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Calais day trip ticket

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AnkleBoots

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I want to buy a Calais day trip ticket to use on a weekday before 10am with a Network Railcard.
A previous thread states that IKB allows this.

- Please can someone confirm that IKB still shows this easement?
- Will the ticket work the barriers before 10am?
- If not, which barrier staff (Charing Cross or St P) are least likely to delay me?

Thank you
 
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Joe Paxton

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I suspect a Calais ticket plus supplement would probably be accepted on a late train nonetheless.

(OP - remember to bear in mind when foot passengers can travel, it is shown on the P&O website's sailing timetable pages - different times apply in each direction.)
 

Mike395

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Whilst @cactustwirly is technically correct, I've currently got a 100% success rate (4/4!) in being sold a supplement for a HS1 service with a London-Calais ticket when asking nicely either at the St Pancras barrier or onboard.
 

AnkleBoots

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Thank you for your answers. Also:

https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/tickets/more-ways-to-travel/high-speed/ said:
You can buy a supplement and upgrade to high speed services if you have:
  • A valid ticket or Season Ticket for any Southeastern service into London

So maybe the HS1 exclusion only applies for services going out of London.
 

AnkleBoots

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What about the 10am restriction? Can anyone confirm IKB still allows me to ignore this?
 

AnkleBoots

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I suspect a Calais ticket plus supplement would probably be accepted on a late train nonetheless.

(OP - remember to bear in mind when foot passengers can travel, it is shown on the P&O website's sailing timetable pages - different times apply in each direction.)
Thanks for the reminder - I will plan conservatively but I know delays often occur..
 

causton

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I will just quote the iKB article here as that will be easier :lol:

National Rail Enquiries - France – Calais (with P&O Ferries)
  • Interchange station: Dover Priory (with bus link to Dover Eastern Docks)
  • Shipping operator: P&O

Through Rail/Sea Day Return bookings are available to: Calais H426 via Dover Eastern Docks routed P&O Not HS (850).

Customers must be in possession of valid passports when travelling to the continent.

Calais H426 via Dover Eastern Docks & P&O Stena Line (850)

Fares are available from selected locations in Kent, Greater London and Sussex/Surrey.

Port Transfers
As a general guide allow a minimum of 70 minutes from the arrival time at the coastal station to connect with a sailing on the outward journey and a similar margin from arrival of the return journey for customers to clear customs and get to the station. Where journeys are affected by engineering work, please ensure that it is possible to connect with the maritime service in both directions before making the booking.

There are no buses currently operating between Dover Priory and Dover Eastern Docks and between Calais Port and Calais Town Centre. The options for walking or taxi between the station and the ferry terminals are best described here https://www.seat61.com/London-Paris-ferry.htm. In all cases, customers should check the times of their return transfers on arrival at their destination.

On board
Ferries sail between Dover Eastern Docks and Calais roughly every hour, crossing time 1 hour 40 minutes. Details of the sailing and facilities on board are available at www.poferries.com. Upgrades to Club Lounge are available from £12 per person if pre-booked.
Tickets
Anytime Day Return tickets (ticket type code AAB) may be issued by ticket machines. Travel on Southeastern High Speed services is not included. Passengers wishing to use High Speed services must purchase the Anytime upgrade relevant for their journey on High Speed.

There are no time restrictions on travel.

It is important that the correct route is shown on the tickets as indicated. Tickets must not be issued without a route, as this could cause severe problems to our customers. A control ticket needs to be issued.

Note that as there is no continental rail travel involved, tickets to Calais do not count as international tickets and therefore are not covered by CIV rules. The National Rail Conditions of Travel apply to these tickets in the event of disruption etc. Note also that for the same reason CIV tickets to London Intl are not valid in conjunction with tickets to Calais.

Railcards
The Adult reduced fares shown are applicable to Railcard holders. The Railcard child fares are applicable up to a maximum of 4 children (aged 5 to 15 years) accompanying the holders of Network Railcard, Gold Card, Family & Friends Railcard and HM Forces Railcards. Children accompanying 16-25 and Disabled Persons Railcards must pay the full child fare shown.

Normal conditions apply to all Railcard holders e.g. Network Railcard holders - maximum 4 adults travelling together; Family & Friends Railcard holders must be accompanied by a child and so on. The normal Monday to Friday morning peak travel restrictions on the use of certain railcards (e.g. Network Railcards not before 10:00) are waived in respect of Railcard holders (and any accompanying children) travelling on these day trips.

Whilst every assistance will be given, Disabled Persons Railcard customers should be warned that as a bus link operates between station and port they may encounter difficulty if in a wheelchair.

Staff travel discounts are not applicable.

Reservations
Advance Reservations are not possible on P&O Ferries to Calais. Reservations are no longer essential, passengers travel subject to availability.

Mandatory Control Ticket BR 7599/46. This is a type of sailing ticket which must be issued (zero charge) in support of each travel ticket/person for both outward and return sea portion of the journey, to be endorsed, where applicable, with the sailing time and reservation reference number. This ticket will be pre-printed to the effect that it is not valid for travel.

Issuing Procedure - Control Ticket
Ticket to be issued as per the instructions provided by your TIS supplier.

