another trip on the British Pullman in the next 3 years as compensation seems a good deal so have opted for this.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Thanks for our reply, and apologies for not commenting sooner. It seems quite strange, but I hope that you have a good trip.