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Eurostar bans spirits onboard

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Aictos

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As mentioned in this article, Eurostar have brought in new rules regarding the amount of alcohol that be taken onboard.
Eurostar has quietly banned passengers from bringing any spirits onboard its trains.

“Just to let you know, Eurostar reserves the right to confiscate and destroy any alcohol carried in excess of these limits, without any liability to you,” the train operator says.

It says the rules are to ensure a “safe, happy and healthy” onboard environment.


In a change to alcohol allowances, passengers are now limited to just one bottle of wine or four cans of beer each, and no spirits are permitted onboard.

Any surplus alcohol has to be transported separately via Eurostar’s registered luggage service.

https://www.independent.co.uk/trave...ce-ban-wine-beer-spirits-trains-a8971936.html

Is this a step in the wrong direction?
 
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sprunt

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Presumably you can take spirits bought in the duty-free shop on board? The St Pancras duty free shop website seems to think so, or they just haven't been told about the change. Or have been told but haven't bothered updating the website.

Eurostar Alcohol policy

- Maximum of 6 bottles of Champagne or 3 bottles of spirits per traveller.

- For Ski and Sports events please ask a member of staff for details.
 

Aictos

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Presumably you can take spirits bought in the duty-free shop on board? The St Pancras duty free shop website seems to think so, or they just haven't been told about the change. Or have been told but haven't bothered updating the website.

Me thinks that the website just hasn’t been updated or is it a case of one hand saying one thing and another hand not listening?
 
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Well, in just coming up for 25 years of travelling with ES I recall just one incident of excessive alcohol consumption which caused me concern. And that was a passenger who was being supplied with booze by ES itself, in what is now Standard Premier....

Perhaps they meant just to apply this new rule to the Ski Train and the H&S crowd decided to apply it to all trains just to be on the safe side? There will be many sad Belgian brewers once this news gets round! As Mark S. says in his tweet earlier today, Eurostar is in fact a train not a plane.
 

scragend

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When did this new policy supposedly come into force? I travelled back from Lille to London last Friday with a bottle of whisky (opened) in my bag and nothing was said.
 

johntea

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I would wager 90% of the staff will turn a blind eye to it despite the 'official' rules, I had quite a lot of booze in my bag left over from a recent Paris trip in March this year and nothing was mentioned, although most of it had mysteriously vanished by St Pancras anyway ;)

All security should be worrying about is...erm...security!

Also I found my Belgium trip a bit of a strange culture, drink quite heavily until 3-4am (definitely only half pints at their strengths mind!) then back to the hotel and sleep until the late morning/early afternoon, rinse and repeat...I suspect the soldiers patrolling the streets helps encourage drunks to behave though!
 

STEVIEBOY1

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I normally bring 2 or 3 small bottles (18.7cl) in my hand luggage when I travel on Eurostar, buying them at about £ 1.75 each in well known supermarkets is cheaper than buying the same size bottle on board. I do the same when I travel long distance on UK Trains too. Does that mean I can only take one of these small bottles? Seems a bit off. Otherwise I presume I can take a normal size bottle with me.
 

BahrainLad

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I am convinced this rule is solely there so they can point to it when confiscating excessive amounts from a Stag Do. I doubt a single traveler bringing a couple of bottles of nice claret back from France will have any issues at all.
 

AnkleBoots

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Presumably you can take spirits bought in the duty-free shop on board? The St Pancras duty free shop website seems to think so, or they just haven't been told about the change. Or have been told but haven't bothered updating the website.
Does that shop sell anything duty-free? I don't see how it could based on the possible destinations.
 

scragend

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Does that shop sell anything duty-free? I don't see how it could based on the possible destinations.

I think "World Duty Free" is nothing more than a brand name, taking advantage of the misconception that people have held for the last 21 years that duty-free shopping still exists within the EU.
 

Bletchleyite

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I think "World Duty Free" is nothing more than a brand name, taking advantage of the misconception that people have held for the last 21 years that duty-free shopping still exists within the EU.

It's just a brand, I doubt they even thought that far. It exists in airports with destinations where duty free is applicable.