Control tickets are issued through STAR using the following process:

Other tickets > Manual Fares > Manual supplement using the supplement codes CON (outward) and COT (Inward).

Control tickets are issued through Tribute using the following process:

Miscellaneous Functions > Optional Supplements using the supplement codes CON (outward) and COT (Inward).
 

Joe Paxton

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Very interesting to see that the iKB article refers to the Man in Seat 61 website for more information on travel between Dover Priory station and the port itself.
 

Tetchytyke

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Whilst @cactustwirly is technically correct, I've currently got a 100% success rate (4/4!) in being sold a supplement for a HS1 service with a London-Calais ticket when asking nicely either at the St Pancras barrier or onboard.

So have I, to be fair. I was clarifying that the day ticket itself is not valid on HS1. The anytime supplement is high, when I've done it I've taken the classic train out and just paid for HS1 on the return.

Last time I did it Charing Cross refused to sell me the railcard discounted ticket as they didn't believe the easement existed. They sold me it without the discount but from Orpington for pretty much the same price. The Orpington ticket plus a z1-6 gold card plus the supplement was accepted on HS1, but YMMV (and it was a few years ago!)
 

gray1404

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Is this also the ticket were customers are not always given Control Tickets but the P&O Port are all right with this and take a photocopy of the ticket instead?

I am wanting to do this as a day trip from Brighton but there are no fares offered. I think I would be better to split at somewhere like Hastings or Ashford International. Any one know any cheaper splits though? Disabled Persons Railcard held. It would be a Saturday I would do this with a friend.

What is there to do in Calais? Is it worth visiting for the day?
 

gray1404

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I also see no option of getting from Ashford International to Dover Priory without using HS1 on this ticket, which makes it very difficult.
 

BluePenguin

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I also see no option of getting from Ashford International to Dover Priory without using HS1 on this ticket, which makes it very difficult.
Well, HS1 ends at the Chunnel tunnel near Folkestone so I cannot see how you came to that conclusion. HS1 is the high speed line west of Ashford, which Dover is east of. For this reason the ticket can be used from Ashford International although could not be used from say Ebbsfleet International.

All Kent bound trains leave HS1 one at Ashford before continuing round the coast on third rail. Might I suggest you look at a map? :D
 

BluePenguin

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Is this also the ticket were customers are not always given Control Tickets but the P&O Port are all right with this and take a photocopy of the ticket instead?

I am wanting to do this as a day trip from Brighton but there are no fares offered. I think I would be better to split at somewhere like Hastings or Ashford International. Any one know any cheaper splits though? Disabled Persons Railcard held. It would be a Saturday I would do this with a friend.

What is there to do in Calais? Is it worth visiting for the day?
Having a quick look, the cheapest I found is a return from Brighton to Ashford plus a return from Ashford to Calais. I bought mine from Canterbury last year.

There is not an awful lot to do in Calais although if shopping is your thing, there are a few shops to browse. The bakeries and markets are definitely worth a visit too. A town called Boulogne up the road from Calais is much prettier and within easy reach on a local train.

I created a thread about the process last year which you may fancy reading to answer a few of your questions: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/kent-to-calais-day-return-ticket-options.167395/#post-3566703
 

Medicy

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I also see no option of getting from Ashford International to Dover Priory without using HS1 on this ticket, which makes it very difficult.

You don't travel on HS1 between Ashford and Dover, so you can catch any train with this ticket.

Is this also the ticket were customers are not always given Control Tickets but the P&O Port are all right with this and take a photocopy of the ticket instead?

I've travelled without a control ticket 3 out of 4 times before and it's been no problem at the P&O terminal - as you say, they just photocopied my ticket.
 

Tetchytyke

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I also see no option of getting from Ashford International to Dover Priory without using HS1 on this ticket, which makes it very difficult.

That stretch of line is not HS1 and all tickets are valid, even on trains which then go on to HS1 between London and Ashford.

It's a good day out on a warm day. What to do depends on what you want. I got the bus out to Cité Europe and hit the booze aisle of Carrefour...
 

AnkleBoots

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Update:

Charing Cross were happy to sell the ticket with Network Railcard the afternoon before. The guy told me emphatically, twice, that I would be unable to leave before 10am due to the Network Railcard. I had not even asked him about this.

St Pancras ticket desk next to the upstairs barrier, at 7:30am the next morning when I tried to buy the supplement:
1. He was a bit unsure about issuing a supplement to Dover when my ticket said Calais
2. He first put through a £46.10 ticket
3. When I objected he took a long look at the ticket and started trying to make sense of it on the system
4. He then said it had been issued incorrectly because of the Network Railcard and I should go to the main ticket office to resolve it
5. I said there is an exception to the 10am rule for this ticket
6. He spent more time looking at his system trying to understand it
7. I asked whether I could just buy the supplement from him and discuss it further on board, given the imminent departure
8. He said the ticket wasn't valid as it was before 10am
9. I pointed out the imminent departure and he finally agreed to issue it while pointing out that the Network Railcard wasn't valid before 10am
10. The person allowing people through the gate also seemed very keen to check my tickets closely but I managed to persuade her not to on the basis that her colleague had just sold me the tickets.
 
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