I've always found actual duty free on land a bit bizarre, though (I sort of understand it on a ship in/aircraft over international waters). You're still in the country, you haven't actually left it, so why do normal prices not apply?
 

RLBH

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I've always found actual duty free on land a bit bizarre, though (I sort of understand it on a ship in/aircraft over international waters). You're still in the country, you haven't actually left it, so why do normal prices not apply?
The principle is that tax isn't paid on goods being exported from the country. In principle, you may be required to pay import duty on arrival, though in practice personal duty-free allowances take care of this. Goods purchased duty free also shouldn't be consumed before departure, and in some places this is enforced.
 

mallard

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I am convinced this rule is solely there so they can point to it when confiscating excessive amounts from a Stag Do. I doubt a single traveler bringing a couple of bottles of nice claret back from France will have any issues at all.

The problem with such "selective enforcement" is that once the rule is in place, it's very easy to start enforcing it more widely... It's a commonly used tactic to introduce unpopular rule changes in that way.

Considering the type of responses Eurostar are giving about this on Twitter (e.g. the one given to "Claire Tate" in the BBC article), it's very clear that they're doing it to drive business to their "registered luggage" service at £30 per item. It's a revenue-driven policy, nothing more, nothing less, nothing unexpected from the railways.
 

Bletchleyite

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The problem with such "selective enforcement" is that once the rule is in place, it's very easy to start enforcing it more widely... It's a commonly used tactic to introduce unpopular rule changes in that way.

Considering the type of responses Eurostar are giving about this on Twitter (e.g. the one given to "Claire Tate" in the BBC article), it's very clear that they're doing it to drive business to their "registered luggage" service at £30 per item. It's a revenue-driven policy, nothing more, nothing less, nothing unexpected from the railways.

Which would be all very well if that service allowed one to check a bag a reasonable period of time before one's actual train, for it to travel on that train, and to collect it on arrival, you know, like those aeroplanes they endeavour to be like. But this is not offered.
 

Bletchleyite

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The problem with such "selective enforcement" is that once the rule is in place, it's very easy to start enforcing it more widely... It's a commonly used tactic to introduce unpopular rule changes in that way.

Fundamentally, to be fair to everyone, rules should be clear, simple, reasonable, and applied to all.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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where exactly is this restriction advertised on the E* website? There's no sign of it in Conditions of Carriage

Yes, I was wondering that, I had a look at their website and Conditions of Carriage, but like you, could not find anything about this subject. I may email them.
 

PermitToTravel

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Which would be all very well if that service allowed one to check a bag a reasonable period of time before one's actual train, for it to travel on that train, and to collect it on arrival, you know, like those aeroplanes they endeavour to be like. But this is not offered.
They don't even offer registered luggage on all flows!
 

MarkyT

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This is utterly absurd and over the top. They couch the statement as if the policy is to prevent drunkenness on board and I've no objection to that, but it seems to be about all alcohol carried in hand luggage whether opened or not. As far as I know, no other method of transport is so strict except possibly Middle Eastern domestic airlines! As long as you're not carrying anything more than customs limits, why not have a rule such that only one bottle or wine or four cans of beer may be OPENED and no private spirits consumed on board. Can we expect them to ban large numbers of fags or big bottles of scent as well soon? Perhaps they could have value limits on personal possessions brought in as well... "I'm sorry sir I'm going to have to confiscate this gold necklace as it's above your personal limit". F*cking ridiculous! Also I reckon this https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/perfectdraft-stella-artois-6l-keg must count as a single can of beer so one should be able to bring four of those in.
 

Flying Snail

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E* seems to be a long running a project to see what the result of combining the worst aspects of air travel, SNCF and British railway operations will be.
 

ashkeba

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I am convinced this rule is solely there so they can point to it when confiscating excessive amounts from a Stag Do. I doubt a single traveler bringing a couple of bottles of nice claret back from France will have any issues at all.
What convinced you?

Others won't be willing to chance it and will drive or fly instead. This is an unnecessary act of environmental harm by Eurostar.
 

Romilly

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The BBC are reporting that the Eurostar alcohol policy has been softened somewhat. The Eurostar website now has the following:
To maintain a comfortable environment for all our travellers, we have some limits around the amount of alcohol you can bring on board.

We want our passengers to have a relaxing, pleasant experience and that’s why we reserve the right to confiscate excessive amounts of alcohol intended for consumption on the journey. We also have the right to refuse access to our services if a traveller’s physical or mental state is affected by alcohol or drugs.

Typically, we limit consumption on board to:
  • 4 bottles / cans of beer or 1 bottle of wine per person
  • No large bottles of spirits
We appreciate that passengers often want to bring a few bottles back from their trip and we are happy for customers to bring unopened bottles of alcohol to take on to their destination. Any passengers with large quantities can use EuroDespatch, our registered luggage service.

Although you can bring alcohol with you and we serve alcohol on board, safety is our top priority. So, please drink in moderation. If you behave in an antisocial way which ruins the journey for other passengers or break any laws or by-laws, we might ask you to leave the train at the nearest station.

Night ski trains and trains taking fans to or from a sports event

As a result of some incidents on these services, we don't sell alcohol on board or allow travellers to bring their own alcohol with them. Any alcohol is confiscated during check-in and only non-alcoholic drinks in sealed bottles are allowed to pass through security at your departure station.
 

ashkeba

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Well that's more reasonable. I hope whoever misphrased it before has been shunted to other tasks!
 

Bletchleyite

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I suspect it wasn't "misphrased", but they have climbed down when they have seen the protests. They might well have been putting it out there to see the effect.
 

hooverboy

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I am convinced this rule is solely there so they can point to it when confiscating excessive amounts from a Stag Do. I doubt a single traveler bringing a couple of bottles of nice claret back from France will have any issues at all.
it's ultimately a private matter with respect to conditions of carriage.

as far as Border control and customs are concerned, this is not enforceable(yet).
While we are still technically in the EU, then trans EU quota's apply.

from the train operators perspective, you should adhere to the conditions set when you purchase a ticket.They are within bounds to boot someone off the train for breach, but border control prior to embarkation will clear you.

they can also do so for licencing infringements..ie alcoholic beverages not purchased on board are prohibited from being consumed.
 

Cloud Strife

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I've always found actual duty free on land a bit bizarre, though (I sort of understand it on a ship in/aircraft over international waters). You're still in the country, you haven't actually left it, so why do normal prices not apply?

Belarus has duty free shops on both road and rail border crossings, though prices in the duty free shop at Railway Brest Station were the same as in the supermarket.

There's quite an interesting history of duty free shops at land border crossings, with one of the worst offenders being Montenegro. At one point, they were selling an extraordinary amount of duty free cigarettes at border shops, most of which were actually never sold in the shops, but rather smuggled into Croatia and beyond. The shops have been closed down, but the smuggling still continues. I seem to remember plenty of shenanigans going on with the Bulgarian land border shops as well.

The EU however forbids the operation of duty free shops on land borders, and they put a lot of pressure on neighbouring non-EU countries not to allow them. Slovenia in particular really fought against closing those shops down, because they were making considerable amounts of revenue from them.

Before Poland and the Czech Republic joined the EU, one huge scam were duty free river cruises between those two countries and Germany. Tickets were sold for a token amount (as little as 15-20 pence) and the cruise time was just enough so that people could get in and out of the huge duty free shops on these boats. They were essentially designed for people to buy cheap booze/cigarettes/coffee/etc, not for actual tourism.

And even today, there's one infamous boat that goes between Poland and Kaliningrad which plays hideous music and features a lot of people getting very, very drunk on duty free booze. Booze sold isn't supposed to be consumed on board, but the reality is rather different.
 
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Railman10

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Does that shop sell anything duty-free? I don't see how it could based on the possible destinations.
As we are still part of the EU, by definition there is no ‘duty free’ going to and from France on Eurostar (or the Shuttle or Ferries for that matter).
What happens if the lunatics manage to get the UK out of the Union without an appropriate deal is another matter of course.
 
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